Kokaji

小鍛冶 The Swordsmith Kokaji

1 Source and/or Related Material

Story of Furu Shrine origins, legends of YamatoTakeru’s Eastern the Expedition

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Komparu, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

Having received an oracle in a dream, Emperor Ichijō sends Tachibana no Michinari (wakitsure) to the great blacksmith Sanjō Munechika (waki) with orders that Munechika forge a sword. Munechika insists that, without an assistant with equal skills to his, he cannot make such a sword, but Michinari ignores his objections. Being a devoted follower of the God Inari, Munechika goes to his shrine to pray for help. There, he is approached by a mysterious young boy (maeshite) who encourages him by narrating a Chinese legend about a sword and the story of Yamato Takeru. The boy promises to find an assistant for Munechika, then disappears to Mt. Inari. A villager (ai) arrives and summarizes the action thus far, then announces the commencement of Munechika’s sword-making. As Munechika prepares to make the sword, Inari (nochishite) appears and announces that he will assist Munechika. The finished product is given the name Kogitsune-maru (Little Fox). The God presents it to Michinari, then returns to Mt. Inari.