Namu Aburaya Kao Shubou Yuen Rien Tsutanohaki No Tsuchibashi Kasanegafuchi No Hanyumura Inga

Inspired by Tatsuta Benji, Yoshida Kigen, and Karatei Enma's "Meiboku Kasane Monogatari (The Tale of the Pond of the Pond of Hanyu Village)" (1790)

Namu Abura-ya: The Disfigured Face Leads to Divorce - The Ivy-Leafed Bridge, the Kasane-ga-fuchi of Hanyu Village, Karma

"The Tale of the Pond of the Pond of the Pond of the Pond of Hanyu Village" (Meiboku Kasane Monogatari) is a representative Bunraku and Kabuki play that combines the Edo period's Date Disturbance (a family feud) with the ghost story of "Kasane-ga-fuchi," a place haunted by a vengeful spirit. It is a tragic tale depicting the karma of the murder of the innocent Takao Tayu through the ugly transformation of the ghost of Kasane.

Key Features and Overview
Story Background: The story originated from a puppet theater piece, first performed at the Hizenza Theater in Edo in 1790, by collaboration between Tatsuta Benji, Yoshida Kigen, and Karatei Enma.
Synopsis: In order to ensure the safety of his lord, Ashikaga Yorikane (modeled after Date Tsunamune), Kinukawa Tanizo, obsessed with loyalty, murders the innocent Takao Tayu. Takao's spirit then possesses Tanizo's wife, Rui, and while expressing her terrible grudge, causes a number of strange occurrences.
Highlights: In scenes such as "Dobashi no Dan," Rui (played by Yoshida Kazuo) is transformed into an ugly figure, but the play also depicts the dignity he harbors and the tragedy of karma.
Portrayal of "Rui": A "gabu," a Bunraku head used to represent the transformation of a monster or a vengeful spirit, is used.