The 3-part Kiyomoto/Tokiwazu/Nagauta-based dance "Yayoi no Hana Asakusa Matsuri" was staged for the first time in the 3rd lunar month of 1832 at the Nakamuraza at the end of the drama "Sakura Doki Onna Gyôretsu", starring Bandô Mitsugorô IV (who celebrated his shûmei) and Nakamura Shikan II in the leading roles.

The dance "Yayoi no Hana Asakusa Matsuri" was divided into 3 parts:

The dance with Empress Jingû and Takenouchi no Sukune accompanied by a Tokiwazu ensemble.

The main part with the two fishermen, then the spirits of Evil and Good, then the man about town and the wealthy bumpkin. It is staged with a Kiyomoto ensemble for the first half and a Tokiwazu ensemble for the second half.

The third part is the shakkyômono/shishimono, with a Nagauta ensemble.

This dance is still sometimes performed in its entirety but the first half of the second part, "Sanja Matsuri", is frequently staged independently.

Empress Jingû and General Takenouchi no Sukune
Tokiwazu Ensemble

The curtain opens to reveal gala festival decorations, with a float in the center bearing the 2nd century Empress Jingû and her general Takenouchi no Sukune. They tell the story of their famed subjugation of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Shinra, Kôrai, and Hakusai. According to the legend, Empress Jingû was pregnant at the time of battle, and she placed a stone under her sash to keep her from giving birth until the battle was won. This was the final successful military expedition for both Empress Jingû and Takenouchi no Sukune. After this battle, it is said, she gave birth to Emperor Ôjin, and reigned by his side as regent for 69 years with Takenouchi no Sukune as her Grand Minister. This was a period of uninterrupted peace and prosperity for Japan. According to the legend, Empress Jingû died at the age of 110 and Sukune at the age of 280.

The Spirit of Good and the Spirit of Evil
Kiyomoto Ensemble

The dancers disappear behind a large white cloth up stage, and that cloth suddenly becomes the sail of a boat on the Miyato River. Almost as suddenly, the dancers appear once more, now dressed as the river fishermen Hinokuma Hamanari and his younger brother Hinokuma Takenari. They are casting their net into the river when a dark cloud suddenly descends over their boat. The cloud is bearing the Spirits of Good (zen) and Evil (aku), which possess the two fishermen. This is symbolized by Hamanari taking a circular mask from the cloud bearing the character for Good (zen) and Takenari taking the one with the character for Evil (aku) and placing the respective masks over their own faces. They perform a humorous dance depicting the manner in which Good and Evil attempt to influence each other, with Good, of course, losing out in the end.

The Man about Town and the Wealthy Bumpkin
Tokiwazu Ensemble

The Good Spirit jumps into the boat and rows off stage. The scene changes to the pleasure quarters as the Evil Spirit dances in triumph. The dancer playing the Good Spirit now reappears as a tsûjin, a well-educated well-mannered smart and sophisticated Edo man very familiar with the pleasure quarters of his city. The tsûjin is on his way to enjoy himself. The Evil Spirit dances with the tsûjin for a time in an atmosphere of mutual understanding of the pleasures of decadent living. The Evil Spirit disappears and the tsûjin continues to dance, showing off his fine clothes and accoutrements and describing the food and drink and other joys he is looking forward to during the evening to follow. A wealthy countryside bumpkin (yabo daijin) appears in his path. The yabo daijin is in the big city for the first time, and the dance duet that follows amusingly reveals the differences in character between the two men.

The Stone Bridge
Nagauta Ensemble

The wealthy bumpkin and the man about town strike a pose on a lift and descend out of sight and the scene changes to a stone bridge covered with snow and surrounded by red and white peonies. Two Lion Spirits (shishi) appear and perform a vigorous dance based on the Nô play titled "Shakkyô" (literally "Stone Bridge").

"Yayoi no Hana Asakusa Matsuri" in the 3rd lunar month of 1832 at the Nakamuraza (illustrations coming from an ehon banzuke)