The drama "Suda no Haru Geisha Katagi" was premiered in January 1796 at the Kiriza [casting]. The hero of this drama, the otokodate Ume no Yoshibei, was based on a real person of the Genroku era, Umeshibu no Kichibei, who murdered in 1689 in Ôsaka a decchi named Chôkichi to steal his money. The star Sawamura Sôjûrô I was the first actor to portray Ume no Yoshibei on stage. The role was brought to Edo from Ôsaka by the Kamigata playwright Namiki Gohei I, who turned it into an Edo otokodate and wrote "Suda no Haru Geisha Katagi" for Sawamura Sôjûrô III.

The lastest revival at the National Theater was made up of 3 acts and 8 scenes [more details].

After saving him from a robber on the banks of the Sumidagawa River, Yoshibei kills the unfortunate Chôkichi in order to obtain the money he is carrying; in the process his little finger is bitten off. Yoshibei does not realise that he has killed the younger brother of his wife Koume. When Koume sees the missing finger in the corpse's mouth, she realises her husband is responsible. To bear the guilt herself she cuts off her own finger and kills herself.

Source: the Fitzwilliam Museum Website

The role of Ume no Yoshibei is closely associated to the Sawamura Sôjûrô line of actors.

The white herons and black crows on the kimono of Ume no Yoshibei symbolize innocence and bad luck respectively. This pattern immediately identifies the character of Yoshibei.

The actor Sawamura Gennosuke I playing the role of Ume no Yoshibei in the drama "Suda no Haru Geisha Katagi", which was staged in March 1810 at the Nakamuraza (print made by Utagawa Toyokuni I)

The actor Sawamura Chôjûrô V portraying Ume no Yoshibei in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni III