When their lord is goaded into drawing his sword at court and forced to commit seppuku, his retainers become masterless ronin. Led by Oboshi Yuranosuke, who feigns dissipation to throw off suspicion, they wait and plan through eleven acts for the night they can take vengeance. Written by Takeda Izumo, Miyoshi Shoraku and Namiki Senryu, it dramatises the Ako vendetta of 1703.
The most famous play in the Japanese repertoire, still performed in puppet theatre and kabuki. Download the free EPUB.