Stage names:

Ôtani Tomoemon V
Ôtani Hiroji V
Ôtani Shidô
Ôtani Tomomatsu

Guild: Akashiya

Line number: GODAIME (V)

Poetry names: Shidô, Shiyû, Jicchô

Existence: 1833 ~ 1 February 1873

Connections:

Father: Ôtani Tomoemon IV

Career:

11th lunar month of 1838: he makes his first appearance on stage, receiving the name of Ôtani Tomomatsu and playing at the Kawarasakiza 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 plays 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 plays for the first time the roles of Sodehagi and Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara", which is staged at the Moritaza.

Spring 1859: Tomomatsu plays in Nagoya in the precinct of the Seijuin temple. Then he moves to the Kamigata.

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

12th lunar month of 1864: Tomomatsu plays 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 takes the name of Ôtani Tomoemon V.

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

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

4th lunar month of 1867: Tomoemon plays at the Moritaza the role of Motoemon in the drama "Tengajaya-mura". His stage partners are 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 takes the name of Ôtani Shidô at the Moritaza.

1st lunar month of 1870: Ôtani Shidô takes 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 plays the role of the geisha Adahachi [casting].

2nd lunar month of 1871: Hiroji plays at the Naka no Shibai (Ôsaka) in the drama "Keisei Hanae no Ai".

4th lunar month of 1871: Ôtani Hiroji V takes back the name of Ôtani Tomoemon V and holds it up to his death in February 1873.

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

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

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

Comments:

Ôtani Hiroji V was an overweight actor, able to play tachiyaku, katakiyaku, oyajigata or onnagata, in both jidaimono and sewamono.

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

Print made by Utagawa Yoshitoyo in 1864

Print made by Utagawa Yoshiiku (1870~1871)

Print made by Nakai Yoshitaki in 1872

The Ôtani Tomoemon line of actors

The Ôtani Hiroji line of actors