KABUKI HISTORY IN KYÔTO

1603: Okuni and her troupe dance the first "Kabuki Odori" (eccentric dances) on the banks of the Kamo river in Kyôto, close to the famous Shijô avenue.

1664: the Shimabara dramas (dramas using Shimabara as the scene of the play) are forbidden by the Shogunal authorities. Shimabara is a famous pleasure quarter in Kyôto.

Spring 1694: the star Ichikawa Danjûrô I plays for the first time in Kyôto the role of the wicked priest Narukami. The drama's title is "Narukami Yûjoron" and it is staged at the Minamigawa no Shibai. The role of Princess Taema is played by Mizuki Tatsunosuke I.

1st lunar month of 1698: premiere in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater of the drama "Keisei Asama-ga-Dake", which was produced by Yamashita Hanzaemon I with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Ozasa Tomoenojô	Nakamura Shichisaburô I
The courtesan Miura	Yoshizawa Ayame I
Hanaoka Wadaemon	Yamashita Hanzaemon I
The courtesan Ôshû	Iwai Sagenta I
Nikaidô Hyôsuke	Ômori Tatsuemon
Yotarô	Yamada Jinpachi
Otowa-no-Mae	Yamamoto Kamon
Suwa Tonegorô	Kuwabara Sanzaemon

1st lunar month of 1699: premiere in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater of the drama "Keisei Hotoke no Hara", which was produced by Sakata Tôjûrô I with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Umenaga Bunzô	Sakata Tôjûrô I
The rônin Inui Sukedayû	Fujikawa Buzaemon I
The Umenaga karô Mochizuki Hachirôzaemon	Shibazaki Rinzaemon I
The keisei Ôshû	Iwai Sagenta I
The keisei Imagawa	Kirinami Senju I
Bunzô's servant Mitsugorô	Kaneko Kichizaemon
The keisei Kozatsuma	Sodeshima Genji
Fujiwaki Ikkaku	Murakami Takenojô
Umenaga Tatewaki	Mikasa Jôemon
Tachibana Kazue's daughter Princess Take	Uemura Kichisaburô I
Tamaya Shinbê	Wakabayashi Shiroemon

1st lunar month of 1702: premiere in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Mibu Dainenbutsu". The 2 leading roles are played by Sakata Tôjûrô I and Arashi Kiyosaburô I.

Fall 1716: First Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Kokusen'ya Gassen", which is produced by the zamoto Sakakiyama Shirotarô I in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Watônai	Sakakiyama Koshirô I
Kanki	Shibazaki Rinzaemon I
Kinshôjo	Yamamoto Kamon
Rôikkan	Murayama Heijûrô II
Watônai's mother	Yoshizawa Ayame I
Ritôten	Mihogi Gizaemon I
Kairokuô	Kikuta Zen'emon
Watônai's wife Komutsu	Kikukawa Kiyotarô I

2nd lunar month of 1718: First Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Nihon Furisode Hajime", which is produced by the zamoto Sakakiyama Shirotarô I in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Susanoo	Sakakiyama Koshirô I
Amatsu Koyane-no-Shin	Shibazaki Rinzaemon I
Princess Inada	Asada Miyako
Ama Hikomaru	Sakakiyama Shirotarô I
Somin Shôrai	Bandô Hikosaburô I
Tatsu Hikomaru, Hiruko-no-Mikoto	Katayama Kozaemon
Prince Mikumano	Sawamura Otoemon I
Kotan Shôrai	Bandô Matajûrô I
Iohata	Kirinami Takie
Shizuhata	Onoe Samon
Tenazuchi	Yamada Jinpachi
Ashinazuchi	Ichikawa Toyama III

7th lunar month of 1723: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Ôtô-no-Miya Asahi no Yoroi". The play is produced in Kyôto by Ogino Yaegiri I at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Saitô Tarôzaemon Toshiyuki	Kirinoya Gonjûrô I
Murakami Hikoshirô, Nagai's wife Hanazono	Ogino Yaegiri I
Doki Kurando Yoshikazu	Somenoi Hanshirô
Nagai Umanokami Nobuaki	Ichinoya Jûrobê
Hayasaki	Uemura Kichiya III
Tono no Hyôe	Katayama Kozaemon

9th lunar month of 1732: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki". The play is produced in Kyôto by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I at Miyako Mandayû's theater with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Akoya	Tomizawa Montarô I
Shigetada	Sawamura Chôjûrô I
Iwanaga Saemon, Hanaôgiya Toheiji	Shinozuka Kazaemon
Seki-ga-Hara Zennai	Arashi San'emon III
Konda no Jirô Chikatsune	Somenoi Hanshirô
Iba Jûzaemon, Kagekiyo	Nakamura Shingorô I
Okachi	Nakamura Tomijûrô I
Ofusa	Sanogawa Mangiku

