Ejima-Ikushima affair
Encyclopedia
The was the most significant scandal in the Ōoku
, the shogun's
harem, during the Edo period
of the history of Japan
.
On the twelfth day of the first month of the fourth year of the Shōtoku
era (February 26, 1714 by the Western calendar), Ejima, a high-ranking lady in the Ōoku, visited the grave of the late shogun Tokugawa Ienobu
in the name of her superior, Gekkō-in, who had been a lady-in-waiting of the late shogun and was the mother of the ruling shogun Tokugawa Ietsugu
. Before returning to the castle, she accepted an invitation to attend a kabuki
performance by the popular actor Ikushima Shingorō and the Yamamura-za. After the performance, she invited the actor and others to a reception at a tea house.
The reception ran late, and Ejima missed the closing of the gates to the Ōoku. As she went from one gate to the next trying to gain entry, word of her situation reached the officials within, and Ejima became the focus of a power struggle between her superior Gekkō-in, and Gekkō-in's rival Ten'ei-in, the wife of the late Ienobu. They in turn were part of a larger power struggle between two factions. One faction was led by Arai Hakuseki
and Manabe Akifusa
, the two closest advisors to both Ienobu and Ietsugu. The other was headed by fudai
daimyo
and the rōjū
who had been in office since the time of the fifth shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
.
Ten'ei-in seized the opportunity to launch an investigation of the Ōoku. Numerous infractions were discovered, and ultimately 1,300 people were punished. Ejima was sentenced to death, but she received a pardon, and was placed in custody of the Takatō fief. Her brother was sentenced to die by seppuku
. Ikushima was banished to the island of Miyakejima
and the Yamamura-za was disbanded. The kabuki theatres were relocated to Asakusa
, farther from Edo Castle
.
Within the Ōoku, Ten'ei-in emerged victorious. The following year, when Ietsugu died, she supported Tokugawa Yoshimune
, the successful contender for the shogunate.
The Ejima-Ikushima affair has been dramatized in kabuki, and has been the subject of nagauta
chants. Numerous films and television dramas have portrayed the event. The 2006 film Oh! Oku
stars Yukie Nakama
as Ejima and Hidetoshi Nishijima as Ikushima Shingorō. A 1971 television series featured Ineko Arima
as Ejima, and kabuki actor Takao Kataoka (now Kataoka Nizaemon XV) as Ikushima.
Ooku
The refers to the harem of Edo Castle, the section where the women connected to the reigning Shōgun resided. Similar areas in the castles of powerful Daimyō were also referred to by this term.This included the shōgun's mother, wife, and concubines...
, the shogun's
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
harem, during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
of the history of Japan
History of Japan
The history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...
.
On the twelfth day of the first month of the fourth year of the Shōtoku
Shotoku (era)
was a after Hōei and before Kyōhō. This period spanned the years from April 1711 through June 1716. The reigning emperor was .-Change of Era:...
era (February 26, 1714 by the Western calendar), Ejima, a high-ranking lady in the Ōoku, visited the grave of the late shogun Tokugawa Ienobu
Tokugawa Ienobu
was the sixth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Tsunashige, thus making him the nephew of Tokugawa Ietsuna and Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the grandson of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the great-grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the great-great grandson of Tokugawa...
in the name of her superior, Gekkō-in, who had been a lady-in-waiting of the late shogun and was the mother of the ruling shogun Tokugawa Ietsugu
Tokugawa Ietsugu
Tokugawa Ietsugu; 徳川 家継 was the seventh shogun of the Tokugawa Dynasty, who ruled from 1713 until his death in 1716...
. Before returning to the castle, she accepted an invitation to attend a kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
performance by the popular actor Ikushima Shingorō and the Yamamura-za. After the performance, she invited the actor and others to a reception at a tea house.
