Stage names:
| Yamashita Kamenojô IV |  |
| Yamashita Kyônosuke | |
Line number: YODAIME (IV)
Poetry name: Tôko
Existence: ???
Connection:
Master: Yamashita Shirogorô
Career:
1758 ~ 1761: disciple of Yamashita Shirogorô, his first stage name is Yamashita Kyônosuke; he performs in Kyoto as an iroko.
11th lunar month of 1761: Kyônosuke becomes wakashugata, performing at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Hitomaru Banzei no Utena", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I.
11th lunar month of 1765: he becomes both wakaonnagata and zamoto; he coproduces with Ichiyama Sukegorô II at the Minamigawa no Shibai the kaomise drama "Kachidoki Asahi no Ôgi", in which he plays the role of Kyô-no-Kimi and which welcomes in Kyôto the Edo actor Ichikawa Danzô III.
11th lunar month of 1766: Kyônosuke coproduces with Ichiyama Sukegorô II at the Minamigawa no Shibai the kaomise drama "Yuki no Asa Daimonjitsu Miyako no Fuku".
Fall 1767: Kyônosuke goes to Edo.
11th lunar month of 1767: Kyônosuke performs at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Sanada no Yoichi Banjaku no Iezuto".
11th lunar month of 1768: Kyônosuke performs at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Otokoyama Yunzei Kurabe", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Tomozô I and Tomizawa Hanzaburô II.
11th lunar month of 1770: Kyônosuke performs at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Nue no Mori Ichiyô no Mato", which celebrates the shûmei of Matsumoto Kôshirô II, Ichikawa Danjûrô V, Nakamura Shôchô, Ichikawa Monnosuke II, Nakamura Shichisaburô III and Bandô Sampachi II.
1771 ~ 1776: Kyônosuke performs in tabi shibai.
Fall 1776: Kyônosuke goes back to Kyôto.
11th lunar month of 1776: Kyônosuke performs in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Oso Uji Yodo no Irifune", which is produced by Matsuyama Kogenji and celebrates the shûmei of Mihogi Gizaemon II.
Fall 1777: Kyônosuke goes to Ôsaka.
11th lunar month of 1777: Yamashita Kyônosuke takes the name of Yamashita Kamenojô IV at the Naka no Shibai, performing in the kaomise drama "Daijizai Kaminari no Kodakara", which is produced by the zamoto Ichiyama Tajirô.
1st lunar month of 1778: Kamenojô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô (superior - superior).
9th lunar month of 1778: Kamenojô plays in the same theater the roles of Tatsuta-no-Mae and Haru in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; his stage partners are Nakamura Utaemon I (Matsuômaru), Arashi Kichisaburô I (Shiratayû, Genzô, Terukuni), Sawamura Kunitarô I (Tonami, Kakuju, Yae), Arashi Shichisaburô II (Umeômaru), Bandô Iwagorô (Shihei, Shundô Genba), Mimasu Tokujirô I (Kan Shôjô, Chiyo), Arashi Sangorô II (Sakuramaru) and Nakamura Jiroza II (Hyôei, Mareyo).
11th lunar month of 1778: Kamenojô becomes zamoto and produces at the Naka no Shibai the kaomise drama "Toki-ni Tôdai Sennin Kagami", in which he plays the role of Komaki.
1st lunar month of 1779: Kamenojô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent). He is the kanjiku for wakaonnagata actors.
11th lunar month of 1779: Kamenojô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of the keisei Ômachi in the kaomise drama "Senshû Banzei Chibako no Tamamono", which is produced by Yoshizawa Iroha I and celebrates also the shûmei of Nakamura Noshio II and Yamamura Giemon II.
2nd lunar month of 1781: Kamenojô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Otoku in the drama "Keisei Hangonkô"; the role of Otoku's husband Matahei is played by Nakayama Bunshichi I.
11th lunar month of 1780: Kamenojô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of the keisei Kozue in the kaomise drama "Ujigami Sairai Sukedono no Kachidoki".
12th lunar month of 1781: premiere in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai of Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Tengajaya-Mura"; Kamenojô plays the roles of mekake Kosai and Kôemon's wife [casting]. A similar play is staged a few days later under a different title, "Renga Chaya Homare no Bundai", at the Naka no Shibai [casting]. The competition for the best performance and the best line-up is open between the 2 theaters.
May ~ 6th lunar month of 1784: Kamenojô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Okaji in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami".
August ~ 9th lunar month of 1784: Kamenojô plays in the same theater the role of Suke-no-Tsubone in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
1784 ~ 1788: Kyônosuke performs in tabi shibai.
1787: tour in Ise and Nagoya.
5th lunar month of 1788: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi", which is staged in Ise at the Furuichi no Shibai; Kamenojô plays the role of Ichimisai's elder daughter Osono [casting].
Summer 1788: Kamenojô plays in Sakai the roles of Yuranosuke's wife Oishi and Honzô's wife Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; his stage partner in the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke and Kakogawa Honzô is Ichikawa Danzô IV.
9th lunar month of 1788: Kamenojô's last-recorded performance, in Ôsaka at the Kita no Shinchi Shibai, where he plays the roles of Yuranosuke's wife Oishi and Honzô's wife Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; his stage partners in the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke and Kakogawa Honzô are Mihogi Gizaemon II and Yamamura Giemon II. We don't know what happens to Kamenojô afterwards for he disappears from the records.
Comments:
Yamashita Kamenojô IV was a Kamigata onnagata actor, who was active from 1758 to 1788. He excelled in both jidaimono and sewamono, was also good-looking and had a good kôseki (good voice and good at delivering lines). He was said to be both an excellent dancer and outstanding at playing sewa nyôbô roles.
Yamashita Kamenojô IV as depicted in the book "Santo Yakusha Omokage Zukushi" published in Ôsaka in 1784 by Yamatoya Kaemon
The Yamashita Kamenojô line of actors