Stage names:
| Yamamura Giemon II |  |
| Yamamoto Giemon | |
| Yamamura Giemon II | |
| Yamamoto Gizaemon | |
| Yamamura Mitsuzô | |
| Yamamura Kikichi | |
| Kameya Kikichi | |
Guild: Kyôya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry names: Sonkô, Gotô
Existence: 1736 ~ 5th day of the 1st lunar month of 1803
Connection:
Disciples: Yamamura Tomoemon I, Yamamura Mitsuzô, Yamamura Tominosuke
Career:
1736 ~ 1769: born in Kamigata. He starts his career in hama shibai, performing under the names of Kameya Kikichi and Yamamura Kikichi.
11th lunar month of 1769: he becomes katakiyaku and takes the name of Yamamura Mitsuzô, performing at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Tora no Itten Sanryaku no Maki", which is produced by Nakayama Yosaburô II; this is his first stage performance in ôshibai.
11th lunar month of 1776: he becomes jitsuaku and takes the name of Yamamoto Gizaemon, performing Kitagawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Oso Uji Yodo no Irifune", which is produced by Matsuyama Kogenji.
1st lunar month of 1777: premiere at the Kitagawa no Shibai of the drama "Keisei Tonoi Zakura", whose plot is very close to Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa"; Gizaemon plays the roles of Sawai Matagorô, Matagorô's mother Narumi and the doctor Sanai [casting].
Fall 1779: Gizaemon goes back to Ôsaka.
11th lunar month of 1779: Yamamoto Gizaemon takes the name of Yamamura Giemon II, playing at the Kado no Shibai the role of Naniwa Mitsuzô in the kaomise drama "Senshû Banzei Chibako no Tamamono", which is produced by Yoshizawa Iroha I and celebrates also the shûmei of Nakamura Noshio II; his others stage partners are Nakayama Bunshichi I, Ogawa Kichitarô I, Mihogi Gizaemon II, Fujikawa Hachizô II, Arashi Sanjûrô IV, Nakamura Jiroza II, Mimasu Matsugorô, Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Yamashita Kamenojô IV and Fujikawa Sango.
Fall 1781: Giemon goes to Kyôto.
11th lunar month of 1781: Yamamura Giemon II takes the name of Yamamoto Giemon at the Kitagawa no Shibai, playing the role of Yoshikawa Saemon in the kaomise drama "Shin Yakata Fukki no Ishizue", which celebrates also the shûmei of Hanagiri Tomimatsu I (who plays the role of Yoshikawa Saemon's nyôbô) and welcomes back in Kyôto the star Nakamura Tomijûrô I.
1st lunar month of 1784: tour in Nagoya, where he performs under the name of the name of Yamamura Giemon II.
11th lunar month of 1784: Giemon plays in Kyôto at the Nishi no Shibai the role of Miura Saemon in Tatsuoka Mansaku's kaomise drama "Kuni no Hana Ôshimadai", which is produced by Nakayama Ihachi II.
3rd lunar month of 1788: premiere at the Kado no Shibai of Namiki Gohei I's play "Sewa Ryôri Yaoya Kondate"; Giemon plays the role of Okuma [more details].
1st lunar month of 1790: Giemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
2nd lunar month of 1796: Suga Sensuke's puppet theater drama "Keisei Koi no Hikyaku" is adapted to Kabuki for the first time and staged at the Kado no Shibai; Giemon plays the role of Magoemon [casting].
1st lunar month of 1798: Giemon's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is kô-jô-jô-kichi (meritorious - superior - superior - excellent).
9th lunar month of 1799: Giemon plays at the Ônishi no Shibai the roles of Enju and Gonshirô in the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki"; this is most likely his last stage appearance. He falls ill and has to retire.
5th day of the 1st lunar month of 1803: Giemon dies in Ôsaka.
Comments:
Yamamura Giemon II was an important Kamigata actor, who achieved fame for himself on Ôsaka and Kyôto stages from the 1770s to the end of the 1790s. He was an outstanding jitsuaku, excelling in his latter years in the roles of crafty old villains in sewamono dramas.
Yamamura Giemon II playing the role of Sakae Hida-no-Kami in the new year drama "Keisei Yanagi Zakura", which was staged in the 1st lunar month of 1793 at the Naka no Shibai (print made by Ryûkôsai Jokei)
The Yamamura Giemon line of actors