The reception ran late, and Ejima missed the closing of the gates to the Ōoku. As she went from one gate to the next trying to gain entry, word of her situation reached the officials within, and Ejima became the focus of a power struggle between her superior Gekkō-in, and Gekkō-in's rival Ten'ei-in, the wife of the late Ienobu. They in turn were part of a larger power struggle between two factions. One faction was led by Arai Hakuseki
Arai Hakuseki
was a Confucianist, scholar-bureaucrat, academic, administrator, writer and politician in Japan during the middle of the Edo Period, who advised the Shogun Tokugawa Ienobu. His personal name was Kinmi or Kimiyoshi . Hakuseki was his pen name...
and Manabe Akifusa
Manabe Akifusa
was a feudal lord in Japan, and Ienobu's attendant.-Biography:Akifusa Manabe was born in Edo, Japan on June 18, 1666 as a son of actor on the Japanese traditional play. Later, he served to the Edo Bakufu's 6th Shogun Tokugawa Ienobu. He was Sobayonin in the Edo Bakufu. He beacame Daimyo in...
, the two closest advisors to both Ienobu and Ietsugu. The other was headed by fudai
Fudai
was a class of daimyo who were hereditary vassals of the Tokugawa in Edo period Japan. It was primarily the fudai who filled the ranks of the Tokugawa administration.-Origins:...
daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
and the rōjū
Roju
The ', usually translated as Elder, was one of the highest-ranking government posts in Tokugawa Japan. The term refers either to individual Elders, or to the Council as a whole; under the first two shoguns, there were only two Rōjū...
who had been in office since the time of the fifth shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
was the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan. He was the younger brother of Tokugawa Ietsuna, thus making him the son of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu....
.
Ten'ei-in seized the opportunity to launch an investigation of the Ōoku. Numerous infractions were discovered, and ultimately 1,300 people were punished. Ejima was sentenced to death, but she received a pardon, and was placed in custody of the Takatō fief. Her brother was sentenced to die by seppuku
Seppuku
is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for samurai. Part of the samurai bushido honor code, seppuku was either used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies , or as a form of capital punishment...
. Ikushima was banished to the island of Miyakejima
Miyakejima
is an island in the Izu group, southeast of Honshū, Japan, administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, with an area of 55.50 km². The island, 180 km south of Tokyo, is located at 34.5N and 139.34E. As of January 1, 2006, the population of the island is 2884...
and the Yamamura-za was disbanded. The kabuki theatres were relocated to Asakusa
Asakusa
is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals.- History :...
, farther from Edo Castle
Edo Castle
, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...
.
Within the Ōoku, Ten'ei-in emerged victorious. The following year, when Ietsugu died, she supported Tokugawa Yoshimune
Tokugawa Yoshimune
was the eighth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, ruling from 1716 until his abdication in 1745. He was the son of Tokugawa Mitsusada, the grandson of Tokugawa Yorinobu, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.-Lineage:...
, the successful contender for the shogunate.
The Ejima-Ikushima affair has been dramatized in kabuki, and has been the subject of nagauta
Nagauta
, literally "long song", is a kind of traditional Japanese music which accompanies the kabuki theater. They were developed around 1740. Influences included the vocal yōkyoku style used in noh theater, and instruments including the shamisen and various kinds of drums.The shamisen, a plucked lute...
chants. Numerous films and television dramas have portrayed the event. The 2006 film Oh! Oku
Oh! Oku
is a Japanese historic romance drama film released on December 23, 2006, by Fuji Television. The film revolves around the Ejima-Ikushima affair of 1714...
stars Yukie Nakama
Yukie Nakama
is a Japanese actress, singer and former idol. She was born in Okinawa, Japan, in a fisherman's family, the youngest of five siblings.At the start of her career she was a gravure idol and singer , and appeared in bit roles until her career breakthrough playing Sadako in "Ring 0: Birthday ."In 2000,...
as Ejima and Hidetoshi Nishijima as Ikushima Shingorō. A 1971 television series featured Ineko Arima
Ineko Arima
Ineko Arima was a Japanese film actress born in 1932 in Osaka. She is best known for her work with director Yasujiro Ozu-Selected filmography:* Black River * Tokyo Twilight...
as Ejima, and kabuki actor Takao Kataoka (now Kataoka Nizaemon XV) as Ikushima.