Fudo

Series
18 kabuki plays

Series Number
05

Title in English
Fudo

Title in Japanese
不動 Fudo

Title in French
Fudo

The play
The first version of “Fudô” was staged in Edo in 1697 as a scene of the drama “Tsuwamono Kongen Soga”with Ichikawa Kuzô I in the leading role. It also became the finale of “Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura” in 1742 in Ôsaka starring Ichikawa Ebizô II as the deity Fudô Myôô and this is how it is staged today. This role was transmitted from generation to generation up to Ichikawa Ebizô V, who added it to his Kabuki Jûhachiban in 1840.

The story
The noble Hayakumo plots to overthrow the emperor and rule the country. A courtesan is sent by the court to retrieve the sacred mirror, symbol of power and seduced Hayakumo. She then succeed in getting hold of the mirror, but Hayakumo is not fooled and tries to get it back. He is then confronted by several warriors. Hayakumo begins then to spit fire and the warriors retreat. But the god Fudô Myôô appears and run his sword through the villain and kills him, thus restoring peace to the land.