Tomoe

巴 Tomoe

1 Source and/or Related Material

Tale of the Heike book 9, Gempei jōsuiki book 35

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Komparu, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

A monk (waki) is traveling to the capital from Kiso in Shinano Province (Nagano) when, he visits the Awazu Plain in Ōmi Province (Shiga), where he encounters a village woman (maeshite) weeping at a shrine. The woman tells him that this is where Kiso Yoshinaka was killed and that he is now revered here as a deity. As the sun begins to set, the woman reveals that she is a spirit and vanishes into the shadow of the grass. A local man (ai) arrives and tells them about Kiso no Yoshinaka and the woman warrior Tomoe, then speculates that the woman the monks saw was Tomoe’s spirit and suggests that the priests pray for her. The monks begin reciting sutras, and Tomoe (nochishite) appears in full battle regalia, holding a halberd. Tomoe tells of her resentment at Yoshinaka not letting her die with him, then requests more prayers. She reenacts Yoshinaka’s final moments and describes how, after fending off the enemy, she escaped wearing Yoshinaka’s keepsake robe. Repeating her desire for prayers, Tomoe disappears.