Stage names:

Ôtani Tomoemon V
Ôtani Shidô
Ôtani Hiroji V
Ôtani Shidô
Ôtani Tomoemon V
Ôtani Tomomatsu

Guild: Akashiya

Line number: GODAIME (V)

Poetry names: Shidô, Shidô

Existence: 1833 ~ 1 February 1873

Connections:

Father: Ôtani Tomoemon IV

Career:

11th lunar month of 1838: he made his first appearance on stage, in Edo at the Kawarasakiza, where he received the name of Ôtani Tomomatsu and performed in the drama "Tokimekuya Heike no Yozakari".

6th lunar month of 1854: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Shinoda Sasuke's drama "Kumo no Uwasa Onna Narukami"; Tomomatsu played the role of the ama Sekiun (the "red cloud nun") [casting].

1857: tour in the provinces of Suruga and Ise with his father Ôtani Tomoemon IV.

11th lunar month of 1857: Tomomatsu played for the first time the roles of Sodehagi and Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara", which was staged at the Moritaza.

Spring 1859: Tomomatsu performed in Nagoya in the precinct of the Seijuin temple. Then, he moved to the Kamigata.

8th lunar month of 1859: Tomomatsu played at the Chikugo no Shibai the roles of Sodehagi and Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara".

9th lunar month of 1860: Tomomatsu played at the Kitagawa no Shibai in Kyôto the roles of Sodehagi and Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara".

6th day of the 1st lunar month of 1861 ^[1]: his father Ôtani Tomoemon IV died in Ôsaka.

12th lunar month of 1864: Tomomatsu played at the Kita-Shinchi no Shibai in Ôsaka the roles of Sodehagi and Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara".

1865: Ôtani Tomomatsu took the name of Ôtani Tomoemon V.

8th lunar month of 1865: Tomoemon played at the Moritaza the roles of Sodehagi and Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara". His stage partners were Nakamura Shikan IV (Abe no Munetô) and Ichikawa Kuzô III (Hachiman Tarô).

8th lunar month of 1865: Tomoemon was back in Edo; he played at the Moritaza in the drama "Toki mo Yaya Minori no Komabiki".

4th lunar month of 1867: Tomoemon played at the Moritaza the role of Motoemon in the drama "Tengajaya-mura"; his stage partners were Sawamura Tosshô II (Hayase Iori), Iwai Shijaku II (Somenoi), Matsumoto Kinshô II (Hayase Genjirô), Nakamura Nakazô III (Mansuke) and Nakamura Shikan IV (Yasuke, Tôma Saburôemon). The role of Motoemon was the best role of his father.

8th lunar month of 1869: Ôtani Tomoemon V took the name of Ôtani Shidô at the Moritaza.

1st lunar month of 1870: Ôtani Shidô took the name of Ôtani Hiroji V.

3rd lunar month of 1870: premiere at the Nakamuraza of "Ume Goyomi Tatsumi no Sono", an adaptation to Kabuki by Kawatake Shinshichi II and Segawa Jokô III of Tamenaga Shunsui's 1833 novel "Shunshoku Ume Goyomi"; Hiroji played the role of the geisha Adahachi [casting].

11th lunar month of 1870: he took back the name of Ôtani Shidô.

2nd lunar month of 1871: Shidô performed in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Hanae no Ai".

4th lunar month of 1871: he took back the name of Ôtani Tomoemon V.

11th lunar month of 1871: Tomoemon played for the last time the roles of Sodehagi and Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara", which was staged at the Tenma no Shibai in Ôsaka; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danjirô (Abe no Munetô) and Arashi Kitsusaburô IV (Hachiman Tarô).

1st lunar month of 1872: Tomoemon played at the Chikugo no Shibai (Ôsaka) the role of the courtesan Akoya in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki"; his stage partners were Arashi Hinasuke VI (Shigetada), Arashi Rikan IV (Iwanaga) and Jitsukawa Enjaku I (Hanzawa Rokurô).

8th lunar month of 1872: Tomoemon played at the Chikugo no Shibai the role of Motoemon in the drama "Tengajaya-mura"; his stage partners were Jitsukawa Enjaku I (Hayase Iori, Kôemon), Arashi San'emon X (Somenoi), Nakamura Fukusuke III (Hayase Genjirô) and Ichikawa Aragorô III (Tôma Saburôemon).

1 February 1873: Tomoemon died.

Comments:

Ôtani Hiroji V was an overweight actor, who was able to play tachiyaku, katakiyaku, oyajigata or onnagata, in both jidaimono and sewamono. His last stage name was Ôtani Tomoemon V but it was considered in many books that his most distinguished acting name was Ôtani Hiroji V, even if he held it only 10 months!

[1] The 6th day of the 1st lunar month of the 2nd year of the Man'en era was the 15th of February 1861 in the western calendar.

Ôtani Hiroji V playing the role of Hoshikage Doemon in the drama "Kodai Moyô Ôgi no Shigenui", which was staged in the 3rd lunar month of 1870 at the Nakamuraza (print made by Morikawa Chikashige)

Prints & Illustrations

The Ôtani Tomoemon line of actors

The Ôtani Hiroji line of actors