Stage names:

Iwai Hanshirô I
Iwai Handayû

Guild: Zôshigaya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: 1652 ~ 3rd day of the 4th lunar month of 1699 ^[1]

Connections:

Sons: Iwai Hanshirô II, Iwai Hanzaburô, Iwai Hanshirô III

Son-in-laws: Yamashita Kinsaku I, Arashi Shinpei I

Disciples: Iwai Sagenta I, Iwai Gentarô, Iwai Genjirô

Career:

1652 ~ 1685: Born in Arima. His father was a folding fan seller. His first name was Chôshirô. He started his actor career at an unknown date, performing in Kamigata theaters under the name of Iwai Handayû.

1685: Iwai Handayû took the name of Iwai Hanshirô I. He also performed in Ôsaka in the drama "Toribeyama Shinjû".

11th lunar month of 1686: Hanshirô performed in Ôsaka, at Ôsaka Tazaemon's theater, in the productions of the zamoto Araki Yojibê I. His yearly salary was 150 ryô; his stage partners were Araki Yojibê I, Yamashita Hanzaemon I, Yamamura Kanzaburô, Sakurayama Rinnosuke I, Sodeoka Masanosuke II, Sakata Tôkurô, Takenaka Hanzaburô, Matsushima Han'ya II, Kozakura Kodayû, Takigawa Kiyosaburô, Yoshikawa Genzaburô, Mihara Jûdayû I, Wakabayashi Shiroemon and Sadoshima Denpachi.

1st lunar month of 1687: Hanshirô's rank in the first hyôbanki published in Kabuki history was naka (middle).

1688: Hanshirô played the role of Asakura Daigaku in the drama "Ôkumagawa Genzaemon", which was staged in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater; his stage partners were Kataoka Nizaemon I, Sakata Tôjûrô I and Kaneko Kichizaemon.

Fall 1688: he performed in the same theater in the drama "Keisei Tamatebako".

1689: Hanshirô moved to Ôsaka for a higher salary (300 ryô) and performed in the drama "Ise Gosengû", which was produced by Yamatoya Jinbê II.

11th lunar month of 1689: Hanshirô became zamoto and produced in Ôsaka the drama "Fujiwara no Haruhime", starring Murayama Heijûrô I, Nakagawa Kinnojô and Uemura Kichiya II.

1st lunar month of 1690: Hanshirô produced in Ôsaka the dramas "Sakaba no Ôji" and "Ume no Yoshibê", starring Murayama Heijûrô I in the former and the successful duo Nakamura Kazuma II/Mihara Jûdayû I in the latter.

1691: Hanshirô produced in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai the drama "Sakai no Daiji Kaichô", starring Sakata Tôjûrô I.

1692: Hanshirô produced in Ôsaka the drama "Sada no Raikôji", starring Sugiyama Kanzaemon I and Otowa Jirosaburô I; this production was a failure in term of audience.

3rd lunar month of 1693: Hanshirô produced in Ôsaka Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Butsumo Mayasan Kaichô", starring Sugiyama Kanzaemon I, Iwai Sagenta I and Murayama Heijûrô I; this production was a success and a long run (150 days). The same play was simultaneously staged in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater.

7th lunar month of 1694: Hanshirô produced in Ôsaka Tsuuchi Jihê I's drama "Nihon Ajase Taishi", starring the Edo actor Bandô Matatarô I.

11th ~ 12th lunar months of 1694: Hanshirô successfully produced in Ôsaka the drama "Zenkôji Kaichô".

11th lunar month of 1695: Hanshirô produced in Ôsaka a kaomise program, which welcomed the Edo actor Ichikawa Danshirô I.

12th lunar month of 1695: Akaneya Hanshichi (son of a sake merchant) and his lover Sankatsu commit suicide together in Ôsaka. This event caused quite a stir and was immediately adapted for Kabuki by Hanshirô, under the title "Akane no Iroba"; the roles of Sankatsu and Hanshichi were played by Hanai Azuma and Sugiyama Kanzaemon I. Hanshirô played the role of Minoya Heiemon. This production was a long run (150 days).

11th lunar month of 1696: Hanshirô welcomed in his Ôsaka productions the star Kataoka Nizaemon I.

1st lunar month of 1698: Hanshirô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô (superior) [visual].

6th lunar month of 1698: Hanshirô produced in Ôsaka the drama "Semimaru Nido no Shusse", in which he played the role of Kiyotsura; his stage partners were Asao Jûjirô I (Kita no Kata), Fujikawa Buzaemon I (Mareyo), Yamashita Matashirô I (Senju Tarô), Shinozuka Jirozaemon (Sakagami no Ôji), Uemura Takenojô (Semimaru), Mihara Jûdayû I, Ogura Bun'emon and Uemura Kichisaburô.

1st lunar month of 1699: Hanshirô produced in Ôsaka Tsuuchi Jihê I's drama "Taisanji Yakushi no Kaichô".

3rd lunar month of 1699: Hanshirô produced in Ôsaka Tsuuchi Jihê I's drama "Keisei Hachijô Shima". Hanshirô fell sick before the end of the production and had to be replaced by his son Iwai Kamematsu I.

3rd day of the 4th lunar month of 1699 ^[1]: Hanshirô dies ^[2].

Comments:

Iwai Hanshirô I was an important zamoto and a good tachiyaku actor, who founded one of the most important lines of Kabuki actors, which started in Ôsaka and flourished in Edo from Iwai Hanshirô IV. His mon, which represents 3 folding fans, was an allusion to his father's business.

[1] The 3rd day of the 4th lunar month of the 12th year of the Genroku era was the 2nd of May 1699 in the western calendar.

[2] Iwai Hanshirô I's tombstone was located in Ôsaka in the precinct of the Genshôji Temple in the district of Shimoteramachi.

Iwai Hanshirô I (center of the picture) in 1686

The Iwai Hanshirô line of actors