Funa Benkē

船弁慶 Benkei on the Boat

1 Source and/or Related Material

legends of Minamoto Yoshitsune, kōwaka(story- telling with a simple dance) “Shikokuochi”, The Story of Yoshitsune 4

2 Author

Kanze Nobumitsu

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Komparu, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

The renegade Yoshitsune (kokata) and his followers are waiting for a ship by the shore at Daimotsu bay (modern Kobe) as they flee the Capital. Before they depart, Benkei (waki) advises Yoshitsune to leave his consort Shizuka (shite) behind because it is unconscionable to bring along a pregnant woman. Yoshitsune obliges. Shizuka bids farewell by doing an elegant dance for Yoshitsune. After Shizuka leaves, Benkei has an exchange with the ship’s captain (ai) about the weather and their crossing. When the party is in the middle of the inland sea, the weather suddenly changes and the ghosts of the Heike dead appear, with Taira no Tomomori (nochishite) at their head. He has come to avenge his clan’s defeat and attempts to drown Yoshitsune. Benkei and Yoshitsune battle the ghosts with the sword and with prayer. Tomomori leaves without getting his revenge.