Yuya

熊野 Yuya

1 Source and/or Related Material

“Journey down the Eastern Seaboard,” Tale of the Heike book 10

2 Author

Komparu Zenchiku

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Komparu, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

One spring day when the Heike clan is at the height of its prosperity, Taira no Munemori (waki) orders an attendant to bring in his beloved mistress Yuya, who runs an inn at Ikeda in Tōtōmi Province (Shizuoka). However, Yuya has just learned that her mother back in Ikeda is ill, and she has repeatedly asked Munemori for permission to visit her, but all in vain: Munemori insists she come with him to a party under the cherry blossoms at the temple of Kiyomizudera on Higashiyama. Asagao (tsure), a woman from the inn at Ikeda, comes to Yuya (shite) in the capital bearing a letter from her mother. Yuya shows Munemori the letter, in which her mother begs to see her daughter one last time, and again asks for leave to go. All the same, Munemori demands that Yuya go with him to the party. From her seat in an elegant carriage, Yuya watches the splendid spring scenery of the capital pass before her, her heart sunk in gloom. They arrive at Kiyomizu, but Yuya goes to pray to Kannon, so Munemori calls her to join the banquet. Yuya sings a song in praise of all the famous scenic spots of Higashiyama, and when she has poured drinks for all the guests, Munemori asks her to dance for them. In the middle of her beautiful dance, a passing shower causes the cherry blossoms to scatter, and she writes a poem likening her mother’s life to the falling blossoms. She shows it to Munemori, and he finally relents and allows Yuya to go to her mother. Before he can change his mind, Yuya sets off toward the East.