Kumokiri Nizaemon - Kumokiri Nizaemon

A leader of Edo-period thieves who is often featured in lectures and other publications. His subordinates included Kinezumi Kichigoro, Osaraba Denji, Yamaneko Sanji, Inga Kozo Rokunosuke, and Subashiri Kumagoro. These thieves are included in lectures and are one of the stories in the "Ooka Political Talks." Nizaemon and his comrades learned that Bunzo and his wife, wealthy farmers from Barazawa Village, Kitakoma County, Koshu, had passed through the checkpoint without going through the checkpoint due to an urgent matter, so they disguised themselves as fake officials and, under the pretense of investigating Bunzo, stole a large sum of 12,000 ryo from Bunzo's house. They divided the money among themselves and each got their own job and became honest people. Nizaemon changed his name to Kikyoya Goroemon and ran a brothel, but was eventually captured after killing his subordinate Rokunosuke. This story is not true, and is thought to have been invented during the Tenpo period (1830-1844). It was also made into a kabuki play, with works such as "Ryōtomi Takane no Kumokiri."

[Yoshihiro Yoshii]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

講釈などで取り上げられる江戸時代の盗賊の頭目。手下の小頭には、木鼠吉五郎(きねずみきちごろう)、おさらば伝次、山猫三次、因果小僧六之助、洲走熊五郎(すばしりくまごろう)がいる。これらの盗賊のことは講釈に仕組まれ、「大岡(おおおか)政談」の一つとなっている。仁左衛門らは、甲州北巨摩(きたこま)郡荊沢(ばらざわ)村の大百姓である文蔵夫婦が急用で関所を通らずに通行したことを知り、偽役人になりすまし、その取調べと偽って文蔵方の1万2000両の大金を盗んだ。彼らはそれを分配し、それぞれ生業をもち堅気となった。仁左衛門は桔梗屋五郎右衛門(ききょうやごろうえもん)と名を改め、遊女屋を営んだが、手下の六之助を殺したことからついに捕らえられてしまう。この話は事実ではなく、天保(てんぽう)期（1830～44）に創作されたらしい。歌舞伎(かぶき)にもなり、『竜三升高根雲霧(りょうとみますたかねのくもきり)』などの作品がある。

［芳井敬郎］

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