OKAYA: What silly things you still say! Ha, ha, ha.
CHANTER: The mother laughs, embarrassed at such frank banter from her brash and lively daughter.
OKAYA: You sound so lively even when you know you have to leave soon.
OKARU: No, I’m resigned to the plan. As long as it’s for Lord Enya, I’m ready and willing to go into service at Gion. But I can’t help but worry about you and father.
OKAYA: Now, now, no talk of that. We’re only simple folk. Your elder brother Heiemon also served Lord Enya. We have no one else to worry about.
CHANTER: Interrupting their intimate chat, a palanquin from the Ichimonjiya House in Gion arrives. (Osai, Genroku, and two palanquin bearers enter along the hanamichi, or runway.)
GENROKU: The house over there is the home of your new employee.
OSAI: Are we here already? My, it was hot on those winding paths in the rice fields. Not a spot of shade the whole way!
GENROKU: Didn’t you know? That place is famous for being so exposed to the elements. (He thinks a moment.) Bearers, take the palanquin over to the next house and leave it there.
BEARERS: Yes, sir.
GENROKU: Take care of it. (Turns to the house) Is Yoichibei at home?
OKAYA: Yes, who is it? (Realizing who it is) Oh, you’re the man from Kyoto who came before. You must be tired after such a long journey. Okaru, the man from Kyoto is here.
OKARU: We should be able to find out why father is late.
GENROKU: Sir, please come inside.
OSAI: Please excuse this intrusion. My, how hot it is today.
OKAYA: Daughter, aren’t you serving tea to our guests?
OKARU: It’s coming. (Okaru sets out the tea and tobacco.)
OSAI: No, please don’t worry yourselves on our behalf. We don’t need anything. By the way, wasn’t the thunder and lightning terrible last night! (Osai looks over at Okaru; Genroku tugs at Osai’s sleeve.)
GENROKU: Well, madam, what do you think?
OSAI: A fine specimen, one of the finest jewels I’ve ever seen. No problem here.
GENROKU: I knew you’d be impressed. Ha, ha. (He pauses to think.) By the way, it was a long, hot journey for Yoichibei yesterday. I presume that he returned safely.
OKAYA: You mean you didn’t come with Yoichibei? He hasn’t returned since leaving for Kyoto yesterday. He should be back by now!
GENROKU: How strange! (He pauses to think.) Perhaps he was bewitched by a fox near Fushimi Inari. (Implying that he stopped off at the pleasure quarter) No, that couldn’t be it. He must’ve gone elsewhere.
OKAYA: No, he’d never do that.
GENROKU: No, you’re right, Madam. The woman here is the owner of the house in Gion. Please come closer.
OKAYA: So, you’re the madam of the house where my daughter will be in service? It’s strange that we meet here in the countryside, in our humble home. Thank you for coming so far.
OSAI: So, you are the young lady’s mother? Yes, I met your husband, Yoichibei, the other day, and I am pleased to meet you as well. I’m Osai of the Ichimonjiya House. You need not worry about your daughter.
OKAYA: Yes, thank you. I trust that you will look after her well.
GENROKU: By the way, madam, we finalized the negotiations we had the other day and agreed on the terms. Your daughter’s contract is for exactly five years in exchange for a fee of one hundred gold ryō. Yoichibei said that he needed the money by tonight and asked to borrow the one hundred, begging us tearfully to give him all of it. We agreed to a promissory note and handed over half the money, promising to pay the remainder on delivery. Upon getting the fifty ryō, he set off immediately, happy as a lark, leaving us at about ten last night. We tried to stop him from traveling alone at night with so much money, but he refused to listen and left. Where has he gone?
OKARU: Mother, he wouldn’t have gone anywhere else.
OKAYA: Yes, I’m sure he wouldn’t stop somewhere else. Especially since he was so excited about showing us the money. He would have rushed home. I just don’t understand it.
GENROKU: Now, now, I’m afraid this mystery is your problem. All we’re expected to do is hand over the remainder and take the young lady back with us. Osai, give her the fifty ryō.
OSAI: Here’s the balance of fifty ryō. Now we’ve paid the one hundred gold pieces that we agreed to. (Osai takes out the purse made of a striped fabric and hands it to Genroku.)
GENROKU: I hereby hand over fifty ryō to complete the deal.
