Ōatari Fushimi no Tomikuji (大當り伏見の富くじ) is a Kamigata-style comedy centered on a man’s chaotic pursuit of quick fortune. Developed from a Meiji-era comic play and later refined with techniques from Shochiku’s modern comedy tradition, it was reworked into a piece of shin-kabuki (new-style kabuki). At its heart, it’s a story about luck and human warmth, told through a lead character whose fortunes swing wildly between good and bad.
Synopsis
Kōjirō, once heir to a pawnshop but now scraping by as a ragpicker, dreams of restoring his family’s fortunes while caring for his younger sister, Okinu. After falling instantly for a courtesan named Nioteru, he becomes so distracted that he barely notices the world around him.
Kōjirō soon stumbles into a large sum of money by the river, and rather than using it to rebuild his family’s business, he spends it chasing after Nioteru instead. When another courtesan, Chidori, tearfully claims that money meant to buy out her contract has gone missing, Kōjirō — realizing it’s the very money he found — hands over everything he has, leaving himself broke once again.
Soon after, a lottery ticket he was pressured into buying turns out to be a massive winner. Overjoyed, Kōjirō carelessly throws it away along with a pile of trash, setting off a increasingly frantic chain of luck won and lost throughout the rest of the story.
Characters
| Character | Description |
| Kōjirō, the ragpicker | Once a wealthy heir, now fallen on hard times — hopelessly kind-hearted to a fault |
| Okinu | Kōjirō’s practical, grounded younger sister, who keeps the household together |
| Nioteru | The courtesan Kōjirō falls for, representing an escape from his hard reality |
| Kurozumi Heima | A samurai pursuing Okinu, adding tension to the story |
| Chidori | Another courtesan, whose missing money sets much of the plot in motion |
| The kamuro (young attendant) | A sharp-tongued comic presence who punctuates the story with modern-feeling humor |
Highlights
Fast-Paced Comic Structure
The play moves briskly: money found, money lost, a huge win, then thrown away entirely. This rapid swing of fortune is the comic engine driving the whole piece.
Luck Versus Human Decency
The real heart of the story isn’t just slapstick — it’s that Kōjirō can’t bring himself to spend money purely on himself, and can’t ignore someone else’s misfortune even when it costs him everything. He’s a man with plenty of luck who simply can’t capitalize on it, and that contradiction is both funny and genuinely endearing.
A Sharp-Tongued Scene-Stealer
The young attendant serving Nioteru provides some of the play’s best comic beats, delivering blunt, modern-feeling one-liners that cut through the classical setting — a distinctly memorable presence in an otherwise period piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this play good for someone new to kabuki?
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Yes — it’s a fast-moving comedy with an easy-to-follow plot and modern-feeling humor, making it one of the more approachable pieces for a first-time viewer.
- What’s the play’s underlying theme?
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Beneath the slapstick, it’s about a fundamentally kind-hearted man who has plenty of luck but can never quite hold onto it, because he can’t bring himself to ignore someone else’s hardship.
Summary
Ōatari Fushimi no Tomikuji is a brisk Kamigata comedy about a hopelessly good-natured man whose luck swings wildly between fortune and disaster. Its rapid pacing and modern comic touches make it an easy, enjoyable entry point into kabuki’s lighter side.
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