YAMASHITA KINSAKU I

Stage names:

Yamashita Kinsaku I In Japanese
Yamashita Matashirô II In Japanese
Yamashita Kinsaku I In Japanese

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry names: Rikô, Kikô

Existence: ??? ~ 2nd day of the 7th lunar month of 1750 [1]

Connections:

Master: Yamashita Matashirô I

Father-in-law: Iwai Hanshirô I

Adopted sons: Yamashita Kinsaku II, Yamashita Matatarô I

Son-in-law: Nakamura Tomijûrô I

Disciples: Yamashita Ugenta II, Yamashita Rokusaburô, Yamashita Masutarô

Career:

11th lunar month of 1709: he made his first stage appearance, as a wakaonnagata disciple of the actor Yamashita Matashirô I, playing the role of Shirayuki in the kaomise drama "Chigo Daimyô Kyô Miyage", which was produced in Ôsaka by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

Fall 1712: Kinsaku temporarily became wakashugata, achieving a great success by playing the role of Hisamatsu in the drama "Aburaya Osome", which was produced in Ôsaka by the zamoto Arashi San'emon III.

11th lunar month of 1712: Kinsaku became again wakaonnagata, playing the role of Imose in the kaomise drama "Onna Imagawa Seishi no Jôjô", which was produced in Ôsaka by Shinozuka Shômatsu I.

11th lunar month of 1713: Kinsaku played in Ôsaka at Shioya Kuroemon's theater the role of Oraku in the kaomise drama "Yoyo Meoto Tsuru no Mago".

11th lunar month of 1714: Kinsaku played in Ôsaka the role of Kozarashi in the kaomise drama "Daikoku Shinmai Dawara", which was produced by Anegawa Shinshirô I.

11th lunar month of 1717: Kinsaku played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Okura in the kaomise drama "Inari Yashiki Daikoku Bashira", which was produced by Sawamura Chôjûrô I.

12th lunar month of 1717: Kinsaku played in the same theater the role of the nakai Roku in the kiri kyôgen "Ôsaka Shinjû Hajimari" [2].

3rd lunar month of 1719: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's 1708 puppet theater drama "Keisei Hangonkô" by Kyôya Yagoshirô, which was produced by Arashi San'emon III in Ôsaka at the Higashi no Shibai; Kinsaku played the role of Katsuragi [casting].

11th lunar month of 1720: Kinsaku played in Ôsaka at the Higashi no Shibai the roles of Daizen's mekake Oteru [illustration] and Sagobê's musume Osome in Kyôya Yagoshirô's kaomise drama "Kogane no Ikioi" and in the kiri kyôgen "Nanshoku Kamo Samurai Jûshichikinenki", which were produced by Arashi San'emon III.

11th lunar month of 1722: Kinsaku played at the Naka no Shibai the role of the keisei Ôshû in the kaomise drama "Odori Hotei", which was produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

Fall 1723: Kinsaku went to Edo in the company of Sanogawa Senzô.

11th lunar month of 1723: Kinsaku played at the Nakamuraza the role of Sano's nyôbô Naniwazu [print] in the kaomise drama "Sono Enpô Onna Migyôsho".

1st lunar month of 1724: Kinsaku's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1724: Kinsaku performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Taiheiki Okuni Kabuki"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danjûrô II, Sawamura Sôjûrô I, Matsumoto Kôshirô I and Ichikawa Monnosuke I.

11th lunar month of 1725: Kinsaku performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Oguri Chôseiden" [3].

11th lunar month of 1726: Kinsaku performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise program "Kaomise Jûnidan".

11th lunar month of 1727: Kinsaku performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Yatsumune Taiheiki" [more details]. This program celebrated the return of Ôtani Hiroji I (along with the Kamigata actor Kirinami Onoe) in Edo after 5 years spent in Kyôto. This was also the first stage appearance for Ichikawa Masugorô, the adopted son of Ichikawa Danjûrô II.

11th lunar month of 1728: Kinsaku moved to the Ichimuraza, playing the role of Kikusui in the kaomise drama "Kikusui Yoshino no Dairi"; his stage partners were Bandô Hikosaburô I, Matsumoto Kôshirô I, Ichikawa Danzô I, Ogino Isaburô I, Nakajima Mihoemon I, Hayakawa Hatsue, Narumi Goroshirô I and Sodesaki Miwano I.

8th lunar month of 1729: Kinsaku celebrated his coming departure from Edo, achieving a great success at the Ichimuraza by playing the leading role of Kuzu-no-Ha (a female fox disguised as a woman who has to depart from his human child).

Fall 1729: Kinsaku went back to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1729: Kinsaku played the role of the Kyôgen dancer Wakamatsu in the kaomise drama "Banzai Kogane Tsukuri", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II at the Kado no Shibai; his stage partners were Nakayama Shinkurô I, Yoshizawa Ayame II, Kirinoya Gonjûrô I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô I, Nakamura Sôjûrô and Fujii Hanamatsu.

1st lunar month of 1730: Kinsaku's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1730: Kinsaku moved to the Naka no Shibai, playing the roles of Otami and Otsuya in the kaomise drama "Meotogura Wagô no Nakatomi", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô III; his stage partners were Nakayama Shinkurô I, Anegawa Shinshirô I, Kirinoya Gonjûrô I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô I, Sanogawa Hanazuma I, Arashi Sanjûrô II, Hanagiri Toyomatsu I and Izumikawa Sennosuke.

12th lunar month of 1731: Kinsaku played the role of Toyora in the kaomise drama "Ôyamato Wagô no Tsuchi", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô III at the Naka no Shibai and celebrated the arrival in the new line-up of Fujikawa Heikurô, Fujikawa Hanzaburô II and Arashi Sangorô I.

