TSUYAMA Y�Z� I (original) (raw)

Stage names:

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry names: Zuiba, Sh�k�

Existence: 1703 ~ 2nd day of the 9th lunar month of 1753 [1]

Connection:

Master: �tani Hiroji I

Adoptive father: Tsuuchi Jih� II

Disciple: Tsuyama Y�z� II

Career:

Before 1723: disciple of �tani Hiroji I, he started his career as a koyaku and his first stage name was �tani Rokuz�.

11th lunar month of 1723: he became wakashugata and performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Sono Enp� Onna Migy�sho", which celebrated the arrival of the Kamigata actors Yamashita Kinsaku I and Sanogawa Senz�.

1733: adopted by the playwright Tsuuchi Jih� II, he took the name of Tsuuchi Monzabur� I.

11th lunar month of 1735: Monzabur� played at the Nakamuraza the role of Mita no Genta Hirotsuna in the kaomise drama "Tono Zukuri Shinoda-zuma".

Fall 1738: Monzabur� went to Kamigata, along with his adoptive father Tsuuchi Jih� II and Band� Hikosabur� I.

11th lunar month of 1738: Monzabur� played at the �nishi no Shibai the role of Arajishi Otokonosuke, in reality the governor (kami) of Iga Shinozuka, in the kaomise drama "Kusunoki Yakata Sennen Gitsune" [2], which was produced in �saka by Yoshizawa Ayame II.

1st lunar month of 1739: Monzabur�'s rank in the �saka hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was j�-j�-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

Fall 1740: Monzabur� went back to Edo, along with Band� Hikosabur� I.

11th lunar month of 1740: Monzabur� played at the Ichimuraza the role of Murei no Ikkaku, in realiy Akamatsu Mushanosuke, in the kaomise drama "Kichirei Imagawaj�", which welcomed in Edo the Kamigata actor Matsushima Moheiji.

1st lunar month of 1741: Monzabur� played in the same theater the role of Soga Gor� Tokimune in the new year sogamono drama "Wakamidori Kaneiri Soga"; the roles of Soga J�r� Sukenari, Kud� Saemon Suketsune, Kewaizaka no Sh�sh� (Gor�'s lover) and �iso no Tora (J�r�'s lover) are played by Ichimura Uzaemon VIII, Matsumoto K�shir� II, Sawamura Shigenoi and Segawa Kikujir� I.

3rd lunar month of 1741: Monzabur�'s rank in the Edo hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was j�-j�-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Ichikawa Danj�r� III, Sakata T�j�r� III and Sanj� Kantar� II.

11th lunar month of 1741: Monzabur� played at the Kawarasakiza the role of Aoto Gor� in the kaomise drama "Konrei Sakae no Hachinoki".

Fall 1742: Monzabur� went to Ky�to.

11th lunar month of 1742: Monzabur�'s names was displayed on the signboards of two Ky�to theaters, Hayagumo Ch�day�'s theater and Ebisuya Kichir�b�'s theater, as he was expected to spend half of the season in the former and half of the season in the latter. He played at Hayagumo Ch�day�'s theater the role of M�ri Kazusanosuke in the kaomise drama "�mi Genji Taihei no Kachidoki", which was produced by Hanakawa Ichinoj� and welcomed in the Imperial City the actor Nakamura Utaemon I.

1st lunar month of 1743: Monzabur�'s rank in the Ky�to hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was j�-j�-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Shinozuka Kazaemon and Tamiya J�zabur� I. Monzabur� played in the same theater the role of Soga Gor� Tokimune in the ni-no-kawari new year drama "Harukoma Ikioi Soga" [5]; the roles of Kud� Saemon Suketsune and Soga J�r� Sukenari were played by Nakamura Utaemon I and Takenaka Heikichi.

Fall 1743: Monzabur� went to �saka.

11th lunar month of 1743: Monzabur� played at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Kinpira and Ikuno Daisaku (in reality Usui Sadakage) in the kaomise drama "Tansh� Teteuchi Guri".

1st lunar month of 1744: Monzabur�'s rank in the �saka hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was j�-j�-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Shinozuka Jirozaemon, Somenoi Hanshir� II, Sakurayama Shirosabur� II and Yamashita Matashir� I.

11th lunar month of 1744: Monzabur� performed the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Keisei Makura Gundan", which was produced by Anegawa Shinshir� I.

Fall 1745: Monzabur� went back to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1745: Monzabur� played at the Moritaza the role of Chibanosuke in the kaomise drama "Chiky�dai Izu Nikki".

