Kagetsu

花月 The Young Entertainer

1 Source and/or Related Material

Unknown

2 Author

perhaps Zeami

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Komparu, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

A monk (waki) from the foot of Mt. Hiko in Tsukushi Province (Fukuoka) comes to the temple of Kiyomizu-dera on pilgrimage. From a passerby (ai), the monk learns of a temple page (kasshiki) named Kagetsu, who is a very entertaining performer. The monk decides to wait for Kagetsu (shite), and soon enough he comes along. Kagetsu tries to shoot a nightingale bird with a short bow, then performs a song and dance about the history of the Kiyomizu-dera. As he watches, the monk realizes that Kagetsu is his own long lost son and calls out to him. To the sound of the double-sided kakko drum, Kagetsu tells his life’s story in song, how he was abducted by a devil (tengu) and taken around all the sacred mountains. Now that father and son are reunited, they set off on a mountain pilgrimage together.