On Inoue Hisashi’s Kobayashi Issa：The Humor of “Edo is Hedo”

Central to Inoue Hisashi’s literary oeuvre is his unique biographical drama series, which has contributed to the development of a new genre in modern Japanese theatre. This study examines “Kobayashi Issa”, the first play in the “Haikai Master Pentology”, the play-within-a-play structure, and the strategic absence of the character Issa. The study specifically analyzes the wordplay in the line “Edo is Hedo” (“Edo is Vomit”) in order to explore the play’s critique of central authority and power dynamics. Additionally, it examines the reimagined figure of Issa, who challenges the dominant cultural hegemony of Edo by engaging with regional spaces. In doing so, this study illuminates the literary and socio-political implications of Issa’s novel form of representation, in this way contributing to a deeper understanding of Inoue Hisashi’s innovative style of theatrical expression and its broader significance in the field of Japanese literature.