Hanagatami

• Author: Zeami
• Japanese: 花筐 (hana gatami)

Hanagatami ("Basket of Flowers") is a Noh play by Zeami of the fourth category (madwoman plays).

The lead (shite) role is that of a woman who is the mistress to an Imperial prince who has just been named Emperor. The Prince thus abandons her and departs for the capital, leaving for her a letter and a basket of flowers.

Distraught, she leaves for the capital herself, desperate to find the Prince (now, Emperor). She comes across his entourage eventually, and, contrary to her fears, he recognizes her due to the basket, and rather than rebuff her or leave her again, he takes her in as an imperial consort.

References

• Shelley Fenno Quinn, Developing Zeami, University of Hawaii Press (2005), 79.