OKAYA: Thank you, but only until father returns, right Okaru?
OKARU: I’m sure that he’ll be back soon. Please let’s wait until then.
GENROKU: No, if we stop now, we’ll never get back. No matter what excuses you offer, Yoichibei’s own seal on this contract states our case. Today we’ve bought this woman’s body. We can’t afford to lose even a day of her services. Osai, they seem reluctant to part with her. Let’s be off.
OSAI: Yes, perhaps you’re right. Genroku, could I ask you to escort the young lady?
GENROKU: Well, Miss, let’s be off. It seems we’ll have to use a little muscle here.
CHANTER: He forces her into the palanquin, pushing her all the way. Just as the bearers lift her up, Kanpei, rifle in hand, wearing a straw raincoat, returns home. (Okaru is bustled forcibly into the palanquin. Okaya refuses to take the money, but Osai forces it on her. Osai and Genroku walk down the hanamichi, in front of the palanquin. Kanpei, coming from the other direction, sees Okaru.)
KANPEI: What, that’s Okaru, isn’t it?
OKARU: Is that you, Kanpei?
KANPEI: My, where’re you going in a palanquin? A hunter’s wife setting off in a palanquin! (Stops to think) Return it now please. (Kanpei forces the group to back up along the hanamichi. Okaya notices and comes out.)
OKAYA: Oh, is that Kanpei? You’ve returned just in time.
KANPEI: Yes, I just got back now.
OKARU: Mother, my husband has managed to get back in time. (Osai shows her displeasure as Okaru goes back in the house. Kanpei sits down at the door and removes his sandals. Okaya brings a bucket for him to wash his feet.)
KANPEI: Mother, wasn’t the storm last night really loud? You don’t like thunder at all. You must have been worried sick.
OKAYA: Yes, the lightning was terrifying. You must’ve gotten drenched.
KANPEI: The kimono you kindly washed for me is filthy now. (Stops to reflect) Mother, who are those people out front?
OKAYA: Those people . . . (She hesitates, embarrassed.)
KANPEI: Okaru, who are those people?
OKARU: Those people?
KANPEI: What’s going on here? Here, take this kimono and hang it out to dry. (Kanpei changes into his formal kimono, with the crest displayed. Okaya puts away his wet kimono.) Okaru, bring me my two swords.
OKARU: You have no need for them.
KANPEI: I said bring them here! (He pauses to think while Okaru goes to get the swords and returns. Kanpei puts the short sword into his obi and holds the long sword in his hand.) Something important is going on here. Mother, dear wife, explain what this is all about.
CHANTER: He repeats his order and sits down in the middle of the room. The agent Genroku steps forward.
GENROKU: Well, then, you must be our new employee’s husband. Whether you’re her lord or master, not even Amida or the Buddha can interfere. The contract is legal and binding, with her father’s name, signed and sealed. You can’t do a thing about it. We handed over the gold and are taking her with us. We won’t budge on this. You get what I mean?
KANPEI: Mother, I haven’t a clue to what he’s talking about. What’s going on?
OKAYA: No surprise that you’re confused. Remember that you told our daughter that you were in desperate need of money. We heard from her about it and wanted to help but didn’t have a cent to our name. Father wondered if you had even considered selling your wife to get the money. He thought you were afraid to broach the idea in front of us. Father decided to sell Okaru without t
elling you, saying a masterless samurai is known to kill and steal if the need arises. No shame in selling his wife as long as it raises money to serve his lord. He surely won’t be angry with us, Father thought. So, yesterday he set off for Gion to settle the deal and should have returned by now. Just as we were worrying about him, this man and his agent arrived. They say that last night they gave Father fifty ryō, half the agreed sum, on condition that they would hand over the remaining half on the delivery of Okaru. We tried to stop them from taking Okaru away, but they wouldn’t listen. Just as they were leaving, you arrived. What shall we do now?
