Shiga Urabe Oozake Tedaru Makura Houki No Goto Kotoba Miyako Horikawa Gotou Menuki

Inspired by Munesuke Namiki's "Nanban Tetsugoto Nomenuki" (1744)

Shigaurabe Osakete Taru Makura Broom no Goto Menuki (Five Tou of Sake, Barrel, Pillow, and Broom) - Koto Horikawa Goto Menuki

[Title]
Nanban Tetsugoto Nomenuki
Author: Munesuke Namiki
(Note: The end of the reference reads "Enkyo 1, Koushi, March," suggesting the work premiered and published in 1744.)

[Era]
Late Heian period to early Kamakura period (the "Bunji" period, when conflict between Minamoto no Yoritomo and Yoshitsune began).

[Synopsis]
Minamoto no Yoritomo, the Shogun of Kamakura, suspects his younger brother, Kuro Yoshitsune, of treason due to slanderous accusations by Nishikido Taro and Date Jiro. Yoritomo orders Yoshitsune's beloved Shizuka Gozen to be taken hostage and sent to Kamakura. Yoshitsune's loyal retainer, Gon no Kami Kanefusa, commits suicide to save his lord from peril, offering his own head in place of Lady Shizuka's to Honda Jiro Chikatsuki, an emissary from Kamakura. Touched by Honda's admirable loyalty, he tacitly accepts the deception and resolves the situation.

Meanwhile, in Otsu, Omi Province, there lives a ronin named Sanemoto, a masterless swordsmith with exceptional military talent who, despite his ignorance, lives a life of alcoholic rage, calling himself "Gotobei." Honda Jiro tricks Goto's son, Daizaburo, and takes him to Kamakura, where he recruits him into the Yoritomo faction. Daizaburo marries Honda's daughter, Tamayo.

At the same time, Izumi Saburo, a senior retainer in Yoshitsune's camp, visits Otsu to welcome Gotobei as his military strategist. Gotobei decides to side with Yoshitsune, but to fool the enemy, he pretends to be a drunkard and madman, to the astonishment of even his own allies.

The two armies eventually clash at Shiga Bay. Gotobei grapples with a young warrior from the enemy camp and overpowers him. However, when he sees his son, Daizaburo, he realizes he is fighting him. Tamayo weeps and begs for her life, and Gotobei, out of love for her son, tries to put away his blade, but at that moment, Daizaburo is shot dead by a stray arrow. Daizaburo leaves behind a death poem, and Gotobei, swallowing his tears, beheads his son.

Ultimately, thanks to the efforts of Kamei Rokuro, news of the Nishikido brothers' plot reaches Yoritomo, and the brothers make peace, bringing the story to a happy conclusion.