Pit Workers in the Old Days #1 (Japanese Dance; Battle between the Minamoto and Taira Clans)
1958 - 1963

Mukashi no Yamabito #1 (Embu; Gen-Pei)
[Pit Workers in the Old Days #1 (Japanese Dance; Battle between the Minamoto and Taira Clans)]
21.1 x 30.2 cm Ink Painting

"Hey, man who is crossing the sea toward the boats! You have the look of a general of our enemy, the Taira clan. It's cowardly to run away, turning your back on us, your enemy. Come back and fight with me," he called out in a stentorian voice with a gunsen (military leader's folding fan) unfolded in his hand, "Halloo, come back! Turn back!"

Dancing of embu (Japanese dance) became popular in coal pits and the song written below subsidiary to one of the embu programs, was sung as a school song. The 1st and 2nd graders sang the song after the 3rd and 4th graders sang it while they were marching. It went as follows:

Somosomo Kumagai Naozane wa
Seii Taishogun Minamoto no
Yoritomo ko no miuchi nite
Kanto ichi no hatagashira
Gen-Pei Suma no tatakai de...

Precisely, Naozane Kumagai was
a relative of Shogun Yoritomo Minamoto,
and the number one leader of warriors in the Kanto district,
who participated in the Battle of Suma between the Minamoto and Taira clans...

(This song was sung around 1899 or 1900.)


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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