Ochiba B

落葉：乙 Litany of the Fallen Leaves

1 Source and/or Related Material

The Tale of Genji

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Studied but not currently performed in the Kita

4 Synopsis

A group of monks from the Northeast (waki, wakitsure) set out for the capital. As they approach the mist-enshrouded village of Ono on the outskirts of the city, the monks find themselves reciting a poem Yūgiri sent to Princess Ochiba in the Tale of Genji as he left her villa in Ono. A local woman (maeshite) appears and rebukes them for their absentminded recitation while suggesting that they stay with her overnight. The woman then describes how Yūgiri visited Princess Ochiba, who had moved to Ono to care for her mother, and tells about Yūgiri’s and Princess Ochiba’s love for each other. She then asks for a memorial service and disappears. Afterwards, the monks meet a villager (ai) who tells them more about Princess Ochiba. They chant sutras, and the spirit of Princess Ochiba (nochishite) appears. The spirit recalls a litany she once heard chanted by a priest in this village and dances with gratitude for the monks before vanishing.