Theatre Education
Matsukaze, The Longing That Goes Beyond Death
The Noh sentiment of poetry and love
Matsukaze written by Kan’ami is a play from the Noh repertoire, a type of traditional Japanese drama that developed from ‘Shinto rites’, a religion dating back to prehistoric times. The faith worships spirits of nature and ancestors and in the sixth century incorporated Buddhist beliefs.
Visiting Suma Bay, a travelling monk comes across a pine tree. Learning that the tree marks the grave of two sisters Matsukaze and Murasame, the monk prays for their souls. Needing somewhere to stay for the night, he asks two young women if he could lodge at their salt-making hut. It is here that he learns that the two women are the ghosts of the departed sisters. (The-noh, 2021 [online])
Matsukaze and Murasame were in love with the poet Yukihira, and even in death long for him.
In a contemporary context, Shinto is regarded as the religion of life and Buddhism the religion of death. Matsukaze conveys both these aspects of life and death in its text, the fisher girls Matsukaze (Wind in the pines) and Murasame (Autumn rain) were in love with the poet and scholar Yukihira, and even in death long for him.
