Tenjo No Tsue Akashi Kakuichi No Shogai

[Machine Translation] Kakuichi Akashi, born of noble birth to Ashikaga Takauji, lost his eyesight at an early age and chose to become a biwa player himself. While undergoing rigorous training, Kakuichi interacted with underground biwa players, puppets, and drifters, and witnessed the lives of people at the bottom of society. Eventually, Kakuichi's reputation as the best biwa player in Japan grew, and he was honored with the title of "Gozen Gyoen," or "emperor's hearing. The Emperor, impressed by Kakuichi's polished artistry, offered him a wish from behind the curtain, but what Kakuichi asked for was neither a position nor an estate...

足利尊氏の縁者という高貴な身分に生まれながら、幼くして視力を失った明石覚一は、自ら琵琶法師の道を選ぶ。厳しい修行に明け暮れる中、地下の琵琶弾きや傀儡、漂泊する芸能民たちとも交流を重ね、社会の底辺にいる人々の暮らしぶりを目の当たりにする。やがて覚一は天下随一の琵琶の名手として名声を高め、御前演奏、すなわち天聴の栄に浴することとなる。磨き抜かれた至芸に感じ入った天皇より、「何か望みがあれば」と御簾の内より御言葉を賜るが、その時覚一が願い出たものは、地位でも所領でもなかった...