The Women’s Chushingura

加賀見山旧錦絵

Kagamiyama Kokyo no Nishikie

Characters

Onoe

Medium-ranked lady-in-waiting working in the main chamber. Though she has a commoner’s background, she is intelligent and aware of Iwafuji’s nefarious plans to take over the household, but pretends she doesn’t know.

Ohatsu

Onoe’s servant. Smart and faithful to her mistress. She is from a samurai family and trained in the arts. She beats Iwafuji’s servants at their own game on behalf of Onoe and triumphs over Iwafuji herself. Ordinarily servants for a lady-in-waiting are not allowed to meet the princess served by her mistress.

Iwafuji

Powerful head lady-in-waiting. She teams up with Tsurugisawa Danjo to usurp the household. Realizing Onoe is aware of this plan, Iwafuji takes action.

Ohime

Becomes a nun after the unexpected death of her fiancé. When she leaves the household, she asks the trusted Onoe to look after a Buddhist statue that her fiancé had given her.

Tsurugisawa Danjo

Senior servant and villain who masterminds the takeover of the household. Teams up with Iwafuji to dispose of Onoe.

Iozaki Motome

Secretary to the princess. He is liked by Iwafuji but takes no notice, interested only in his duties.

Datehei

Motome’s servant. Secretly searches for the missing sacred wood and takes it back from the thief Ushijima Chikara.

Ushijima Chikara

Danjo’s servant. He hides the sacred scented wood and fights over it when discovered by Datehei.