Synopsis

The ghost story “Botan Dōrō” tells of a beautiful young woman who died of unrequited love, her spirit visiting her beloved man each night, accompanied by the haunting sound of wooden clogs echoing “karan, koron.” However, this famous tale of Otsuyu and Shinzaburō represents merely a small portion of the original full-length rakugo narrative created by the first Sanyūtei Enchō. The complete story encompasses a vast cast, including Otsuyu’s father, Heizaemon, and his loyal retainer, Kōsuke; the scheming villainess, Okuni, who plots to seize the family estate alongside her lover, Genjirō; and the greedy merchant couple, Banzō and Omine.