Setsugekka: Musashi, Sumidagawa tsuki, Hanjo no mae. (Musashi, Moon over the Sumida River, Lady Hanjo).

Japanese woodblock by Toyohara.

Based on a noh play, in which a woman called Hanago, from an inn in Mino Province, has fallen in love with a customer, Yoshida no Shosho and exchanged fans before his departure. Without a response Hanago went mad, wandering the streets and riverbanks of Edo. Inset: Yoshida no Shosho rejecting a messenger. From the series Setsugekka. ‘Snow, Moon, Flowers’. Based on a Noh play of a yujo (courtesan) at a Nogami inn, named Hanjo. One day, a man named Yoshida no Shosho lodges at the inn, he and Hanago fall in love and exchange fans before his departure as the token of his promise for the future. From that time, Hanago has spent her days only looking at the fan and thinking of Shosho and stopped serving at banquets. The mistress of the inn feels disgusted at Hanago who is now nicknamed Hanjo. The nickname ‘Hanjo’ refers to Hanshoyo who was the beloved wife of Emperor Cheng in the Western Han Dynasty in China. Since she was taken from the Emperor’s love by Zhao Feiyan, she composed a poem, ‘Enkako (Verse of Resentment)’ which likens herself to a summer fan, which is cast aside in fall. Since then, a discarded woman is called a fan in autumn. Hanago is finally expelled from the inn. On his way back from the eastern provinces, Yoshida visits the inn at Nogami again. He is disappointed upon learning that Hanago does not live there any more, with a broken heart he goes back to Kyoto and visits Shimogamo Shrine in the woods of Tadasu to pray. At the shrine, Hanjo, in other words Hanago, appears by accident. After being expelled from the inn, Hanago became deranged Hanjo because of her love for and in the end reaches Kyoto. One of the retainers of requests that Hanjo, who prays to the deity to make her wish for love come true, entertain them by acting out her madness, and she begins to become distressed as a result of this heartless request. With the fan which she exchanged with as a remembrance, she laments his irresponsible words and dances while expressing her loneliness. The more she waves the fan, the crazier she becomes. Hanjo discloses her love which has become more passionate when they do not meet each other. She sheds tears in distress. who was watching the dancing Hanjo pays attention to her fan and asks her to show it. In the dusk, and Hanago see each other’s fans and recognise that they are the lovers they looked for. The lovers are pleased by the reunion.