11th lunar month of 1732: Kinsaku played the role of Gengo's wife Oishi in the kaomise drama "Shikishima Wakô no Tsuzumi", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô III at the Naka no Shibai; the role of Gengo was played by Sawamura Chôjûrô I.

11th lunar month of 1733: Kinsaku played the role of Shigaragi Jônosuke's wife Oasa in the kaomise drama "Genji Rokujûjô", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô III at the Naka no Shibai and celebrated the arrival in the new line-up of Sawamura Otoemon I (who played the role of Shigaragi Jônosuke).

11th lunar month of 1734: Kinsaku played the role of Miyaji in the kaomise drama "Honchô Bugaku no Hajimari", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô III at the Naka no Shibai.

11th lunar month of 1735: Kinsaku played the role of the widow Toyora in the kaomise drama "Toyo no Asahi Eitaigura", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô III at the Naka no Shibai and celebrated the arrival in Ôsaka of the Edo actor Bandô Hikosaburô I and the shûmei of Arashi Kiyosaburô III.

9th day of the 8th lunar month of 1736 [4]: his master Yamashita Matashirô I died.

Fall 1736: Kinsaku went to Kyôto, after seven seasons spent in Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1736: Kinsaku played the role of Naniwa no Oteru in the kaomise drama "Tomi no Ichi Kogane no Aratama", which was produced by Nakamura Tomijûrô I; his stage partners were Ichiyama Sukegorô I, Nakamura Shingorô I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô II, Yamanaka Heijûrô I, Sanogawa Mangiku, Arashi Shichigorô I, Tatsuoka Hisagiku and Tatsuoka Someemon.

1st lunar month of 1737: Kinsaku's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

Fall 1737: Kinsaku went back to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1737: he became tachiyaku and took the name of Yamashita Matashirô II at the Kado no Shibai, playing the role of Kanaoka Uranojô in the kaomise drama "Iwatogura Kogane Masugata". The audience did not welcome his performance very well.

1st lunar month of 1738: Matashirô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1739: he took back the name of Yamashita Kinsaku I and switched back to female roles.

11th lunar month of 1740: Kinsaku played the role of Princess Matsugae in the kaomise drama "Hanaikusa Nishiki no Manmaku", which was produced by Nakamura Jûzô I at the Kado no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1741: Kinsaku's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was kô-jô-jô-kichi (meritorious - superior - superior - excellent) [Visual]. He was also the kanjiku for onnagata actors.

11th lunar month of 1741: Kinsaku moved to the Ônishi no Shibai, performing in the kaomise drama "Bankoku Taiheiki", which was produced by Sadoshima Chôgorô I and celebrated the arrival in Ôsaka of the Edo actors Ichikawa Ebizô II and Ichikawa Danjûrô III.

1st lunar month of 1742: premiere at the Ônishi no Shibai of the play "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura"; Kinsaku played the role of Takino [casting].

11th lunar month of 1742: Kinsaku moved to the Kado no Shibai and played the role of Matsugane Sagoemon's wife Okane in the kaomise drama "Sangoku Denrai no Ishi", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô III; his stage partners were Mimasu Daigorô I, Segawa Kikujirô I, Mihogi Gizaemon I (who played the role of Matsugane Sagoemon), Somenoi Hanshirô and Ichiyama Sukegorô I.

11th lunar month of 1744: Kinsaku played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Okatsu in the kaomise drama "Yamazaki Yojibê Imayô Sugata", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II.

12th lunar month of 1744: Kinsaku played in the same theater the role of Shirotae in the drama "Shin Usuyuki Monogatari".

11th lunar month of 1745: Kinsaku played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Okaji in the kaomise drama "Murakami Genji Kogane no Niiyakata", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II.

2nd lunar month of 1746: Kinsaku achieved a great success in the same theater, playing the roles of the maiden Onami and the warrior Tamon Gorô Hidekage (in the unusual aragoto style) in the drama "Tsu-no-Kuni Ikutagafuchi"

1746 ~ 1747: Kinsaku fell ill and did not appear on stage anymore.

1748: Kinsaku went into retirement.

1749: he gave his stage name to his adopted son Nakamura Handayû, a disciple of his son-in-law Nakamura Tomijûrô I, who became Yamashita Kinsaku II.

2nd day of the 7th lunar month of 1750 [1]: Kinsaku died.

Comments:

Yamashita Kinsaku I was a talented onnagata actor who made a successful career mainly in the Kamigata theaters during the first half of the eighteenth century, excelling in budôgoto, nuregoto or old women roles. He was particularly appreciated by the audience in the roles of spouses in sewamono drama. His tsûshô was Bungorô.

[1] The 2nd day of the 7th lunar month of the 3rd year of the Kan'en era was the 3rd of August 1750 in the western calendar.

[2] This drama was a shinjûmono based on the story of Chôemon and his lover Ichinojô. The 17th day of the 5th lunar month of the 3rd year of the Tenna era (the 11th of June 1683 in the western calendar), the courtesan Yamatoya Ichinojô and her lover Goze no Chôemon committed suicide together in Ôsaka. This event caused quite a stir and three Ôsaka theaters decided to capitalize on the situation by simultaneously producing the same month the first shinjûmono of Kabuki history.

[3] Literally "Oguri in the Palace of Long Life".

[4] The 9th day of the 8th lunar month of the 1st year of the Genbun era was the 13th of September 1736 in the western calendar.

The Actor Yamashita Kinsaku I as a peddler of tooth-blackening dye
Artist: Torii Kiyomasu II
Date: 1722–1732
The Art Institute of Chicago (print in the public domain)

Prints & Illustrations

Print made by Torii Kiyomasu in 1723

The Yamashita Kinsaku line of actors

The Yamashita Matashirô line of actors

 
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