Act VII

Act 7 takes place in a teahouse in the Gion pleasure quarter in Kyoto. Ōboshi Yuranosuke, the chief retainer of the wronged Lord Enya, frequents the area and drinks and carouses with prostitutes in order to allay suspicion that he might exact revenge. He has to deceive not only his obvious enemies but also his fellow retainers, some of whom have turned against him. The print shows such a clever piece of acting by Yuranosuke. Dressed in the blue kimono and blindfolded, he is pretending to fool around with the teahouse waitresses in the garden at night. As he stumbles drunkenly, the man behind him, who is actually a spy, unsheathes his sword. The action reveals his rusty blade, interpreted as a sign of Yuranosuke's dissipation.