Kagekiyo

景清 The Warrior Kagekiyo

1 Source and/or Related Material

legends of Fujiwara Kagekiyo

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Komparu, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

Akushichibyōe Kagekiyo was once a prominent Heike warrior before his clan’s downfall. His daughter (tsure) comes in search of him from Kamakura to Miyazaki in Hyūga Province, accompanied by an attendant (tsure). She comes to the straw hut where Kagekiyo (shite), now poor and blind, makes a lonely living reciting ballads of the Heike to the music of the biwa lute. Within, Kagekiyo recognizes his daughter but sends the visitors away nevertheless. The daughter’s attendant asks a local man (waki) about the hut, and he reveals that the man inside is Kagekiyo himself. The local man calls him out, and father and daughter meet at last. Kagekiyo tells the famous story how he tore the neck guard (shikoro) off the helmet of his opponent Mionoya at the Battle of Yashima. Kagekiyo asks his daughter to pray for his rebirth, and father and daughter part once more.