EDOSAKA KY�EMON (original) (raw)

Stage names:

Guild: Sakaiya

Poetry names: Sh�kichi, Sh�kitsu

Existence: 1726 ~ 28th day of the 7th lunar month of 1774 [1]

Connection:

Master: Nakamura J�z� I

Disciple: Edosaka Sh�z�

Career:

Before 1751: he started his career as a disciple of the actor Nakamura J�z� I, who gave him the name of Nakamura Sh�z�.

11th lunar month of 1751: Sh�z� makes his debut in �shibai, playing in Ky�to the role of Tawara Matatar� in the kaomise drama "Kaeribana Shinohara Gunki".

11th lunar month of 1754: Sh�z� played at Hoteiya Umenoj�'s theater in Ky�to the role of Ema no Koshir� Yoshitoki in the kaomise drama "F�kigusa Aioi Genji", which was produced by Somematsu Matsujir�. This drama was in fact the first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet drama "Yoshitsune Koshigoej�" [more details].

1st lunar month of 1755: Sh�z�'s rank in the Ky�to hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was j�-j�-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1757: Sh�z� played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Ebisu Sabur� and Minamoto Yukie in the kaomise drama "�yashiro Musubu no Sanban Tsuzuki", which was produced by Sawamura Kunitar� I and Somematsu Matsujir� for the nadai Hayagumo Ch�day�.

1st lunar month of 1758: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Gion Sairei Shink�ki", which was simultaneously produced at the Minamigawa no Shibai [casting] and the Kitagawa no Shibai [casting]. It used its real title at the former theater but it was entitled "Keisei Niwatoriyama" at the latter theater; Sh�z� played in the former theater the roles of Shibata Gonroku Katsushige and Konishi Yaj�r�. Sh�z�'s rank in the Ky�to hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was j�-j�-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual]. He shared the same ranking with Sawamura Sukej�r�.

11th lunar month of 1758: Sh�z� played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Ashiya Genz� in Sakurato Bunsaku's kaomise drama "Inari Yakata Irifune no Arashi", which was produced by Arashi Sangor� II.

11th lunar month of 1759: his master Nakamura J�z� I and Ogurayama Sentar� respectively took the names of Nakamura Kichiemon I and Nakamura J�z� II at the Minamigawa no Shibai.

12th lunar month of 1759: following a quarrel with his master, Nakamura Sh�z� took the name of Edosaka Ky�emon at the Kitagawa no Shibai, playing the role of Horiguchi J�nai in the drama "Bandai Fueki H�rai Yakata", which was produced by Arashi Hinasuke I.

1st lunar month of 1760: Ky�emon's rank in the Ky�to hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was j�-j�-j� (superior - superior - "ten") [visual].

2nd lunar month of 1763: Ky�emon played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of the yakko Yodohei in the kaomise drama "Otowayama Renbo no Taki", which was produced by Nakamura Senz�.

3rd lunar month of 1763: Ky�emon's rank in the Ky�to hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was back to j�-j�-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1763: Ky�emon played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Yata Fujihei in Sakurato Bunsaku's kaomise drama "H�raisan Hatsuhi no Kachidoki", which was produced by Arashi Matsunoj� III. He also played the role of Kurofune Ch�emon in the drama "Kurofune Deiri Minato".

1st lunar month of 1764: Ky�emon's rank in the Ky�to hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was j�-j�-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. He played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Katagiri Hikoshir� Noriyasu in Namiki Sh�z� I's ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Hana no Shiroyama", which was produced by Arashi Matsunoj� III.

11th lunar month of 1764: Ky�emon played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Wat�nai in the kaomise drama "Tanomi-agemasu Goken Butsusama" (similar to "Kokusen'ya Gassen"); the role of Kanki was played by Sakakiyama Koshir� II.

11th lunar month of 1766: Ky�emon became zamoto and produced in Ky�to at the Kitagawa no Shibai the kaomise drama "Umayadogimi Shitenn�ji Kuy�", which celebrated the sh�mei of the actors Sakakiyama Sagisuke, Sakakiyama Koshir� III and Sakakiyama Shirotar� III.

Spring 1768: tour in Nagoya with Arashi Hinasuke I.

Winter 1768~1769: reconciliation with his master Nakamura Kichiemon I; they perform together in Ky�to in the 1st lunar month of 1769 in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Sato no Kinzan", which was produced by Onoe Kumesuke. This was the last stage appearance of Ky�emon's master.

17th day of the 6th lunar month of 1770 [2]: his master Nakamura Kichiemon I died.

11th lunar month of 1770: Ky�emon played at the Kitagawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Sakae Genji Gojin no Kachidoki", which was produced by Mimasu Tokujir� I.

1st lunar month of 1771: Ky�emon was the kanjiku for tachiyaku actors. His rank in the Ky�to hy�banki was two black strokes above j�-j�-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual].

3rd ~ 5th lunar months of 1771: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", produced byMimasu Tokujir� I at the Kitagawa no Shibai; Ky�emon played the role of Shibaroku [casting].

11th lunar month of 1771: Ky�emon played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Hirai no Yasumasa and Hirai no Yasusuke in the kaomise drama "Bandai Isaoshi Genji", which was produced by Arashi Sanj�r� II.

1st lunar month of 1772: Ky�emon played in the same theater the roles of Hosokawa Katsumoto and the yakko Sh�suke in the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Sakura Goten".

11th lunar month of 1772: Ky�emon played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Togashi Saemon, in reality Chishimanosuke, in the kaomise "Shiraume Genji Kuruwa no Hachinoki", which was produced by Anegawa Chiyosabur� II.

2nd lunar month of 1773: Ky�emon appeared on stage for the last time, at the Kitagawa no Shibai, where he played the roles of Kakogawa Honz�, Ishid� Umanoj� and Teraoka Heiemon in the drama "Kanadehon Ch�shingura". He suddenly fell ill and had to retire.

28th day of the 7th lunar month of 1774 [1]: Ky�emon died in Ky�to.

Comments:

Edosaka Ky�emon was a 18th century tachiyaku actor, who made almost all his career in Ky�to (the exception was a tour to Nagoya). He did not venture to tour not only in the distant city of Edo (although his name would make us think that he had an interest in this city) but also to the nearby city of �saka, even for a few days in this latter city. He was popular in the Imperial City and his final ranking was really close to the prestigious j�-j�-kichi.

[1] The 28th day of the 7th lunar month of the 3rd year of the An'ei era was the 3rd of September 1774 in the western calendar.

[2] The 17th day of the 6th lunar month of the 7th year of the Meiwa era was the 9th of July 1770 in the western calendar.