A woodblock triptych of act 6 of Chūshingura by Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1864), later known as Utagawa Toyokuni III. Kunisada, an extremely popular and prolific ukiyo-e artist acclaimed for the verisimilitude of his actor prints, made the original set for the 1833 production of Chūshingura at the Ichimura Theater. In 1835, for another production at the Morita Theater, Kunisada recycled the triptych, replacing the faces of at least two of the earlier actors. Kanpei (left), played in the 1835 production by Sawamura Tosshō I (1802–1853), whose name appears at the lower right, is in hunting clothes with a wicker rain hat, resting a rifle on his shoulder. He is wearing a specially patterned robe (with characters interwoven to form the name Kikugorō) made for Onoe Kikugorō III (1784–1849), who performed the role in 1833. Kanpei halts the palanquin that is about to take away Okaru (center), acted in 1835 by Bandō Tamasaburō (1813–1855), whose name appears on the palanquin roof. Ichimonjiya Saibei (right), played in 1833 by Bandō Mitsugorō IV (1800–1863), whose name appears at the lower left, stands behind the palanquin, holding a pipe and a tobacco purse. Saibei, a male, was initially a female role, that of Osai. (Courtesy of the National Theatre of Japan)
KANPEI: Now it’s clear. First, let me thank you and father for your thought-fulness and my wife for her kindness. But there’s no need now to sell Okaru. I’ve had a bit of luck myself.
OKAYA: A bit of luck—what good news!
OKARU: What’s happened?
KANPEI: This bit of luck, it was strange the way it happened last night. (He pauses to think and looks around, considering his words carefully.) Let me tell you about it. In any case, we can’t send Okaru away, at least not until father returns.
GENROKU: What’s all this? How can you hold back an employee we’ve rightly paid for?
KANPEI: Mother, where are these people from?
OKAYA: They’re the owners of the house where Okaru is to serve.
KANPEI: I see, then, you are the master of the Gion house?
OKAYA: No, the woman over there is the owner. The fellow here works for her.
KANPEI: I understand now. (He pauses to think. Osai nods to him.) I’m sorry to have been rude before. I didn’t know the situation. Please forgive me. (Pauses to think) Of course you are within your rights and we cannot argue, but it was her father who made the deal, and it was to him that you supposedly paid the fifty ryō.
GENROKU: Sir, I am sorry to interrupt, but what do you mean by “supposedly paid”? That’s not good enough. Though it may sound a bit immodest, “Genroku the Agent” is known throughout Kyoto and Osaka. My face is known as far as Edo and Nagasaki. Among my peers, I sit first at the table, respected by all. The madam here also runs the grandest pleasure house in all of Gion, virtually the fabled Isle of Women, with an unprecedented array of courtesans. We won’t be taken in by any shenanigans. How dare you accuse us of lying about the money! There’s surely a headman or an official in this village. Take us to him now! You’re too afraid to take us there, are you? What? It seems you’re wearing samurai swords. Um, I’m not afraid of samurai swords. If I were afraid of swords, how could I eat skewered tofu! What a joke! Hurry up, get the authorities. (Genroku advances threateningly, but Osai intervenes.)
OSAI: Now, now, Genroku. What are you yelling about? He understands well enough without your screaming.
GENROKU: I’m sorry that I’ve had to get involved in such a stupid argument.
OSAI: Not to worry. You should be ashamed of yourself. Yelling like that doesn’t help anyone understand. It’s much better to be calm and talk softly.
GENROKU: What you say is certainly true, but he just doesn’t get it. (Starts to threaten again.)
OSAI: Shut up, will you! I’m telling you to stop. Won’t you listen to me?
GENROKU: It’s not that, but . . .
OSAI: All right, you step back over there. (Genroku steps back, and Osai pauses to consider her words.) So you’re the husband of our employee.
KANPEI: Yes.
OSAI: I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.
KANPEI: We meet under strange circumstances. You’ve traveled far today. Thank you for coming all this way.
OSAI: Yes, yes. There’s no need for such deep bows and formalities. Please lift up your head.
KANPEI: Yes, sir.
OSAI: Now, it seems that there has been some misunderstanding in your discussions with Genroku. He was afraid of embarrassing me and unfortunately began screaming to get his way. He’s being too businesslike. I’m sure he has offended you, but please understand his position and try to forgive him.
KANPEI: You’re being too polite. It was nothing.
OSAI: The gist of the matter is as Genroku has described it. Earlier the lady’s father begged us several times to complete the deal. We were in fact planning to reduce the number of our women, and so I was reluctant to agree to his request. But since he was an elderly gentleman, I gave in to his pleas. (She pauses to think.) But better than talking, I can show you some proof. (She takes out the contract.) We kept this record of the contract. Her term is five years for one hundred gold ryō, with fifty on deposit and the remainder on delivery. (Kanpei reflects on this.)
