Background
In 1695 Akaneya Hanshichi (the son of a sake merchant from Gojô in Yamato province) and his lover
Minoya Sankatsu (the adopted daughter of Minoya Heizaemon of Nagamachi in Osaka) committed double suicide (shinjû)
at Saitarabatake, part of the burial ground of Sennichiji, an Osaka monastery. In response, Akane no iroage was staged
the same year and became the first love-suicide play to be a hit with the public, running 150 days (anything over 100 days was
considered exceptional).
In the best known dramatization, Hade sugata onna maiginu (1772), Hanshichi deserts his wife Osono for Minoya Sankatsu —
a geisha whom he has loved since before his arranged marriage. He and Sankatsu have a young daughter, Otsû. When Hanshichi
is accused of murdering a man in a brawl, he becomes a fugitive and is soon disowned by his father. The dutiful Osono blames herself
and considers taking her own life. (She is regarded as a model of virtuous stage wives by kabuki audiences, reflecting rigid 19th-century dictates
proscribing her behavior that would be considered intolerable today.) However, when the lovers send Otsû to Hanshichi's family
home, all soon realize what the lovers intend to do. The child carries a letter in which they ask Osono to look after Otsû
and to comfort his parents after the death of such an undutiful son.
Maiôgi nanka no hanashi appears to be one of several adaptations of this scandalous tale of passionate love.
Design
Hanshichi raises his sword (katana) while Sankatsu turns her head, waiting for the mortal blow. He will then take his own
life. The monastery and burial ground can be seen at the right.
References: IBKYS-I, no. 375; WAS I-4, no. 264; KNZ, no. 349; IKB-I, no. 1-441
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