{"id":495,"date":"2026-07-20T13:31:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T04:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/?p=495"},"modified":"2026-07-20T13:31:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T04:31:25","slug":"kiichi-hogen-sanryaku-no-maki-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/kiichi-hogen-sanryaku-no-maki-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Kiichi H\u014dgen Sanryaku no Maki Explained\uff5cYoshitsune&#8217;s Rise and His Fated Meeting with Benkei"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Kiichi H\u014dgen Sanryaku no Maki<\/em> (\u9b3c\u4e00\u6cd5\u773c\u4e09\u7565\u5dfb) traces the young Minamoto no Yoshitsune&#8217;s transformation from a hidden fugitive&#8217;s son into the hero who would one day command Musashib\u014d Benkei \u2014 culminating in one of kabuki&#8217;s most famous first meetings. First staged in 1731 as a puppet-theater (j\u014druri) work, it&#8217;s a five-act epic, though today only three of its scenes remain in regular rotation.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Kind of Play Is This?<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Written by Wada Bunk\u014dd\u014d and Hasegawa Senshi, the play draws on the historical war chronicle <em>Gikeiki<\/em> to dramatize Yoshitsune&#8217;s path toward reclaiming his family&#8217;s fortunes. Of its five acts, three have survived as beloved standalone scenes: <em>Kikubatake<\/em>, <em>Ichij\u014d \u014ckura Monogatari<\/em>, and <em>Goj\u014d no Hashi<\/em>. In practice, <em>Kikubatake<\/em> is usually what&#8217;s meant when people refer to &#8220;Kiichi H\u014dgen Sanryaku no Maki&#8221; today, with the other two scenes typically performed independently.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Typical Running Times<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Kikubatake<\/strong> \u2014 roughly 1 hour<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ichij\u014d \u014ckura Monogatari<\/strong> \u2014 roughly 1 to 1.5 hours<\/li>\n<li><strong>Goj\u014d no Hashi<\/strong> \u2014 roughly 30 minutes to just under an hour<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(Times vary somewhat depending on casting and whether the scene is staged as pure drama or dance.)<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"adsense-block\" style=\"margin:2em 0;text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9605472874778813\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9605472874778813\" data-ad-slot=\"9431907817\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Setup<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After his father Minamoto no Yoshitomo&#8217;s death, the young Ushiwakamaru (later Yoshitsune) grows up in hiding under Taira rule, harboring dreams of restoring the Minamoto clan. To do that, he needs a legendary military treatise \u2014 the &#8220;Rikut\u014d Sanryaku,&#8221; known as the Tiger Scroll \u2014 held by the scholar-warrior Kiichi H\u014dgen. Disguising his identity, he infiltrates Kiichi&#8217;s household as a servant, and between romance and calculated deception, works to obtain the scroll. From there, the story moves through Ichij\u014d \u014ckura&#8217;s tale of hidden loyalty, and finally to Yoshitsune&#8217;s fated encounter with Benkei at Goj\u014d Bridge.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Act Three: Kikubatake<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ushiwakamaru, having grown up training in swordsmanship on Mount Kurama, learns the &#8220;tengu&#8221; who trained him was secretly Kiichi H\u014dgen all along. Though Kiichi serves the Taira, he secretly holds onto the Tiger Scroll per his late father&#8217;s wish \u2014 to be handed over only once a Minamoto heir proves himself worthy of leadership.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At sixteen, Yoshitsune travels to the capital with his retainer Onisanta, and the two infiltrate the Kiichi household as servants under the names Toravaka and Chienai, hoping to obtain the scroll. Kiichi senses their true identities but chooses to watch and wait rather than confront them.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Complicating matters, Kiichi&#8217;s daughter Minazuru-hime falls in love with Toravaka \u2014 unaware of his real identity \u2014 right as Taira no Kiyomori issues an order demanding Kiichi hand over the scroll immediately. Caught between the ambitions of a Minamoto restoration, Kiichi&#8217;s hidden loyalty, and a young woman&#8217;s genuine feelings, the tension of Act Three unfolds.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The scene turns on a three-way psychological standoff where almost nobody says what they really mean: Yoshitsune and Onisanta maintain their disguise even as Kiichi quietly sees through it, while Minazuru-hime&#8217;s sincere affection adds a note of real pathos to all the scheming around her.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"adsense-block\" style=\"margin:2em 0;text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9605472874778813\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9605472874778813\" data-ad-slot=\"9431907817\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Act Four: Ichij\u014d \u014ckura Monogatari<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Act Four centers on a different figure entirely: the court noble Ichij\u014d \u014ckura Nagashige. Though descended from Minamoto lineage in an age of total Taira dominance, he survives by playing the fool \u2014 drinking heavily, feigning ignorance of politics, and appearing to everyone around him as a harmless, unreliable aristocrat.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Behind the act, though, lies fierce loyalty to the Minamoto cause and the composure to wait patiently for the right moment. The push-and-pull between his public buffoonery and his private resolve is what makes this act so compelling \u2014 and so demanding for the actor performing it.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Taira pressure intensifies, \u014ckura finally drops the mask, revealing his true self to the audience in a moment widely regarded as one of the most impressive dramatic showcases in all of kabuki.