5th lunar month of 1735: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami". The play is produced in Kyôto by Nakamura Tomijûrô I at Miyako Mandayû's theater with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Kuzu-no-Ha	Tomizawa Montarô I
Abe no Yasuna	Arashi San'emon III
Sakaki-no-Mae	Arashi Koroku I
Sakon Tarô, the yakko Yokanpei	Fujioka Daikichi
Kuzu-no-Ha's child	Sanogawa Ichimatsu I

Summer or Fall 1736: first (partial) Kabuki adaptation of the drama "Wada Gassen Onna Maizuru", which is produced at Miyako Mandayû's theater by Nakamura Tomijûrô I and is entitled "Hangaku Mon Yaburi" ('The Destruction of the Gate by Hangaku' in English); it stars Sanogawa Mangiku (Hangaku) and Sanogawa Ichimatsu I (Ichiwakamaru).

5th lunar month of 1739: first Kabuki adaptation of Matsuda Bunkôdô, Takeda Izumo I, Takeda Koizumo, Miyoshi Shôraku and Asada Kakei puppet theater drama "Hirakana Seisuiki". The play is produced in Kyôto by Mizuki Tatsunosuke II for the nadai Hoteiya Umenojô at the Minamigawa no Shibai [casting].

2nd lunar month of 1738: premiere in Kyôto of Matsuda Bunkôdô's drama "Yukihira Isonare Matsu", which was produced by Mizuki Tatsunosuke II at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater and which was staged with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Mure Hyôe, Kaji no Yukihira	Anegawa Shinshirô I
Tai Hatadayû	Yashio Ikuemon
Takamatsu Saemon	Shinozuka Kazaemon
Prince Amayo, Kaji Tarô's old mother	Matsumoto Tomojûrô I
Takamatsu's nyôbô, Suma no Kofuji	Segawa Kikunojô I
The ama Murasame	Segawa Kikujirô I
The ama Matsukaze	Mizuki Tatsunosuke II
Hagun Tarô, Agata no Hangan	Yamanaka Heijûrô I
Ariwara Yukihira	Arashi Sanshirô III

8th lunar month of 1741: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Shin Usuyuki Monogatari". The play is produced in Kyôto by Sakakiyama Jûtarô I at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Gorobê Masamune	Sakakiyama Koshirô I
Sonobe Hyôe	Tamiya Shirogorô
Saisaki Iga-no-Kami, Iwano-no-Kami, Dankurô	Sakakiyama Shirotarô I
Kuniyuki	Shinozuka Kazaemon
Sonobe Ume-no-Kata, Kojorô	Arashi Koroku I
The yakko Tsumahei	Tamiya Jûzaburô I
Sonobe Saemon, Rai Tarô Kunitoshi	Takenaka Heikichi
Princess Usuyuki	Kikugawa Kiyotarô
Hanazono	Asao Motogorô I
Oren	Sakakiyama Jûtarô I
Magaki	Arashi Tatsusaburô
Akizuki Daizen	Sakakiyama Danshirô I

1st lunar month of 1745: Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Hangonkô" is performed for the first time in Kyôto, at the Minamigawa no Shibai [casting].

8th lunar month of 1745: first Kabuki adaptation of Namiki Senryû I, Miyoshi Shôraku and Takeda Koizumo puppet theater drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami", which is produced by Nakamura Kiyosaburô I at Miyako Mandayû's theater with the following known casting:

Roles	Actors
Danshichi Kurobê	Fujioka Daikichi
Tsuribune Sabu	Sakakiyama Koshirô I
Mikawaya Giheiji	Sakakiyama Danshirô I
Okaji	Nakamura Kiyosaburô I

It is a long run and the performance is extended up to October. According to the chronicles, the play is simultaneously staged in another Kyôto theater in the 8th lunar month of 1745, at the Minamigawa no Shibai, produced by Nakamura Kumetarô I.

