Matsu no Yamakagami (Matsuyamaka Kagami)

松山鏡 The Mirror of Matsuyama

1 Source and/or Related Material

Unknown

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

A man (waki) of Echigo Province (Niigata) lost his wife three years ago. Recently he took a new wife, so he lets the daughter of his former wife (kokata) live in an annex. When the man visits his daughter’s place to hold a memorial service on his late wife’s death anniversary, he finds her acting strangely. He accuses her of hiding something, and she takes out the mirror she was hiding, explaining that the reflection of her late mother still appears on it. When the man looks, he sees it is only the reflection of his daughter herself. Father and daughter weep and remember their lost wife and mother. The man exits, and when the daughter is alone, the ghost of her mother (tsure) appears to her. She tells her that mirrors have the power to reunite us with late loved ones. Suddenly, Kushōjin (shite), an officer of Hell, appears and tries to take the mother away. He holds the mirror of Hari, which shows one’s good and evil deeds in life, to the mother’s face, and it reflects the radiant visage of a Bodhisattva. Kushōjin gives up to take the ghost of the late mother away, and goes back to the hell.