Ikkaku sennin
- Author: Konparu Zenpô
- Japanese: 一角仙人 (Ikkaku sennin)
Ikkaku sennin is a Noh play by Konparu Zenpô, based on earlier Japanese stories/traditions of the sennin (Daoist immortal, or magical being) Ikkaku, deriving originally from traditional Indian tales.
It stands as an example of Zenpô's style of furyû Noh, incorporating more elaborate sets than most plays, and greater dramatic tension and action.
Characters
- Ikkaku sennin (shite) - a supernatural being, born from the belly of a doe, who has captured a number of Dragon Kings after defeating them in a scuffle several years earlier
- A minister from the Indian kingdom of Harana (waki)
- Madam Senda (tsure)
- Dragon Kings
Plot
The kingdom of Harana has been suffering from drought since Ikkaku sennin fought and captured the Dragon Kings (dragons are associated with rain and water in East Asian myth). A minister from the kingdom, along with Madam Senda, go to meet Ikkaku, and to attempt to convince him to free the Dragon Kings. They pretend to be travelers who have gotten lost, and manage to invite themselves to have wine with the sennin. Mesmerized by the beauty of Madam Senda, Ikkaku gets drunk, giving the Dragon Kings a chance to escape. They do so, after performing a martial dance over their incapacitated captor.
References
- Beng Choo Lim, "Performing Furyû Nô: The Theatre of Konparu Zenpô," Asian Theatre Journal 22:1 (2005), 34.