"Sakurahime azuma bunsho" was written by Tsuruya Namboku 4th. For a long time this play was not performed, but it was revived before World War II and has been regularly performed since the end of the war. Many aspects of mystery stories, causes and effects, and ghosts, which were Namboku's specialty, are incorporated into many parts of the play, which has many highlights.
The story begins in Enoshima with a double suicide attempt by the monk Seigen and Shiragikumaru, his chigo (young male assistant) lover, in Enoshima.
Seigen only was saved from death, and became a high-ranking priest. He recognizes Sakurahime, a daughter of the Yoshida family who comes to the temple to become a nun, as the reincarnation of his lover Shiragikumaru. Sakurahime has given birth to the child of Tsurigane Gonsuke, who broke into her home to commit robbery, and she wants to atone for the deep guilt she feels because she cannot forget Gonsuke even now, so she has come to the temple to become a nun. But Sakurahime encounters her beloved Gonsuke at the hermitage in Sakuradani.
Later, both Seigen, who sees the image of Shiragikumaru in Sakurahime, and Sakurahime, who was cast out by the Yoshida family after her involvement with Gonsuke was revealed, undergo kaleidoscopic changes.

In the Edo period each social class had different speech mannerisms. Sakurahime was born and raised in a daimyo (feudal lord) family, but, in the 'Gonsuke sumika' scene, Sakurahime, now degraded has become a joro (prostitute), calling herself Furin Ohime. Her manner of speech in this scene is rough like that of a common prostitute, but words spoken by court nobles such as hime (princess) or daughter of a daimyo family are mixed into her conversation at various points. Such odd and interesting combinations were Shuko (concepts) unique to Tsuruya Namboku 4th, noted for his wit.