Shinpan Utazaimon Nozaki-mura

Hisamatsu, who is an adopted son of a farmer in the Nozaki-mura village, goes to Osaka to work as a live-in help at a merchant. However,

he becomes lovers with Osome, his employer’s daughter.As Osome and Hisamatsu are from very different upbringings, people around

them disapprove of their relationship. Eventually, Hisamatsu is fired by his employer on false suspicion of embezzlement and is returned

to his adopted parents. Back in the village, he is arranged to be married with Omitsu, who is the daughter of Kyusaku’s second wife.Omitsu

likes Hisamatsu and therefore is very happy about the marriage. The exuberant Omitsu is preparing food for their wedding ceremony

when Osome comes to the house to see Hisamatsu. Omitsu tries to turn Osome away from the door but is taken to the back room for

wedding preparations. Osome takes this opportunity to sneak into the house and go to Hisamatsu. Hisamatsu, at first ready to accept the

arranged marriage, tries to persuade Osome to forget him, but she passionately pleads with him that she would be better off dead if she

cannot be together with him. Moved by her passion, Hisamatsu changes his mind and decides that they would commit double suicide so

that they can stay together forever. Kyusaku, listening in on their conversation from the back room, appears in front of them and

admonishes them that it is morally wrong for people to die such a way, citing a past lovers’ suicide event as an example. Osome and

Hisamatsu pretend to have been successfully persuaded by Kysaku but their determination to die actually has never changed.Omitsu,

eavesdropping on their conversation, knows their true intention and decides that she should give Hisamatsu up and become a nun, feeling

that the two lovers will not have to die as long as she does not get in the way. Osome, on her part, tries to kill herself thinking that she is

the one who is in the way, but is stopped halfway. Meanwhile, Osome’s mother has come to the village trying to take her daughter back and

sees everything that happened. Moved by the determination of the two lovers, Osome’s mother finally declares that she permits Osome

and Hisamatsu to get married. In order not to be seen together, Osome and Hisamitsu travel secretly and separately back to Osaka, Osome

by boat and Hisamatsu by kago (palanquin) ride. Omitsu on the surface sees the two lovers off cheerfully but, as soon as they get out of

sight, she breaks down in tears and cries in her father’s arms.

Kyusaku

A farmer living in the Nozakimuravillage.

He is stepfather to Hisamatsu.

It is by his decision that Omitsu and Hisamatsu become arranged to be married.

Omitsu

A stepdaughter of Kyusaku.

She likes Hisamatsu.

Hisamatsu

A stepson of Kyusaku. At an oil trader he was employed,

he becomes lovers with Osome, the employer’s daughter.

Osome

Daughter of the oil trader Hisamatsu was employed.

She is lovers with Hisamatsu and comes to the Nozaki-mura village to see him.

This program is based on a Ningyo Joruri (Japanese traditional puppet theater) play written by Hanji Chikamatsu.

The story has been inspired by an actual lovers' suicide case.