Background
Hikosan gongen chikai no sukedachi (A vow to serve with a sword at Mt. Hiko Shrine: 彦山権現誓助剣) is an example of an adauchi mono (revenge tale: 仇打ち物). It was written first for the puppet theater (Bunraku: 文楽) and staged in 1786 at the Higashi no Shibai, Osaka. It was adapted for Kabuki in 1788 at the Furuichi no Shibai in Ise, and finally at a major venue when it was produced at Naka no Shibai in 1790.
The main plot features Osono and Okiku, the daughters of Ichimisai, a fencing master assassinated by a wicked samurai named Kyôgoku no Takumi. Osono and Okiku vow to avenge their father's murder. Although Okiku is killed by Takumi, Osono continues with the vendetta. She disguises herself as a komusô (mendicant priest: 虚無僧), wearing a large sedge hat and carrying a shakuhachi (end-blown wooden flute: 尺八) — for this costume, see YSK18. Late in the drama, Osono and her husband Keyamura Rokusuke, a disciple of her father, exact their revenge against Takumi. In this drama, Izumi no Saburô is a faithful retainer of Minamoto no Yoshitsune who must maneuver carefully to protect his lord against a pair of disloyal samurai.
Design
The 3/1825 production of plays at the Kado Theater was intended to be Utaemon's farewell to his fans, but the anticipated retirement was actually delayed for more than a decade (see the Ireki article). It was an ambitious program for Utaemon, who performed various roles in the plays Yoshitsune koshigoejô, Hikosan gongen chikai no sukedachi (彦山権現誓助剣), Hime komatsu ne no hi no asobi (姫小松子日遊), and Ichinotani futaba gunki (一谷嫩軍記).
The retention of color on this impression is remarkable. We have not encountered any other example with better color.
References: IKBYS-I, no. 159 ; WAS (4-243);
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