The print shows Morito standing in a stair holding the severed head of Kesa.
Having felt in love with Kesa, the beautiful wife of his best friend Wataru, Morito tried to persuade her to leave her husband. When Kesa
refused Morito threatened to kill Wataru in his sleep if Kesa does not comply with his demands. Still Kesa refused and, faithful to her beloved
husband, sleeped in his bed and was decapitated in his place.
When Morito discovers his error, he
became mad and wandered carrying the severed head of his beloved.
This
story became the basis for the Kabuki play Sakigake Genji Soga no Tehajime, which was
performed at the Kawarasaki-za, in Edo, in January 1845.
The
relation with Chapter 7 of the Genji Monogatari, Momiji
no ga or Autumn Outing, is established by the falling
maple leaves, a symbol of Autumn.
