Bunka era (1804–1818) Donated by Saitō Shōji
“Hashi Benkei” is a Noh play based on a famous Japanese legend, which describes the first meeting between the warrior Ushiwaka (Minamoto no Yositsune) and Musashibō Benkei, a monk of Mount Hiei in Kyoto City. In the adapted play, Ushiwaka appears as a monstrous manslayer killing any passersby crossing the bridge at Gojō. The climax of the play is the dramatic battle scene between Benkei and Ushiwaka on the bridge, and is an especially thrilling scene for audiences.