The Actor Segawa Kikunojō III as Wappa no Kikuō in a Woman’s “Asahina Armor Pulling” (Asahina no kusazuri-biki) Scene

In Kabuki dramatizations of the legend of the Soga brothers, one of the most popular of the are dance-vignettes called “Armor-pulling works” (Kusazuri-biki mono). These recall the moment when Soga Gorō wakens from a dream revealing that his brother Jurō is in grave danger, and he responds by immediately putting on his armor and mounting his horse to set out to save him. His loyal retainer Asahina (Asaina) tries to restrain his master from such impetuous behavior by pulling on his armor. The scene is usually rendered in quintessential aragoto, or “rough stuff” masculine, bravado acting style. Here, however, the famous onnagata (actor of female roles) Segaw Kikunojō III (1751–1810), plays a character called Wappa no Kikuō (in the role of Asahina), effeminately posing in a prelude to such an “Armor-pulling” scene. This print is most certainly the left sheet of a diptych that would have included Bandō Mitsugorō III as Soga no Gorō.

An onnagata actor is sometimes shown wearing a murasaki-bōshi (“purple headband”) attached to his wig. Originally it signified an actor was covering his shaved forelocks, a mark of being an adult man; later it continued to serve as a suggestive indicator of the allure of cross-dressing.