Stage names:
Yamashita Kyôemon I
Yamashita Hanzaemon
Yobuka Hanzaemon
Other name: Jûkichi
Poetry name: Mottô (?)
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Existence: 1652 ~ 18th day of the 1st lunar month of 1717
Connections:
Adopted son: Yamashita Kamenojô I
Brother-in-law: Yoshizawa Ayame I (married with Yamashita Kyôemon I's wife's younger sister)
Son-in-law: Sawamura Chôjûrô I
Disciples: Kataoka Nizaemon I, Yamashita Matashirô I, Yamashita Bunzaemon, Yamashita Karumo, Yamashita Tokujirô, Yamashita Sôjûrô
Nephew: Yamashita Matatarô I (Kyôemon II)
Career:
1652 ~ 1676: born in Kyôto. His father is a lacquer ware craftman. He starts his career at an unknown date, performing under the name of Yobuka Hanzaemon.
1676: Yobuka Hanzaemon takes the name of Yamashita Hanzaemon and performs as a wakashugata in Kyôto at the Nawate no Shibai.
17th day of the 5th lunar month of 1683: the courtesan Yamatoya Ichinojô and her lover Goze no Chôemon commit suicide together in Ôsaka. This event causes quite a stir and three Ôsaka theaters decide to capitalize on the situation by simultaneously producing the first shinjûmono of Kabuki history [more details]. Yamatoya Jimbei II produces this shinjûmono, starring the actors Murakami Ichinojô and Hanzaemon in the roles of the courtesan and her lover.
11th lunar month of 1686: Hanzaemon performs as a tachiyaku in Ôsaka at Araki Yojibei I's theater. His yearly salary is 200 ryô. His stage partners are Araki Yojibei I, Iwai Hanshirô I, Yamamura Kanzaburô, Sakurayama Rinnosuke I, Sodeoka Masanosuke II, Sakata Tôkurô, Takenaka Hanzaburô, Matsushima Han'ya, Kozakura Kodayû, Takigawa Kiyosaburô, Yoshikawa Genzaburô, Mihara Jûdayû I, Wakabayashi Shiroemon and Sadoshima Dempachi.
1st lunar month of 1687: Hanzaemon's rank in "Yarô Tachiyaku Butai Ôkagami", the first hyôbanki in Kabuki history, is jô (superior). He shares this ranking with Araki Yojibei I, Uemura Kichiya II, Takeshima Kôzaemon I, Suzuki Heizaemon I, Nakamura Kazuma I, Takenaka Kichisaburô, Fujita Koheiji I and Karamatsu Kasen.
3rd lunar month of 1693: Hanzaemon becomes zamoto and produces in Kyôto at nadai Miyako Mandayû's theater Chikamatsu Monzaemon I's drama "Butsumo Mayasan Kaichô", which was written for the star Sakata Tôjûrô I; Hanzaemon plays the role of Itohori Magosaku.
1695: Hanzaemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
11th lunar month of 1697: Hanzaemon produces in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the drama "Miyako no Ehô Yomeiri Bunshô", which celebrates the arrival in the Imperial City of the Edo actor Nakamura Shichisaburô I.
1st lunar month of 1698: premiere at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater of the drama "Keisei Asama-ga-Dake", which is produced by Hanzaemon; he plays the role of Hanaoka Wadaemon [casting].
11th lunar month of 1704: Yamashita Hanzaemon takes the name of Yamashita Kyôemon I and plays in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater the role of Izuminosuke in Chikamatsu Monzaemon I's kaomise drama "Kisshô Tennyo Anzan no Tama".
11th lunar month of 1707: Kyôemon plays in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater the role of Sanjô Kichiji in the kaomise drama "Sanmen Daikoku Zeni".
11th lunar month of 1708: Kyôemon moves to Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater and plays the role of Sanjô Kichiji in the kaomise drama "Ebisukô Musubi no Gojin".
11th lunar month of 1709: Kyôemon moves to Ebisuya Shôdayû's theater and plays the role of Kuranosuke in the kaomise drama "Yomeiri Ôkeizu".
11th lunar month of 1710: Kyôemon plays in Kyôto at Ebisuya Shôdayû's theater the role of Kokonoe Inarinosuke in the kaomise drama "Inari Chôja Yotsugimaru", which is produced by his disciple Yamashita Karumo. His stage partners are Fujikawa Buzaemon I, Yoshizawa Ayame I and Sawamura Chôjûrô I.
7th lunar month of 1711: Kyôemon plays in the same theater the role of Hanaoka Wadaemon in the drama "Keisei Asama-ga-Dake". His stage partners are Yoshizawa Ayame I (the courtesan Miura) and Sawamura Chôjûrô I (Asama Tomoenojô). The performance is a huge success and is extended up to october 1711.
1st lunar month of 1712: Kyôemon plays in the same theater the role of Wankyû in the drama "Onna Wankyû", which is produced by Yoshizawa Ayame I; the role of the courtesan Matsuyama is played by Uemura Kichiya III.
1st lunar month of 1713: Kyôemon goes to Kameya Kumenojô's theater and plays the role of Mikura Kingoemon in the new year drama "Fukubiki Miuma no Ôkamado", which is in fact the kaomise of this theater.
3rd lunar month of 1713: Kyôemon plays in the same theater the roles of Kusunoki Masanari and Bingo no Shôji in the drama "Onna Kusunoki".
Fall 1713: Kyôemon goes to Edo to perform at the Nakamuraza but he does not appear on stage and goes back to Kamigata.
1st lunar month of 1714: Kyôemon plays the role of Hanaoka Wadaemon in the drama "Keisei Asama-ga-Dake", which is produced by Yamamoto Hikogorô in Ôsaka. His stage partners are Sawamura Chôjûrô I (Asama Tomoenojô), Kirinami Takie (the courtesan Miura), Yamashita Kamenojô I (the courtesan Ôshû), Ôtori Michiemon (Hyôsuke) and Ôshima Kajûrô (Yotarô).
1st day of the 11th lunar month of 1715: his best disciple Kataoka Nizaemon I dies.
1st lunar month of 1716: Kyôemon plays in Kyôto at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater the role of Shirasuga Rokurô Saemon in the new year drama "Keisei Otokoyama".
3rd lunar month of 1716: Kyôemon appears on stage for the last time, in the same theater, playing the role of Wadasaki Man'emon in the drama "Keisei Sennin Kagami". He retires and dies the following year, the 18th of the 1st lunar month of 1717.
Comments:
Yamashita Kyôemon I was a Kyôto stage giant of the Genroku era. His stage presence and his vocal projection were both outstanding. He was equally at home in sewamono and jidaimono dramas and excelled in jitsugotoshi and budôgoto roles. He was the founder of the Yamashita clan.
"The historians of Kabuki agree that he was a man of fine bearing and gentle disposition, and that while he did not quite equal Tôjûrô's grand manner he was in no way an actor of little talent. It is said of Kyôemon that even a rustic from the provinces, who had never seen him before, and knew nothing concerning him, could not fail to be impressed by his presence, and to understand without being informed that he was the leading actor. He had his little frailties, however, for he was too fond of applause, and so eager for the praise of the audience that he pandered to the tastes of the lower classes, and was given to making vulgar asides. This was entirely unlike Tôjûrô, who had a high moral character. Like Tôjûrô, however, he held the mirror up to nature, and the side-lights upon his stage methods that have been handed down reveal the fact that he excelled as a samurai, particularly as a rônin." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")
Yamashita Kyôemon I
The Yamashita Kyôemon line of actors