Iwafune

岩船 The Stone Ship

1 Source and/or Related Material

Collection of Myriad Leaves 292, Records of Settsu Province

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Kanze (minus the maeba), Hōshō, Komparu, Kongō

4 Synopsis

A courtier (waki) and his retainers (wakitsure) visit Sumiyoshi Bay in Settsu Province. They are on a mission from the Emperor, to establish a new market in the port and buy the treasures of Korea and China. Suddenly a lone girl (maeshite—in the Komparu school she has an attendant: tsure) appears praising the beautiful beach and declaring that a sacred Stone Ship (Iwafune) filled with treasures is on its way to this beach from heaven. Moreover, she herself is Ama no Sagume, a goddess who once was a rower on the heavenly boat—and she disappears with the rising of a storm. A resident of Sumiyoshi Bay comes by and tells the story of the Stone Ship in plain speech. Then a Dragon God (nochishite) appears, pulling the Stone Ship behind him until it reaches the shore, and he begins unloading treasures.