Satsuma Song

Japanese: 薩摩歌 - さつまうた

Ningyo joruri. Sewamono. 3 volumes. Kakugaki (Japanese traditional puppet theatre). Gengobei Oman. Written by Chikamatsu Monzaemon. The Gaidai Nenkan (Meiwa edition) states that the play was first performed at the Osaka Takemotoza in January 1704 (1st year of the Hoei era), but this is uncertain. The Shichikushu, which was completed before January 1704 (1st year of the Shōtoku era), includes a section on the journey of this play, so it is believed to have first been performed at least before that time. It was probably inspired by early modern folk songs that sang about Gengobei and Oman. It was also inspired by the story from Koshoku Gonin Onna, volume 5, Koi no Yama Gengobei Monogatari. Gengobei Hishikawa, a samurai from Satsuma, leaves his home country because of his love for Oman, and becomes a sandal bearer at the residence of Oman in Kyoto. There he meets Sasano Sangobei, who is engaged to Oman, and tells him the location of his father's enemy, whom he is looking for.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

人形浄瑠璃。世話物。3巻。角書〈源五兵衛おまん〉。近松門左衛門作。《外題年鑑(明和版)》は1704年(宝永1)正月大坂竹本座初演とするが不確実。11年(正徳1)正月以前成立の《紫竹集》に本作の道行を収めるので，少なくともそれ以前の初演とみられる。源五兵衛･おまんを歌う近世初期の俗謡によって構想されたのであろう。《好色五人女》巻五〈恋の山源五兵衛物語〉からも趣向を得ている。薩摩の侍菱川源五兵衛はおまんとの恋が原因で国許を出て，京都の小万の屋敷の草履取となり，ここで小万の許嫁（いいなずけ）笹野三五兵衛を知り，彼が探している父の敵のありかを教える。

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