Onatsu Kyoran
- Crazy Onatsu -

This is based on the story of Onatsu, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, who fell in love with Seijuro, an apprentice in the shop. But as they ran away together, Seijuro was suspected of being a thief and died while being interrogated in prison. After that, Onatsu wandered in madness. There are many versions of this story, but the most famous is in Ihara Saikaku's collection of short stories, Five Women Who Loved Love.

After Seijuro's death, Onatsu wanders in madness. Village children torment her by making fun of her with songs and pretending to be her beloved Seijuro. They demand that she sings the famous song of Seijuro, "If you kill Seijuro, then you must kill Onatsu as well." A drunken horse driver appears and she imagines he is Seijuro and recalls how she fell in love with him. But then she imagines his torment when he died in prison. The horse driver is frightened by her and runs away, leaving Onatsu in her lonely madness.

- From the pamphlet of "The Nishikawa School of Japanese Classical Dance Nihon Buyo in its San Francisco Premiere Performance" -

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