White waves of Miyakodori

A Kabuki play. A domestic drama in three acts. Written by Kawatake Mokuami. Commonly known as "Souta the Shinobi" or "Sakuramochi". It was first performed in March 1854 (Kaei 7) at the Kawarasakiza in Edo by Souta the 4th Ichikawa Kodanji and Matsuwaka the 1st Bando Shiuka. It is a "Sumida River Story" based on the legend of Umewaka, and the main character, Souta the Shinobi, is actually Yamada Rokuro, a former retainer of the Yoshida family. Souta, who runs a sakuramochi shop while struggling to raise money for his master, unknowingly kills the young lord Umewaka on the Sumida bank and steals his money. Also, when Sota realised that the head of the family, Matsuwaka, had disguised himself as a prostitute in Yoshiwara, disguised as a woman, he tried to buy her freedom, but a misunderstanding arose and when Sota found out that Matsuwaka had intended to kill him, he was deliberately slashed by him. Matsuwaka then obtained the family heirloom, the Miyakodori Seal, and the family tree, and was able to restore the family. This was the first work produced by a collaboration between Kodanji IV and Mokuami, and is a memorable work that sparked the popularity of ronin stories at the end of the Edo period. The decadent mood of the late Edo period is vividly expressed in the ideas of Sota, who accidentally kills his young lord because he suffers from night blindness, and Matsuwaka, who disguises himself as the thief Kiritaro and disguises himself as a woman. Notable techniques include the use of Takemoto to kill Umewaka, and in the climax scene, Matsuwaka has his subordinate Minezo (played by the actor Sota in a quick change) serve him, and while eating his meal he engages in a fight with the police.

[Toshiaki Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

歌舞伎(かぶき)脚本。世話物。三幕。河竹黙阿弥(もくあみ)作。通称「忍ぶの惣太(そうた)」「桜餅(さくらもち)」。1854年（嘉永7）3月、江戸・河原崎(かわらさき)座で4世市川小団次の惣太、初世坂東志うかの松若らにより初演。梅若伝説に基づいた「隅田川物」で、忍ぶの惣太実は吉田家の旧臣山田六郎が主人公。桜餅屋を営みながら主家のための金策に苦心する惣太は、隅田堤で幼君梅若をそれと知らず殺害して金を奪う。また、女装して吉原の遊女花子となっていた当主松若を、惣太はそれと悟って身請けしようとするが、諸事行き違い、主(しゅ)殺しと知った惣太はわざと松若に斬(き)られ、松若は家宝都鳥の印と系図を入手して、お家再興を果たす。4世小団次と黙阿弥が提携した第一作で、幕末の白浪物流行の機縁となった記念すべき作品。鳥目(とりめ)を患うため誤って幼君を殺す惣太や、盗賊霧太郎に身をやつし、しかも女装する松若などの趣向に、幕末の退廃気分が色濃く表れている。技巧としては、竹本を使った梅若殺し、大詰の松若が手下の峰蔵(みねぞう)（惣太役者が早替りで演じる）に給仕させ、飯を食いながら捕方(とりかた)と立回りする「おまんまの立回り」などが特色。

［松井俊諭］

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