AkegarasuCrow at Dawn
明烏（あけがらす）
Tokijiro, the young master of the Hyugaya, does nothing but read books. His worried father asks two local playboys to take his son out to the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter. Tricked into thinking he is going on an overnight retreat at an Inari shrine, the young master weeps and begs to go home, but by the next morning...
The story
Tokijiro, son of Hyugaya Hanbei, is of marriageable age but cares only for books and the abacus. His father, who enjoyed himself plenty when he was young, worries that his son will never make his way in the merchant world like this. He asks Genbei and Tasuke, two local playboys, to take the boy to Yoshiwara.
The pair lure the young master out by telling him, “Behind the Kannon temple in Asakusa there's an Inari shrine with wonderful powers. Let's go and spend the night there in prayer.” They pass off the teahouse as the shrine maiden's house and the brothel as the priest's residence, but partway through, even Tokijiro realizes what is going on.
The young master bursts into tears and insists on going home. The two scare him into staying: “If three men go in and only one comes out, the guards at the Great Gate (Omon) will get suspicious and stop you.” Then they push him into the room of Urazato, the finest courtesan in the house.
The next morning, Genbei and Tasuke, both sulking after being turned away by their own women, go to collect the young master. But he won't come out from under the covers, and the courtesan won't let him go. Running out of patience, the two say, “We're leaving without you,” and...
The sage the punchline, contains spoilers
Tap to reveal the punchline
“Go ahead and leave, if you can. They'll stop you at the Great Gate.”
In the sage (the punchline), the young master throws the playboys' own lie from the night before right back at them. That single line shows how completely the innocent young man has changed in one night.
Three Men
The fun of the story lies in how the three men's positions flip between the night before and the next morning. The performer brings out the contrast by giving each character a distinct voice and manner.
| The night before | The next morning | |
|---|---|---|
| Tokijiro | Bursts into tears on learning he's been tricked | Won't get out of bed and refuses to go home |
| Genbei | Coaxes and soothes the young master inside | Sulks after being turned away |
| Tasuke | Teams up with Genbei to frighten the young master | Grumpily nibbles sweet beans |
Key scenes original dialogue written for this site
Off to the Inari Shrine
- GenbeiYoung master, that's the shrine maiden's house over there. Let's stop in and get ready for our prayers.
- TokijiroIt's awfully lively for a shrine maiden's house. I can even hear a shamisen.
- TasukeOh yes, Inari shrines are very cheerful places these days.
The Young Master in Tears
- TokijiroThis is Yoshiwara, isn't it? I'm going home.
- GenbeiHold on. Three of us came in. If one goes out alone, the guards at the Great Gate will stop him.
- TokijiroThere's a rule like that? ...What am I going to do?
- (He covers his face with his sleeve and sobs like a child.)
Sweet Beans in the Morning
- TasukeWhat a rotten night. Hey, I'm having some of these sweet beans.
- (He picks up the sweet beans one at a time, tosses them into his mouth and chews with a sour face.)
- GenbeiForget that. What about the young master? Come on, young master, time to go home.
- Tokijiro...She won't let me go yet.
This is not a transcription of any storyteller's performance. The plot and the sage are as handed down in the classical tradition; the dialogue was written for this site.
Notable performers
- Katsura Bunraku VIII1892–1971EdoRefined this story into one of his signature pieces. His mime of eating sweet beans is often talked about.
- Kokontei Shincho III1938–2001EdoOne of the performers whose recordings survive.
