The best way to enjoy Yamaage Festival in 2023

Below are summaries of the main Kabuki performances played during the Yamaage festival.

Every year, a different team (from a different part of the town) is on duty, and different teams have different specialty, so not all of these pieces are performed every year.

The story of ‘Masakado’ (将門) 

After the fall of Taira no Masakado, Ooyano Taro Mitsukuni was sent to investigate the haunted old palace in Soma by Minamoto no Yorinobu. There, he encountered a beautiful woman who he suspected was Princess Takiyasha. After sharing details of the rebellion, Mitsukuni recognizes her true identity and a confrontation ensues.

The story of ‘Modoribashi’ (戻橋)

Tsuna Watanabe encounters a woman named Sayuri while crossing Ichijo Koronbashi Bridge in Kyoto at night. While suspicious of her presence, he offers her a ride home. During their crossing, Tsuna sees the reflection of an ogre woman in the water and becomes more suspicious. Sayuri reveals her knowledge of Tsuna’s name, leading to a confrontation between the two that ends with Sayuri revealing her true form as a demoness and Tsuna escaping after losing his arm.

The story of ‘Kodakarasanbasou’ (子宝三番叟)

The story revolves around a child prodigy with 12 children who enjoys playing with the four seasons. This story is known as “Shugi Shoho Sanbaso,” a highly artistic piece that incorporates various classical techniques. It is often performed during opening ceremonies of theaters and the Yamage Festival’s Yoimatsuri kasaze.

The story of ‘Hebihimesama’ (蛇姫様)

Princess Alokuhime writes a secret letter about her treacherous retainers and entrusts it to her servant, Kaede, before committing suicide. Kaede faces persecution, but a white snake spirit saves her before she delivers the letter to Edo. The story is set in Karasuyama and includes beautifully performed dances of boatmen, village girls, and butterflies.

The story of ‘Yoshinoyama Kitsune Tadanobu’ (吉野山狐忠信)

In the midst of political turmoil, Yoshitsune escapes to Mt. Yoshino, and his lover, Shizuka Gozen, follows him. However, Shizuka loses her companion and begins to feel lonely. To comfort herself, she plays the “hatsune no tsuzumi,” a drum given to her by Yoshitsune. Suddenly, a young fox appears. The fox cub disguises itself as Tadanobu, Yoshitsune’s vassal, to protect Shizuka.

The story of ‘Umegawa’ (梅川)

Chubei, the adopted son of an Osaka courier, commits the cardinal sin of breaking the seal of a money order he has been entrusted with in order to marry Umekawa, a prostitute whom he knows well.

The story of ‘Sekinoto’ (関の扉)

A female figure appears in front of Sekibei, who raises an axe to cut down a cherry tree. She tells him that she is Sumizome, a tamashii tayu from Fushimi-Tsukimachi, Kyoto, and that she is here for you, her beloved. However, in fact, she is the spirit of an old cherry tree that has received the seven passions of joy, anger, sorrow, love, evil, and desire and has materialized into a human being. They learn each other’s true nature and go on a grand standoff.

The story of ‘Oimatsu’ (老松)

The words are taken from “Laomatsu,” a song of the old pine tree, and the “Records of the First Emperor,” found in the the ancient book of Shiki.