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, as the original and fullest version of this play is known, is a tale in five acts of the ''shiranamimono'' (tales of thieves) sub-category of the ''kizewamono'' (rough contemporary piece) genre of kabuki plays. Written by Kawatake Mokuami, it first premiered at the Ichimura-za in Edo in March 1862. The play is frequently known by a number of other names. The name actually refers to the main character of the play, a ''gizoku'' (honorable thief), one of a band of five such men. Another common name for this play is , "''shiranami''" (white waves) being a term used to refer to thieves. Like most traditional Japanese dramas, the play originally had five acts, following particular conventions as to the dramatic pattern and themes of each act. However, today, it is very common to perform only one or two acts, each combination of acts represented by a different play title. For example, the title "'Benten Musume Meo no Shiranami'" refers to the performance of Acts III and/or IV without the other three. The play centers on a band of five thieves, based on real thieves and criminals of Edo period Osaka: Karigane Bunshichi, An no Heibei, Gokuin Sen'emon, Kaminari Shōkurō and Hotei Ichiemon. The name of Nippon Daemon, the leader of the band, is taken from that of Nippon Saemon, who was captured and executed in 1747. The character of Benten Kozō, meanwhile, is said to have been based upon a servant at the Iwamoto-in temple on Enoshima, an island dedicated to the goddess Benten.〔Plaque at the site of the former Iwamoto-in, Enoshima, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture.〕 The play is perhaps most famous for the speeches made by Kozō and his compatriots when they dramatically remove their disguises and reveal their true identities. ==Characters== *Benten Kozō Kikunosuke - a young thief *Nippon Daemon - leader of the band of thieves *Nangō Rikimaru - a young thief *Tadanobu Rihei - a young thief *Akaboshi Jūzaburō - a young thief *Princess Senju - a daughter of a powerful samurai or courtier *Hamamatsuya Kōbei - owner of a kimono/cloth shop *Hamamtasuya Sōnosuke - Kōbei's son-in-law 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Benten Kozō」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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