• Source: The Love Suicides at Amijima

The Love Suicides at Amijima (Shinjū Ten no Amijima or Shinjūten no Amijima 心中天の網島) is a domestic play (sewamono) by Japanese playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon. Originally written for the bunraku puppet theatre, it was adapted into kabuki shortly after its premiere on 3 January 1721. It is widely regarded as one of his greatest domestic plays and was hailed by Donald Keene as “Chikamatsu’s masterpiece”.




Adaptations


The Japanese new wave filmmaker Masahiro Shinoda directed a stylized adaptation of the story as Double Suicide in 1969.
Milwaukee, WI-based Dale Gutzman (book, lyrics) and Todd Wellman (score) debuted the musical adaption AmijimA in 2007.
The Australian National University's Za Kabuki performed a version of the play in 2005, directed by Mr. Shun Ikeda.




References



pg 170–208 of Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu
Chikamatsu Monzaemon, The Love Suicides at Amijima, in Haruo Shirane, ed., Early Modern Japanese Literature: An Anthology, 1600–1900 (Columbia University Press, 2002), pp. 313–47. ISBN 0-231-14415-6.




Further reading


Major Plays of Chikamatsu, translated and introduced by Donald Keene (NY: Columbia University Press. 1961/1990), pp. 387–425.




External links


The Love Suicide at Amijima: A Study of a Japanese Domestic Tragedy by Chikamatsu Monzaemon
Scan of manuscript at Waseda University Library

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• The Love Suicides at Amijima
• Chikamatsu Monzaemon
• Shinjū
• Double Suicide (1969 film)
• Shinigami
• Natsuko Ohama
• The Courier for Hell
• Tamatebako
• Art Theatre Guild filmography
• Azuma (name)