YOSHIZAWA AYAME II

Stage names:

Yoshizawa Ayame II In Japanese
Yoshizawa Sakinosuke I In Japanese

Others names:

Yoshizawa Ayame In Japanese | In Japanese

Guild: Tachibanaya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Shunshui

Existence: 1702 ~ 18th day of the 7th lunar month of 1754 [1]

Connections:

Father: Yoshizawa Ayame I

Brothers: Yamashita Matatarô I, Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Yoshizawa Ayame III

Adopted son: Yoshizawa Ayame IV

Disciple: Yoshizawa Sôza

Family map: the Yoshizawa Clan

Career:

11th lunar month of 1716: he made 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 was produced by Yamatoyama Jinzaemon I.

11th lunar month of 1717: Sakinosuke became wakaonnagata and played the role of Princess Hanazono in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Genjôraku Biwa no Ôumi", which was produced by Yamatoyama Jinzaemon I in Ebisuya Kichirôbê's theater.

1723: Sakinosuke and his father Yoshizawa Ayame I settled in Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1723: Sakinosuke achieved a great success in Ôsaka, playing in the kaomise drama "Fukujukai Kogane no Minato", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

15th day of the 7th lunar month of 1729 [2]: his father Yoshizawa Ayame I died.

9th lunar month of 1729: Yoshizawa Sakinosuke took the name of Yoshizawa Ayame II, playing a courtesan roles (keisei) in the drama "Keisei Oki no Ishi", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II at the Kado no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1732: Ayame's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

3rd lunar month of 1733: the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki" was performed for the first time in Ôsaka, at the Kado no Shibai; Ayame played the role of Akoya [casting].

9th lunar month of 1735: Ayame played the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami", which was produced by Nakamura Jûzô I at the Ônishi no Shibai; his stage partners were Ichiyama Sukegorô I (Abe no Yasuna) and Nakamura Jûzô I (Dôman).

11th lunar month of 1736: Ayame became zamoto in Ôsaka and produced at the Ônishi no Shibai for the nadai Matsumoto Nazaemon the drama "Banshû Onna Narihira".

12th lunar month of 1739: Ayame produced at the Ônishi no Shibai the drama "Kewai Musha Ômi Genji"; he played the role of Okichi and the role of Matahei was played by Anegawa Shinshirô I. This play was similar to Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Hangonkô". The casting included 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 produced at the Ônishi no Shibai the drama "Kaga no Kuni Shinohara Gassen"; the leading role (Jingorô) was played by Anegawa Shinshirô I.

11th lunar month of 1740: Ayame played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Otsuma in the kaomise drama "Shinra Genji Shimada Gunpô", which was produced by Sanogawa Hanazuma II. He also played the role of Otsuma in the drama "Furiwake Gami Tsumagoi Soga".

11th lunar month of 1741: Ayame played the role of Ichimonji no Haru in the kaomise drama "Genji Rokujûjô", which was produced by Anegawa Shinshirô I at the Naka no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1743: Ayame played the role of Otome in the drama "Kurofune Isse Ichidai Otoko", which was produced by Anegawa Shinshirô I in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai [casting]. his rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was ô-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent).

9th lunar month of 1745: Ayame played the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami", which was produced by Nakamura Jûzô I at the Ônishi no Shibai. His stage partners were Bandô Toyosaburô I (Abe no Yasuna), Nakamura Jûzô I (Dôman), Nakayama Shinkurô I (Yokanpei), Arashi Shichigorô I (Yakanpei, Shôgen) and Ichikawa Danzô III (Sakon Tarô).

11th lunar month of 1745: Ayame went to Edo and played at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Onna Kusunoki Yosooi Kagami"; Ayame portrayed 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" was produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time; Ayame played the role of Tonami [casting].

6th lunar month of 1749: the play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" was produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time; Ayame played the role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke's wife Oishi [3] [casting].

11th lunar month of 1749: Ayame achieved a great success at the Nakamuraza by playing the role of Mutsuura, Bingo no Saburô's wife [4] in the kaomise drama "Onnô Taiheiki".

1st lunar month of 1750: Ayame's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was 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 played the role of Takemura Sadanoshin's spouse [casting].

11th lunar month of 1751: Ayame moved to the Moritaza and played the role of Yuya Gozen in the kaomise drama "Aizuchi Jûnidan", which celebrated 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 was staged in Edo at the Moritaza; Ayame played the roles of Sagami (Kumagai's wife) and Sugawaradayû [casting].

Fall 1752: Ayame went back to Kamigata.

11th lunar month of 1752: Ayame played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Kusunoki Kikusui in the kaomise drama "Tenka Taiheiki", which was produced in Kyôto by Arashi San'emon IV and celebrated the shûmei of Sawamura Otoemon II.

11th lunar month of 1753: Ayame settled in Ôsaka and played the role of the female karô Sakurado [picture] in the kaomise drama "Nakatomi Sandaijin", which was produced by Ichimura Sanohachi at the Naka no Shibai.

2nd lunar month of 1754: Ayame played in the same theater the role of Tonase in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; the role of Konami, Tonase's daughter, was played by Yoshizawa Man'yo II.

4th lunar month of 1754: Ayame appeared on stage for the last time, performing at the Naka no Shibai in the drama "Yamatogana Ariwara Keizu".

18th day of the 7th lunar month of 1754 [1]: Ayame died.

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.

[1] The 18th day of the 7th lunar month of the 4th year of the Hôreki era was the 4th of September 1754 in the western calendar.

[2] The 15th day of the 7th lunar month of the 14th year of the Kyôhô era was the 9th of August 1729 in the western calendar.

[3] The role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke was played by Sawamura Chôjûrô III.

[4] The role of Bingo no Saburô was played by Sawamura Chôjûrô III.

The actor Yoshizawa Ayame II as Hotoke Gozen in the play “Onna Monji Heike Monogatari,” performed at the Nakamura Theater in the eleventh month, 1748
Artist: Torii Kiyonobu II
Date: 1748
The Art Institute of Chicago (print in the public domain)

Prints & Illustrations

The Yoshizawa Sakinosuke line of actors

The Yoshizawa Ayame line of actors

 
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