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"adsense-block\" style=\"margin:2em 0;text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9605472874778813\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9605472874778813\" data-ad-slot=\"9431907817\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Act Five: Goj\u014d no Hashi<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The story closes with its most famous scene: the fated meeting between Yoshitsune and the warrior-monk Musashib\u014d Benkei on Kyoto&#8217;s Goj\u014d Bridge.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Benkei, having vowed to collect a thousand swords through combat, is testing his skill on the bridge when the still-young Ushiwakamaru appears. Small but remarkably agile, Yoshitsune nimbly dodges Benkei&#8217;s powerful strikes and ultimately defeats him \u2014 the scene&#8217;s highlight being less a clash of raw strength than a striking contrast between Benkei&#8217;s brute force and Yoshitsune&#8217;s dance-like, graceful evasion.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Humbled and impressed by his opponent&#8217;s skill, Benkei pledges lifelong loyalty to Yoshitsune on the spot \u2014 the beginning of one of Japanese legend&#8217;s most enduring lord-and-retainer bonds, and a genuinely exhilarating close to the story.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-postLink\"><div class=\"p-blogCard -internal\" data-type=\"type1\" data-onclick=\"clickLink\"><div class=\"p-blogCard__inner\"><span class=\"p-blogCard__caption\">\u3042\u308f\u305b\u3066\u8aad\u307f\u305f\u3044<\/span><div class=\"p-blogCard__body\"><a class=\"p-blogCard__title\" href=\"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/what-is-kanjincho%e5%8b%a7%e9%80%b2%e5%b8%b3-from-the-kabuki-juhachiban\/\">What is Kanjinch\u014d(\u52e7\u9032\u5e33) from the &#8220;Kabuki J\u016bhachiban&#8221;?<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Main Characters<\/h2>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Minamoto Side<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Minamoto no Yoshitsune (Ushiwakamaru \/ Toravaka)<\/strong> \u2014 Yoshitomo&#8217;s son, trained in swordsmanship at Kurama, who infiltrates the Kiichi household in search of strategic knowledge and later gains Benkei as his retainer<\/li>\n<li><strong>Onisanta (Chienai)<\/strong> \u2014 Kiichi&#8217;s younger brother, who serves Yoshitsune loyally and infiltrates the household alongside him, marked by his sharp wit and level-headed judgment<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ichij\u014d \u014ckura Nagashige<\/strong> \u2014 a court noble of Minamoto descent who feigns foolishness to survive under Taira rule while secretly holding firm loyalty to the Minamoto cause<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Kiichi Household<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Kiichi H\u014dgen<\/strong> \u2014 a master strategist serving the Taira who secretly hopes for a Minamoto restoration, and the keeper of the Tiger Scroll<\/li>\n<li><strong>Minazuru-hime<\/strong> \u2014 Kiichi&#8217;s daughter, who falls for Toravaka and brings a note of lyrical romance to the story<\/li>\n<li><strong>Onijir\u014d<\/strong> \u2014 Kiichi&#8217;s other younger brother, entrusted to Kumano alongside Onisanta<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Taira Side<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Taira no Kiyomori<\/strong> \u2014 head of the Taira clan, who orders Kiichi to surrender the Tiger Scroll<\/li>\n<li><strong>Taira no Shigemori<\/strong> \u2014 Kiyomori&#8217;s eldest son, who has his own scenes involving Minazuru-hime<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">At Goj\u014d Bridge<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Musashib\u014d Benkei<\/strong> \u2014 a fierce warrior-monk who challenges Yoshitsune at Goj\u014d Bridge, loses, and becomes his most devoted retainer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"adsense-block\" style=\"margin:2em 0;text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9605472874778813\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9605472874778813\" data-ad-slot=\"9431907817\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Highlights<\/h2>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Psychological Chess Match (Kikubatake)<\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The core appeal of Act Three is that nearly everyone is hiding their true feelings \u2014 Yoshitsune and Onisanta maintain a false identity while Kiichi quietly plays along, all while Minazuru-hime&#8217;s genuine love adds real emotional stakes to the deception.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Loyalty Disguised as Foolishness (Ichij\u014d \u014ckura Monogatari)<\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Act Four&#8217;s slow reveal of \u014ckura&#8217;s true resolve beneath his comic foolishness makes for a genuinely dramatic structure, and a serious test of an actor&#8217;s range.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Power Versus Grace (Goj\u014d no Hashi)<\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The final duel between Benkei&#8217;s brute strength and Yoshitsune&#8217;s dancer-like agility is visually thrilling, marking the birth of one of Japanese legend&#8217;s most iconic partnerships.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-postLink\"><div class=\"p-blogCard -internal\" data-type=\"type1\" data-onclick=\"clickLink\"><div class=\"p-blogCard__inner\"><span class=\"p-blogCard__caption\">\u3042\u308f\u305b\u3066\u8aad\u307f\u305f\u3044<\/span><div class=\"p-blogCard__body\"><a class=\"p-blogCard__title\" href=\"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/gojobashi-yoshitsune-benkei-explained\/\">Goj\u014dbashi Explained: The Legendary First Meeting of Yoshitsune and Benkei<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-postLink\"><div class=\"p-blogCard -internal\" data-type=\"type1\" data-onclick=\"clickLink\"><div class=\"p-blogCard__inner\"><span class=\"p-blogCard__caption\">\u3042\u308f\u305b\u3066\u8aad\u307f\u305f\u3044<\/span><div class=\"p-blogCard__body\"><a class=\"p-blogCard__title\" href=\"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/kikubatake-synopsis-highlights-explained\/\">Kikubatake Explained: Synopsis and Highlights of This Kiichi H\u014dgen Sanryaku no Maki Scene<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n<dl class=\"swell-block-faq\" data-q=\"col-text\" data-a=\"col-text\">\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-faq__item\">\n<dt class=\"faq_q\">Can all five acts of the play be seen today?