KANPEI: Madam, would you let me see the contract, please.
OSAI: You mean this document?
KANPEI: Yes, I just want to check it.
OSAI: Yes, of course. (She ponders a bit.) There, have a look for yourself. (Kanpei reads the contract and turns to Okaya.)
KANPEI: Mother, this seal is definitely father’s, isn’t it?
OKAYA: Yes, no doubt about it.
KANPEI: Then, this is definitely father’s seal. (Thinking) This seems to be father’s seal all right. (He returns the contract.)
OSAI: There, as you can see, the seal is definitely Yoichibei’s. (Ponders) Now let me explain what happened last night. We handed over the fifty gold pieces, and he was so delighted that he immediately wrapped them up in a towel and left. I told him that it was dangerous to carry the money like that and took a bit of material from an underkimono and made two purses, one for him to take the fifty in and one for the fifty that I would deliver. I had him put it around his neck on a string. He wanted to leave right away, but I told him to wait. It was already past eight in the evening, and it would be dangerous to travel at night alone. I suggested that he spend the night and leave the first thing in the morning, but he was determined and must have set off about ten last night. (Kanpei sees the fabric of the purse and, after remembering something, drops his pipe.)
KANPEI: What, you say that you lent Yoichibei that purse?
OSAI: Yes, I lent it to him.
KANPEI: That striped one. (Ponders) Let me see that please.
OSAI: Of course, here, take it.
KANPEI: Okaru, could you get me a cup of tea?
OKARU: Yes.
CHANTER: Kanpei glances cautiously around before he looks down to compare the purse with the one in his pocket. The fabric is exactly the same. “Oh, my god,” he thinks. “Was the man I shot and killed last night my father-in-law?” A jolt of pain strikes his heart. (Okaru serves him some tea. Kanpei tries to drink it but chokes and coughs.)
OKARU: Did you choke on the tea?
KANPEI: It’s OK.
CHANTER: Okaru, realizing nothing, presses him.
OKARU: Dear, what have you decided? Are you going to send me off or not? It’s your decision.
KANPEI: Yes, of course
. Since it must have been exactly as they’ve described it, you must go.
OKARU: Even without waiting to say good-bye to Father?
KANPEI: Oh, yes, I met Father this morning, but I don’t know when he’ll be back.
OKARU: What!? (Ponders) Mother, he met Father this morning.
OKAYA: Then, you met Father? What a relief! I’m so pleased! Okaru, he met Father.
OKARU: If you met him, you should have told us right away.
OKAYA: Sir, did you hear that? Our son-in-law met Father.
GENROKU: One should ask seven times before being suspicious, they say. You must be relieved to hear that Mr. Yoichibei is fine. I’m happy as well. If there’re still any complaints, then they’ll have to be taken up by the authorities. Your son-in-law met Yoichibei, so we all can celebrate.
OSAI: Madam, if you come to Hongan-ji temple to pray, be sure to drop by and see us. We’re right in the middle of Gion. (She pauses.) The husband, too, is welcome to visit if he has time. I promise to let him see his wife. My, my, after all this talk, the shadows have grown long. We have at least ten miles to home. Genroku, let’s get moving. Get everything ready.
GENROKU: Yes, ma’am. Young lady, let’s be off. (Okaru is reluctant to stand up.)
OKARU: Yes, I’m coming, but let me have a moment more.
GENROKU: The farewells are always like this for the family. (Pauses) Madam, let’s go out front. (Osai and Genroku go outside. Okaru closes the door and moves close to Kanpei. Shamisen music plays in the background.)
OKARU: Mother, I have to leave now. Listen, Kanpei, both Mother and Father are quite old. It’s up to you to look after them. Take care especially of Father—he’s got those painful ailments.
CHANTER: How sad that she pleads for the care of her father, unaware of his death. Her mother comforts her.
OKAYA: Oh, Kanpei, you must want to say farewell to your wife. Are you afraid that Okaru will regret her decision?
OKARU: No, no. No matter how long we’re separated, as long as I’m selling myself in the service of my lord, I have no regrets at all. I’ll leave bravely. But to leave without seeing father . . .
Early Modern Japanese Literature: An Anthology, 1600–1900 Page 58
