"The Story of Suginao Akita" - A story of a man who was too tired to return to his old age

...In connection with the family feud of the Akita domain Satake clan (the issue of succession during the time of the 5th lord Yoshimine and the 7th lord Yoshiaki), Nakano Tadazaemon (Saionjo) was executed in 1757 (7th year of the Horeki era) for treason, but his wife Orits was born in Kyoto and lived a life of ups and downs. Her ups and downs are described in the Akita Suginao Monogatari (The Tale of Akita Suginao) (prefaced in 8th year of the Horeki era, written by Baba Bunko) as a private prostitute in Kyoto, a mistress of Konoike Zen'emon, the wife of an Edo actor, the wife of a Shin-Yoshiwara Ageya Owariya, and Nakano's wife. Furthermore, in the book of facts, "Akita Fuki Supplement" (date of creation unknown), O-Hyaku is portrayed as a poisonous woman possessed by the spirit of the Umi-bozu, and her character is expanded to include her taking part in a conspiracy to poison the governor as the wife of Nakagawa (Naka), stabbing her former husband Kuwanaya Tokubei to death at Sunamura Rokumantsubo, and also poisoning the court physician Shinozaki.

*Some of the terminology used in "The Tale of Akita Suginao" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…秋田藩佐竹家のお家騒動(5代義峰～7代義明時代の継嗣問題)にからんで那河忠左衛門(采女)は1757年(宝暦7)逆意ありとの科（とが）で斬罪となったが，その妻お百(おりつ)は京生れで転変の人生を送った。この転変ぶりは《秋田杉直（なおし）物語》(宝暦8年序，馬場文耕著)に，京の私娼―鴻池善右衛門の妾―江戸役者の妻―新吉原揚屋尾張屋の妻―那河の妻と描出されている。さらに実録本《増補秋田蕗（ふき）》(成立年未詳)では，海坊主の怪がのりうつった毒婦としてお百を描き，中川(那河)の妻として太守毒殺の陰謀に荷担，もとの夫桑名屋徳兵衛を砂村六万坪で刺殺，また奥医師篠崎をも毒殺するなどと性格を拡大した。…

※「《秋田杉直物語》」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報