<\/dt>\n<dd class=\"faq_a\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not typically \u2014 only three scenes (Kikubatake, Ichij\u014d \u014ckura Monogatari, and Goj\u014d no Hashi) survive in regular performance, usually staged independently rather than as a full five-act production.<\/p>\n\n<\/dd>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-faq__item\">\n<dt class=\"faq_q\">What is the &#8220;Tiger Scroll&#8221; the story revolves around?<\/dt>\n<dd class=\"faq_a\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It refers to the &#8220;Rikut\u014d Sanryaku,&#8221; a legendary military strategy text that Kiichi H\u014dgen has sworn to protect until a worthy Minamoto heir emerges \u2014 Yoshitsune&#8217;s pursuit of this scroll drives the entire plot.<\/p>\n\n<\/dd>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-faq__item\">\n<dt class=\"faq_q\">Is this the same story where Yoshitsune and Benkei first meet?<\/dt>\n<dd class=\"faq_a\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes \u2014 that meeting is dramatized in the final act, Goj\u014d no Hashi, one of the most famous scenes in the entire Yoshitsune legend and a popular standalone piece in its own right.<\/p>\n\n<\/dd>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/dl>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@id\":\"#FAQContents\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can all five acts of the play be seen today?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>Not typically \u2014 only three scenes (Kikubatake, Ichij\u014d \u014ckura Monogatari, and Goj\u014d no Hashi) survive in regular performance, usually staged independently rather than as a full five-act production.<\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the \\\"Tiger Scroll\\\" the story revolves around?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>It refers to the \\\"Rikut\u014d Sanryaku,\\\" a legendary military strategy text that Kiichi H\u014dgen has sworn to protect until a worthy Minamoto heir emerges \u2014 Yoshitsune's pursuit of this scroll drives the entire plot.<\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is this the same story where Yoshitsune and Benkei first meet?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>Yes \u2014 that meeting is dramatized in the final act, Goj\u014d no Hashi, one of the most famous scenes in the entire Yoshitsune legend and a popular standalone piece in its own right.<\\\/p>\"}}]}<\/script>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Summary<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Kiichi H\u014dgen Sanryaku no Maki<\/em> tells the origin story of a legend \u2014 how Yoshitsune gained the knowledge, the allies, and finally the greatest retainer of his life. Each surviving act stands on its own as a complete drama, yet together they trace a clear arc: a hero gaining wisdom, gaining companions, and gaining the strength that would define the rest of his story.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"p-blogParts post_content\" data-partsID=\"597\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfad Want to See Kabuki Live?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re planning a trip to Tokyo, Kabuki-za is one of the most memorable ways to experience Japanese culture firsthand. GetYourGuide offers English-friendly Kabuki-za tickets and guided experiences, including options with headset translation and pre-show introductions for first-time viewers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc49 <a href=\"https:\/\/gyg.me\/NBu7mZJy\" rel=\"sponsored noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Check Kabuki-za Tickets on GetYourGuide<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-postLink\">\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard -external\" data-type=\"type3\" data-onclick=\"clickLink\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"p-blogCard__caption\">GetYourGuide<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__thumb c-postThumb\"><figure class=\"c-postThumb__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.getyourguide.com\/img\/tour\/61166ad0c66a062bf083f89402f12428b4d4d985c79241e9cb46288e05863c81.jpg\/53.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"c-postThumb__img u-obf-cover\" width=\"320\" height=\"180\"><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__body\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"p-blogCard__title\" href=\"https:\/\/gyg.me\/NBu7mZJy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tokyo: KABUKI Show at Kabukiza Theatre Admission Ticket | GetYourGuide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"p-blogCard__excerpt\">Discover the enchanting world of Kabuki in central Tokyo. Enjoy a performance of this traditional and dynamic Japanese art form, complete with English or simpli&#8230;<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This section may contain affiliate links. Booking through them costs you nothing extra and helps support this site.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How young Yoshitsune outwitted a hidden ally, gained a legendary war scroll, and met his greatest retainer Benkei \u2014 the full story behind Kiichi H\u014dgen Sanryaku no Maki.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"swell_btn_cv_data":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-495","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-plays-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":615,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495\/revisions\/615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}