Shichigiochi

七騎落 Seven Warriors Escape

1 Source and/or Related Material

Tale of the Heike, etc

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Komparu, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

Minamoto no Yoritomo (tsure), leader of the Genji in the Genji-Heike Wars, has lost the Battle of Mt. Ishibashi. With his retainers Doi Sanehira (shite), Shingai no Jirō (tsure), Tsuchiya no Saburō (tsure), Tashiro Nobutsuna (tsure), Tosabō (tsure), Okazaki Yoshizane (tsure), and Doi Tōhira (tsure) accompanying him, he decides to flee by boat to Kazusa. Yoritomo tells Sanehira that when his grandfather Tameyoshi fled to Kyūshū and his father Yoshitomo fled to Ōmi (Shiga), both had eight horsemen accompanying them and both were unsuccessful, so eight must be an unlucky number. He therefore orders Sanehira to exclude one of the retainers. Sanehira decides to ask Okazaki Yoshizane to stay, but Okazaki argues that because he has lost his own son Yoshitada fighting for Yoritomo, either Sanehira or his son should stay to demonstrate their loyalty. Sanehira therefore orders his son Tōhira to remain behind. Just as Tōhira gets off the boat, they see the enemy hordes in the distance. Sanehira worries about his son, but they are off. Once out on the open sea, Wada Yoshimori (waki) approaches in another boat, claiming to be Yoritomo’s ally. Sanehira decides to test him by saying, “We lost Yoritomo yesterday,” whereupon Yoshimori tries to commit suicide. Impressed, Sanehira quickly talks him down, saying it was only a test. They go ashore to meet and find that Wada has picked up Tōhira in his boat. Father and son are reunited, and all celebrate with drinks and a dance by Sanehira.