Yotsuya Kaidan
Yotsuya Kaidan , the story of Oiwa and Iemon, is a tale of betrayal, murder
and ghostly revenge. Arguably the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time,
it has been adapted for film over 30 times, and continues to be an influence on
Japanese horror today.
Written in 1825 by Tsuruya Nanboku IV as a kabuki play, the original title was
Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan . It is now generally shortened, and loosely translates
as Ghost Story of Yotsuya.
History
First staged in July of 1825, Yotsuya Kaidan appeared at the Nakamuraza theater
as a double-feature with the immensely popular Kanadehon Chushingura. Normally,
with a Kabuki double-feature, the first play is staged in its entirety, followed
by the second play. However, in the case of Yotsuya Kaidan it was decided to
interweave the two dramas, with a full staging on two days: the first day
started with Kanadehon Chushingura from Act I to Act VI, followed by Tōkaidō
Yotsuya Kaidan from Act I to Act III. The following day started with the the
Onbo canal scene, followed by Kanadehon Chushingura from Act VII to Act XI, then
came Act IV and Act V of Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan to conclude the program.
The play was incredibly successful, and forced the producers to schedule extra
out-of-season performances to meet demand. The story tapped into people’s fears
by bringing the ghosts of Japan out of the temples and aristocrats' mansions and
into the home of common people, the exact type of people who were the audience
of his theater.
The Story
As the most-adapted Japanese ghost story, the details of Yotsuya Kaidan have
been altered over time, often bearing little resemblance to the original kabuki
play, and sometimes removing the ghostly element all together. However, the base
story usually remains the same, and recognizable.
Historical Basis
Nanboku incorporated two sensational and real-life murders into Yotsuya Kaidan,
combining fact and fiction in a manner that resonated with audiences. The first
involved two servants who had murdered their respective masters. They were
caught and executed on the same day. The second murder was from a samurai who
discovered his concubine was having an affair with a servant. The samurai had
the faithless concubine and servant nailed to a wooden board and thrown into the
Kanda River.
Oiwa and Iemon
The story opens with a murder. Iemon, an unemployed ronin, has killed the father
of his wife Oiwa, because her father was aware of Iemon's evil past deeds.
Penniless, Iemon has been forced to make his living as an oilpaper umbrella
maker in order to support his delicate wife and new child. This situation has
lead him to resent Oiwa.
Iemon is lured into a scheme to marry the beautiful granddaughter of a
well-to-do neighbor, who is in love with him. In order to clear the path for the
new marriage, Iemon and the neighbor plot to murder Oiwa. Iemon slips her poison
disguised as "blood-road medicine," intended to bring back her strength. The
poison does not kill her, but instead disfigures her, causing her hair to fall
out and her eye to droop. When a mirror is held in front of her, her despair at
her disfigurement and the knowledge of her husband's betrayal causes her to die.
When a faithful servant, Kobote Kohei, becomes aware of the murder, Iemon
accuses him of theft and has him killed. He then has Kohei and Oiwa's bodies
crucified on two sides of a wooden door, which is then flung into a nearby
river.
Thinking his troubles are over, Iemon plans his new marriage. On his wedding day
to his new bride, Iemon lifts her veil to see Oiwa’s ruined face. He instantly
beheads her, only to discover he has killed his new bride. Horrified, he flees
to the neighbor's house to confess, where he is confronted by Kohei's ghost.
Slashing at the ghost, Iemon finds he has killed his neighbor, his new
father-in-law.
From there the haunting continues, with the vengeful spirit of Oiwa pursuing
Iemon. Everywhere he goes, he sees her ruined face, even projecting from an
overhead lantern. Seeking escape, he retreats to the mountains and goes fishing.
Instead of fish, he hooks the board with the corpses of Oiwa and Kohei. He then
flees to a cabin in Hebiyama, where the ropes and vines of the cabin transform
into snakes and the smoke from the fire transform into Oiwa's hair.
Fleeing the cabin, he runs into his brother-in-law, who kills Iemon and avenges
all of the murders.
Momotaro Kintaro Urashima Taro Issun Boshi e Shita kiri Suzume Kiyohime
Bancho Sarayashiki Kachi kachi Yama Hanasaka Jiisan Kamishibai Tamamo no Ma
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