Asakura Tougo - Asakura Tougo

...Behind this lies the belief in the spirit of the deceased (Masakado's belief) to appease the souls of the family of Sogoro, who was said to have been executed in a tragic manner, and at the same time, the public psychology of the late Edo period, when peasant uprisings were frequent, further encouraged the fictionalization of the image of Sogoro. The kabuki premiere was in August 1851 (Kaei 4) at the Nakamuraza Theater as "Higashiyama Sakura Shoshi" (written by Segawa Jyoko III). The character's name was Asakura Togo due to legal restrictions, and the play was set during the time of the Ashikaga clan. It is a somewhat lengthy, long piece of 28 scenes that includes Ryutei Tanehiko's "Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji," but the contrast between the glittering life of the Ashikaga (Tokugawa) clan's inner palace and the impoverished rural areas is effective, and it is also regarded as the first peasant drama in the history of kabuki. It is also important to note that the play has an aspect of a supernatural drama in which Togo's vengeful spirit torments the lord. ...

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "Asakura Tougo" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…その背景には悲運に刑死したと伝えられる惣五郎一家鎮魂のための御霊（ごりよう）信仰(将門信仰)が結びつき，同時に百姓一揆の頻発する江戸後期の民衆心理が，惣五郎像の虚構化をさらにうながしたと見られる。歌舞伎の初演は1851年(嘉永4)8月中村座《東山桜荘子》(3世瀬川如皐作)で，役名は法令の規制により浅倉当吾とし，時代も足利氏の時期に設定，柳亭種彦の《偐紫（にせむらさき）田舎源氏》をないまぜにした28場に及ぶ，やや冗漫な長編だが，足利(徳川)家のけんらんたる大奥生活と疲弊した農村の対照が効果をあげ，歌舞伎史上最初の農民劇としても評価される。また当吾の怨霊が領主を苦しめる怪異劇としての側面も見落とせない。…

※「浅倉当吾」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。

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