Stage names:
Yoshizawa Ayame II
Yoshizawa Sakinosuke I
Guild: Tachibanaya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry name: Shunshui
Existence: 1702 ~ 18th day of the 7th lunar month of 1754
Connections:
Father: Yoshizawa Ayame I
Brothers: Yamashita Matatarô I, Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Yoshizawa Ayame III
Adopted son: Yoshizawa Ayame IV
Family map: the Yoshizawa Clan
Career:
11th lunar month of 1716: he makes his first stage appearance, as a wakashugata playing under the name of Yoshizawa Sakinosuke I in Kyôto in the drama "Tatsu no Miyako Ikuyo no Yonedawara", which is produced by Yamatoyama Jinzaemon I.
11th lunar month of 1717: Sakinosuke becomes wakaonnagata and plays the role of Princess Hanazono in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Genjôraku Biwa no Ôumi", which is produced in the same theater.
1723: Sakinosuke and his father Yoshizawa Ayame I settle in Ôsaka.
11th lunar month of 1723: Sakinosuke achieves a great success in Ôsaka, playing in the kaomise drama "Fukujukai Kogane no Minato", which is produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.
7th lunar month of 1729: his father Yoshizawa Ayame I dies.
9th lunar month of 1729: Yoshizawa Sakinosuke takes the name of Yoshizawa Ayame II, playing a courtesan roles (keisei) in the drama "Keisei Oki no Ishi", which is produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II at the Kado no Shibai.
1st lunar month of 1732: Ayame's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
3rd lunar month of 1733: the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki" is performed for the first time in Ôsaka, at the Kado no Shibai; Ayame plays the role of Akoya [casting].
9th lunar month of 1735: Ayame plays the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami", which is produced by Nakamura Jûzô I at the Ônishi no Shibai. His stage partners are Ichiyama Sukegorô I (Abe no Yasuna) and Nakamura Jûzô I (Dôman).
11th lunar month of 1736: Ayame becomes zamoto in Ôsaka and produces at the Ônishi no Shibai for the nadai Matsumoto Nazaemon the drama "Banshû Onna Narihira".
12th lunar month of 1739: Ayame produces at the Ônishi no Shibai the drama "Kewai Musha Ômi Genji"; he plays the role of Okichi and the role of Matahei is played by Anegawa Shinshirô I. This play is similar to Chikamatsu Monzaemon I's drama "Keisei Hangonkô". The casting includes the actors Nakamura Sôjûrô (Shôgen), Sakakiyama Shirotarô I (Nagoya Sanza), Arashi Shichigorô I (Fuwa Banzaemon) and Segawa Kikunojô I (the courtesan Tôyama).
Summer 1740: Ayame produces at the Ônishi no Shibai the drama "Kaga no Kuni Shinohara Gassen"; the leading role (Jingorô) is played by Anegawa Shinshirô I.
11th lunar month of 1740: Ayame plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Otsuma in the kaomise drama "Shinra Genji Shimada Gumpô", which is produced by Sanogawa Hanazuma II. He also plays the role of Otsuma in the drama "Furiwake Gami Tsumagoi Soga".
11th lunar month of 1741: Ayame plays the role of Ichimonji no Haru in the kaomise drama "Genji Rokujûjô", which is produced by Anegawa Shinshirô I at the Naka no Shibai.
1st lunar month of 1743: Ayame plays the role of Otome in the drama "Kurofune Isse Ichidai Otoko", which is produced by Anegawa Shinshirô I in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai [casting]. his rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent).
9th lunar month of 1745: Ayame plays the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami", which is produced by Nakamura Jûzô I at the Ônishi no Shibai. His stage partners are Bandô Toyosaburô I (Abe no Yasuna), Nakamura Jûzô I (Dôman), Nakayama Shinkurô I (Yokampei), Arashi Shichigorô I (Yakampei, Shôgen) and Ichikawa Danzô III (Sakon Tarô).
11th lunar month of 1745: Ayame goes to Edo and plays at the Ichimuraza in c; Ayame portrays Kusunoki Kikusui, a role created by his father in Edo in the 11th lunar month of 1713.
5th lunar month of 1747: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" is produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time; Ayame plays the role of Tonami [casting].
6th lunar month of 1749: the play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" is produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time; Ayame plays the role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke's wife Oishi; the role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke is played by Sawamura Chôjûrô III [casting].
11th lunar month of 1749: Ayame achieves a great success at the Nakamuraza by playing the role of Rokuura, Bingo no Saburô's wife, in the kaomise drama "Onnô Taiheiki". The role of Bingo no Saburô is played by Sawamura Chôjûrô III.
1st lunar month of 1750: Ayame's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
7th lunar month of 1751: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna", which is staged at the Nakamuraza; Ayame plays the role of Takemura Sadanoshin's spouse [casting].
11th lunar month of 1751: Ayame moves to the Moritaza and plays the role of Yuya Gozen in the kaomise drama "Aizuchi Jûnidan", which celebrates the shûmei of Morita Kan'ya VI.
4th lunar month of 1752: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki", which is staged in Edo at the Moritaza; Ayame plays the roles of Sagami (Kumagai's wife) and Sugawaradayû [casting].
Fall 1752: Ayame goes back to Kamigata.
11th lunar month of 1752: Ayame plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Kusunoki Kikusui in the kaomise drama "Tenka Taiheiki", which is produced in Kyôto by Arashi San'emon IV and celebrates the shûmei of Sawamura Otoemon II.
11th lunar month of 1753: Ayame settles in Ôsaka and plays in the drama "Nakatomi Sandaijin", which is produced by Ichimura Sanohachi at the Naka no Shibai.
2nd lunar month of 1754: Ayame plays the role of Tonase in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which is produced in the same theater The role of Konami, Tonase's daughter, is played by Yoshizawa Man'yo II.
4th lunar month of 1754: Ayame appears on stage for the last time, playing at the Naka no Shibai in the drama "Yamatogana Ariwara Keizu".
Comments:
Yoshizawa Ayame II was an outstanding onnagata actor with a certain sensuality and the worthy heir of his father Yoshizawa Ayame I. He was excellent in both jidaimono and sewamono dramas. His forte were budôgoto roles.
Yoshizawa Ayame II (bottom/left) and Arashi Sanjûrô II (top/right) playing the roles of the keisei Sonohara and Takeda Kiyonobu in the kaomise drama "Shinra Genji Shimada Gumpô", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1740 at the Naka no Shibai
The Yoshizawa Sakinosuke line of actors
The Yoshizawa Ayame line of actors