ABSTRACT
Of Chikamatsu’s one hundred and four puppet plays The Battles of Kokusenya, The Revenge of the Soga Brothers, and The Snow-Woman and Five Battledores used in days of old to be considered his masterpieces. This estimate has in recent years been modified and nowadays the palm is bestowed upon The Love Suicide at Amijima, The Courier for Hades, The Almanac of Love, and one or two other domestic plays. My own opinion, which chances to be endorsed by Dr. Oto-o Fujii, Mr. login Kidani and certain other authorities, inclines to awarding the first place among Chikamatsu’s historical plays to The Courtesan’s Frankincense, The Tethered Steed and Fair Ladies at a Game of Poem-Cards.
