Stage names:

Sanogawa Hanazuma I

Other name:

Sanogawa Sashichi

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Sojin (?)

Existence: ???

Connection:

Master: Fujikawa Shigeemon (same master as Sanogawa Mangiku)

Adopted son: Sanogawa Hanazuma II

Disciples: Sanogawa Hanazuma III, Sagawa Bunzô I

Career:

Before 1703: disciple of Fujikawa Shigeemon, he starts his training in Ôsaka, learning the art alongside Sanogawa Mangiku.

1st lunar month of 1703: Hanazuma performs in Ôsaka as a wakashugata.

1st lunar month of 1703: Hanazuma becomes wakaonnagata in Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1711: Hanazuma plays in Ôsaka the role of Oraku in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Hitachi Obi", which is produced by Arashi San'emon III for the nadai Ôsaka Kuzaemon.

11th lunar month of 1712: Hanazuma performs in Ôsaka in the kaomise drama "Inari Daimyô Shintaku no Kamado", which is produced by Mitsuyama Shichisaburô; his stage partners are Otowa Jirosaburô I, Sawamura Chôjûrô I, Yamashita Kamenojô I, Mihara Jûdayû I, Ikushima Jûshirô, Ôshima Kajûrô, Kaneko Jûrozaemon, Takashima Onoe and Sawamura Kodayû.

11th lunar month of 1720: Hanazuma plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of the midaidokoro Utamaki in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Nishiki no Kusazuri", which is produced by the zamoto Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

11th lunar month of 1723: Hanazuma plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Tezuka Yasaemon's wife Osada in the kaomise "Kogane no Hanagata", which is produced by the zamoto Arashi San'emon III and celebrates the arrival in Ôsaka of the Edo star Ôtani Hiroji I; the role of Tezuka Yasaemon is played by Sawamura Otoemon I.

1st lunar month of 1724: Hanazuma's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. He is the kanjiku for wakaonnagata actors. Premiere at the Kado no Shibai of "Edoe Ukiyo Soga", an Edo-flavored new year drama; Hanazuma plays the roles of Ninomiya Tarô's wife Wakakusa, Kinshôjo and Kewaizaka no Shôshô [casting].

11th lunar month of 1727: Hanazuma plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Wakisaka Sanzaemon's wife Makino in the kaomise drama "Imosegami Aioi no Futabayama", which is produced by Yamamoto Kyôshirô I; the role of Wakisaka Sanzaemon is played by Anegawa Shinshirô I.

1st lunar month of 1728: Hanazuma's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shares the same rank with Ichimura Tamagashiwa I.

11th lunar month of 1728: Hanazuma becomes zamoto and produces at the Ônishi no Shibai the kaomise drama "Kunkoku Ôe no Kishi", in which he plays the role of Shikishima.

11th lunar month of 1730: Hanazuma plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of the okugata Sakurada in the kaomise drama "Meotogura Wagô no Nakatomi", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô III; his stage partners are Nakayama Shinkurô I, Anegawa Shinshirô I, Kirinoya Gonjûrô I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô I, Yamashita Kinsaku I, Arashi Sanjûrô II, Hanagiri Toyomatsu I and Izumikawa Sennosuke.

11th lunar month of 1736: Hanazuma plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Mutsura Tajiemon's spouse Oteru in the kaomise drama "Furômon Kon no Shikigawara"; his stage partners are Nakayama Shinkurô I (the zamoto), Arashi San'emon III, Arashi Sanjûrô II, Yamashita Matatarô I, Nakamura Jûzô I and Fujikawa Heikurô.

1739: he retires from the Kabuki world, calling himself Sanogawa Sashichi.

Comments:

Sanogawa Hanazuma I was a popular and talented Ôsaka onnagata actor, who was active in Kamigata during four decades, from the beginning of the 1700s to the end of the 1730s. He achieved fame for himself in 1728 when he finally reached the prestigious jô-jô-kichi rank and kept it for more than 10 years.

Sanogawa Hanazuma I (right) and Arashi Sanjûrô II (left) performing in the new year drama "Shimabara Kochô Natane no Monbi", which was staged in the 1st lunar month of 1735 at the Naka no Shibai

Prints & Illustrations

The Sanogawa Hanazuma line of actors