It was a custom since 1709 for all the Edo theaters to produce a sogamono as new year program. The highlight of this drama was always a colorful and stylized confrontation scene (taimen in Japanese) between Suketsune and the two Soga brothers. "Kotobuki Soga no Taimen" was premiered in March 1903 at the Kabukiza, under the title "Kichirei Soga no Ishizue". It was produced for the shûmei of Onoe Kikugorô VI, Onoe Baikô VI and Onoe Eizaburô VI.

Two young brothers, Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari, seek to avenge the death of their father, who was killed in a private quarrel. The elder Jûrô is a thoughtful person, unlike Gorô who is a hot-blooded youth. Their enemy is Kudô Saemon Suketsune, a man who has risen to become a powerful daimyô and councilor to the shôgun, Minamoto no Yoritomo.

Their task is not, therefore, an easy one. They have a friend, Kobayashi Asaina, who is a retainer of Suketsune. Through this friend they arrange to attend the daimyo's party to celebrate his new inauguration. During the party, Gorô tries to kill Suketsune, but Jûrô reproves him for his bad manners. Defying the brothers, Suketsune throws at them two admission cards to a hawking event that is coming up soon. The hawking party will be held at Suketsune's private preserve at the foot of Mt. Fuji. Suketsune thereby gives the brothers a chance to avenge their father. Realizing Suketsune's intention by the cards, Jûrô and Gorô part from him. Though Suketsune is depicted as an evil man, he is, in reality, so outstanding a figure as to give the two brothers a chance to kill him. Ôiso no Tora and Kewaizaka no Shôshô appear as the beautiful courtesans of Suketsune's mansion. They are the mistresses of Jûrô and Gorô.

This summary has been written by Watanabe Hisao and edited by Jeff Blair [website]

The actors Onoe Kikugorô VI, Onoe Baikô VI and Ichikawa Danjûrô IX playing the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune (1st print/bottom-right), Soga Jûrô Sukenari (2nd print/bottom-left) and Kudô Saemon Suketsune (3rd print/top-right) in the drama "Kichirei Soga no Ishizue", which was staged in March 1903 at the Kabukiza (print made by Utagawa Kunisada III)