1st lunar month of 1751: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Tamamo-no-Mae Asahi no Tamoto", which is produced in Kyôto by Miyako Handayû at his theater with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Washizuka Kintôji Hidekuni, Sansuke	Fujikawa Heikurô
Kazusanosuke Tsunehiro, the farmer Jûsaku	Nakayama Shinjûrô
Abe no Yasunari, Michiharu	Fujioka Daikichi
Miuranosuke Yoshiaki, Abe Unemenosuke	Yamashita Matatarô I
Prince Usugumo's retainer Inubushi Genzô	Sakakiyama Danshirô I
Yata Dairoku	Nakayama Bunshichi I
Michiharu's wife Hagi-no-Kata, Oyachi	Asao Motogorô I
Agata Kenmotsu Genba	Ôtani Hirohachi I
Miuranosuke's wife Fuseya	Tatsuoka Hisagiku
Jûsaku's wife Osetsu, Princess Katsura	Sanogawa Hanazuma II
Kintôji's wife Koyanagi	Arashi Tatsusaburô
Kazusanosuke's wife Tokiwazu	Hanakawa Ichinojô

11th lunar month of 1754: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet drama "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô"; it is staged at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater in Kyôto as the kaomise drama "Fûkigusa Aioi Genji", which is produced by Somematsu Matsujirô with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Gon-no-Kami Kanefusa, the yakko Ippei	Sakurayama Shirosaburô II
Izumi no Saburô	Bandô Manzô
Nejigane Monpachi, Togashi no Samon	Imamura Shichisaburô II
Tsubashi Tôsaku (in reality Imai Tarô)	Yamashita Matatarô I
Izumi's wife Takanoya	Mihogi Shichitarô
Minamoto no Yoshitsune	Onoe Montarô
Nishikido Tarô Kunihira	Sagawa Imagorô
Minamoto no Yoritomo, Shinobu no Rokurô	Somematsu Shichisaburô I
Date no Jirô	Yamamoto Shichizô
Tôsaku's wife Oseki	Arashi Tominosuke I
Tôsaku's son Saizaburô	Somematsu Matsujirô
Tôsaku's daughter Otoku	Sanogawa Wakamatsu
Banba no Chûzô	Somekawa Konohê I
Ema no Koshirô Yoshitoki	Nakamura Shôzô
The girl Utaka	Yamatoyama Sensuke II

1st lunar month of 1780: Namiki Gohê's drama "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri", which was premiered in the 4th lunar month of 1778 at the Kado no Shibai [casting], is produced for the first time in Kyôto, by Somematsu Shichisaburô II, with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Ishikawa Goemon	Arashi Hinasuke I
Hayakawa Takakage, Mashiba Hisayoshi	Nakamura Jûzô II
Konomura Ôinosuke (in reality Sô Sokei)	Mimasu Daigorô I
The yakko Yatahei (in reality Junkikan)	Arashi Bungorô I
Segawa Uneme	Somematsu Shichisaburô II
The courtesan Hanatachibana, Okiku	Arashi San'emon VI
Sonoo-no-Kata, Goemon's wife Oritsu	Anegawa Minato II
Mashiba Hisatsugu, Sôemon's wife	Shibazaki Rinzaemon II
Masagi	Yamashita Yaozô I
Mashiba Kingo Hisaaki, Matsuda Yûsuke	Nakamura Kyôjûrô II
Yajûrô, Daibutsumochi Sôemon (in reality Kaida Shingo), Kishida Hyôgo	Ichinoya Gonjûrô
Tsutsui Junkei, Kojibê, Monnojô	Kiriyama Monji II
The courtesan Kokonoe	Ogurayama Toyosaki

8th lunar month of 1787: Namiki Gohê's drama "Taikô Shinkenki", which was premiered in the 3rd lunar month of 1787 at the Naka no Shibai [casting], is staged for the first time in Kyôto with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Rokusuke, Okô, Mashiba Hisayoshi, Yoshioka Ichimisai	Kanô Hinasuke I
Ichimisai's elder daughter Osono	Sawamura Kunitarô I
Kyôgoku no Takumi	Asao Kunigorô II
Sagohei	Nakayama Ihachi II

5th lunar month of 1794: premiere at the Nishi no Shibai (Kyôto) of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Godairiki Koi no Fûjime", which is staged with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Sasano Sangobê	Arashi Koroku III
Katsuma Gengobê	Onoe Shinshichi I
The courtesan Kikuno	Yamashita Yaozô I
Hachiemon	Nakayama Shinshichi
Yasuke	Kameya Nakazô

June 1903: premiere at the Meijiza (Kyôto) of Watanabe Katei's chûshinguramono "Goban Taiheiki", a revised version of one act of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's 1706 eponymous puppet drama. The leading role of Ôishi Kuranosuke was played by Nakamura Ganjirô I.

December 2016: Nakamura Jakuemon V celebrated his shûmei in Kyôto at the Pontochô Kaburenjô [more details].

January 2017: The Zenshinza troupe celebrates in Kyôto at the Pontochô Kaburenjô both the 85th anniversary of its foundation and the 40th anniversary of its early spring special performances in Kyôto [more details].

In front of Kyôto theaters in 1692

Prints & Illustrations