Satsuma Saigo No Shiroyama Yume Yume Chobunki Yuen Sakamakunami Yumenoyoarashi Owari Mezame

Inspired by Nakajima Ko's "Sakamakuna Mi Yume no Yoarashi" (1888)

Satsuma Saigo's Dream on Shiroyama: A Long Dream Chronicle Originating from the Sakamakuna Mi Yume no Yoarashi Ending Awakening

This work begins immediately after the tense call for postwar cleanup sounds, with a sudden shift to a scene of Saigo waking up in his study, with the words, "Idechinto no. Koi yanachimachi Takamori awaking with a start." It's a highly dramatic scene, with a sudden shift from the intense scenes of war to the quiet study.

Immediately after the brutal climax, in which Saigo commits suicide and the Imperial Army storms into Shiroyama, there is a shocking scene in which Saigo Takamori suddenly wakes up and realizes that the entire war up to that point was "a dream."

This is a story (or a play/joruri-style reading) based on the Seinan War, which took place in 1877 (Meiji 10).
Early Meiji Period (1877)
The story is set in the final days of the Seinan War. As the opening lines state, "The rising sun shining in the eastern sky is the Imperial Army's flag / The starlight setting in the southwest is the soul of a wild man," this is the period in which the story depicts the battle between the government forces (Imperial Army) and Saigo's forces, as well as the final moments of Saigo Takamori and his men (the Battle of Shiroyama).

Excerpts from the actual script:
The Moonlit Moon at the Shiroyama Ruins
Saigo Takamori's Dream
The Sound of a Book Window in Nanshu

I'm going to write down my dream in a long piece.
The Night Storm Ends, the Reverse Wave Dream

The Obligations of the Floating World, Tears in My Eyes, and a Face Turned Upside Down
Flowers, Peeking into the Storm.
A hailstorm of assassins.
Rising black smoke.

A voice: The transience of this world.
Burning incense: Nishiyama Mikasamu, black.
A beautiful travelling figure.
At that time, they called it international exchange.

A nose flying. He puts his hand over his nose.
A nose flying. He puts his hand over his nose.

The Satsuma Lagoon is dazzling.
It's as if the waves are crashing.

Arita Kensuke, with his sense of justice,
is being too stingy.
Looking at his eyes filled with regret, his whole being wracked.

Sengun Nakamura.
He throws his horse into the mud.
He appears, kicking up sand,
beyond the pine trees.
At Tabaruzaka, they advance toward their allied fortifications. Knowing what's ahead, the Osaka garrison let their guard down and launched a coordinated attack. The bullets shattered. A moment passed. The corpses of the officers lay scattered. We hurry to Shiroyama. It's really rubbing. Saigo will not die. The waters are watering. Let's do as we please. The spring waves have calmed down, The shadows of the dead. The splendid Takemoto. Ichiro, and then a little. Frozen. The true flow of Futase and the people. Good, sincere teachings. The high blades blaze through the short night. Out of sight, out of mind.
I, Yanamachi
Saigo Takamori
I suddenly woke up and got up.
Strange, what a dream I just had. I gazed into the garden.

I'm going to write down my dream in length.

The night storm of the rising waves in my dream ended.