1st lunar month of 1746: Monzabur�'s rank in the Edo hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was one black stroke below j�-j�-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1746: Monzabur� performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "�torii Goj�shigun".

1st lunar month of 1747: Monzabur�'s rank in the Edo hy�banki, tachiyaku section, fell to j�-j�-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).

11th lunar month of 1747: Monzabur� performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Shusse Momijigari".

1st lunar month of 1748: Monzabur�'s rank in the Edo hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was j�-j�-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with �tani Oniji I, Yamamoto Ky�shir� I and Nakamura Shichisabur� II.

11th lunar month of 1748: Monzabur� performed at the Ichimuraza in Tsuuchi Jih� II's kaomise drama "H�kas� Yunzei Hachinoki", which celebrated the sh�mei of �tani Hiroji II.

5th lunar month of 1749: Monzabur� played in the same theater the roles of Teraoka Heiemon and Hara G�emon in the drama "Kanadehon Ch�shingura".

11th lunar month of 1749: Monzabur� became jitsuaku and played at the Nakamuraza the role of Sagami no Jir� in the kaomise drama "Onn� Taiheiki".

1st lunar month of 1750: Monzabur�'s rank in the Edo hy�banki, jitsuaku section, was j�-j�-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Sakata T�j�r� III.

11th lunar month of 1750: Monzabur� switched back to tachiyaku roles and played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Sait� no Sanemori and Osaragi Gonz� in Tsuuchi Jih� II's kaomise drama "Wakaki no Ume Taira no Kiyomori".

1st lunar month of 1751: Monzabur�'s rank in the Edo hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was j�-j�-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with �tani Hiroji II and Nakamura Shichisabur� II. Monzabur� played in the same theater the role of Kajiwara Heiz� Kagetoki in the new year drama "Izu Kosode Sh�bai Kagami".

11th lunar month of 1751: Tsuuchi Monzabur� I took the name of Tsuyama Y�z� I [3] at the Moritaza, performing in Tsuuchi Jih� II's kaomise drama "Aizuchi J�nidan", which also celebrated the sh�mei of Morita Kan'ya VI.

1st lunar month of 1752: Y�z�'s rank in the Edo hy�banki, tachiyaku section, was j�-j�-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with �tani Hiroji II, Matsumoto K�shir� II and Nakamura Shichisabur� II.

11th lunar month of 1752: Y�z� became jitsuaku and played at the Ichimuraza the role of Takebe Gennai in Tsuuchi Jih� II's kaomise drama "Ume Sakura Ninin Semimaru".

1st lunar month of 1753: Y�z�'s rank in the Edo hy�banki, jitsuaku section, was j�-j�-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Nakamura Sukegor� I. Y�z� played in the same theater the roles of Kakogawa Honz� and Ky� no Kojir� in Tsuuchi Jih� II's new year sogamono drama "Haru Fukami Iroha Soga" [4].

2nd day of the 9th lunar month of 1753 [1]: Y�z� died in Edo. His tombstone was located in the precincts of the Renk�ji Temple in Asakusa.

Comments:

Tsuyama Y�z� I was a talented and popular Edo actor, who was active from the beginning of the 1720s to the beginning of the 1750s. He went twice to Kamigata, where he spent 4 seasons. He was j�-j�-kichi for five seasons, four times as a tachiyaku and one time as a jitsuaku. He was able to perform a wide range of roles and he was outstanding in aragoto and jitsugoto.

[1] The 2nd day of the 9th lunar month of the 3rd year of the H�reki era was the 28th of September 1753 in the western calendar.

[2] This drama was created by the sakusha Tsuuchi Jih� II and Nakata Mansuke.

[3] Tsuyama was the family name of Tsuuchi Jih� I, the founder of the Tsuuchi clan, when he was an actor.

[4] "Haru Fukami Iroha Soga" mixed two sekai: the world of the Soga brothers and the world of "Ch�shingura". It was a commercial failure.

[5] A sogamono as a ni-no-kawari was a rare treat in Kamigata!

The actors Tsuyama Y�z� I (bottom/right) and Arashi Shichigor� I (top/left) playing the roles of Kakogawa Honz� and Kajiwara Heiz� Kagetoki in Tsuuchi Jih� II's new year sogamono drama "Haru Fukami Iroha Soga", which was staged in the 1st lunar month of 1753 at the Ichimuraza

Prints & Illustrations

The Tsuuchi Monzabur� line of actors