The story is structured in mixtures of an illicit affair involving Osuga, wife of Umekichi who was the head of the firefighters called 'Kagatobi' in Kaga clan's employ, and the crime of an evil masseur, Dogen TAKEGAKI; however, as Kikugoro ONOE VI, who was good at playing Dogen, made it into a sophisticated staging, and the play gained popularity, today only the story of Dogen is put on the stage, and for the story of Kagatobi, only Act Two, 'Hongo Toricho Seizoroi', is performed.
加賀藩お抱えの火消し人足「加賀鳶」の頭、梅吉の妻おすがをめぐる間男騒動と、悪党の按摩竹垣道玄の悪事の行状をない交ぜにした構成だが、道玄を得意とした六代目尾上菊五郎(6代目)により演出が洗練され人気を集めたので、現在では道玄の件のみが上演され、加賀鳶の件は、二幕目「本郷通町勢揃い」のみしか演じられない。