Benten Kozō

by Kawatake Mokuami

"Aoto Zōshi Hana no Nishiki-e" (青砥稿花紅彩画), as the original and fullest version of this play is known, is a tale in five acts of the shiranamimono (tales of thieves) sub-category of the kizewamono (rough contemporary piece) genre of kabuki plays. Written by Kawatake Mokuami, it first premiered at the Ichimura-za in Edo in March 1862. The play is frequently known by a number of other names. The name "Benten Kozō" (弁天小僧) actually refers to the main character of the play, a gizoku (honorable thief), one of a band of five such men.

Summary: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Original language:

Japanese