“Tomoakira,” Genpei-seisui-ki, and the Noh Plays of the Heike Family

Abstract

There is an old script of the “shura” Noh play “Tomoakira” allegedly compiled by Zeami and his followers. It is not based on Genpei-seisui-ki, but it expands its side story into an adaptation of Heike-monogatari. As Zeami tells about the songs of Tomoakira, Tomomori, and his horse Inoueguro in Sarugaku-dangi, the mainstream Noh plays of the Heike Family are all based on Heike-monogatari. In this sense “Tomoakira” is a variant of this genre.