Stage names:

Tsuruya Namboku I
Namboku Magotarô I
Murayama Genjirô

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: 1672 ~ 9th day of the 9th lunar month of 1736

Connection:

Uncle (?): Namboku Sabu I

Father: Murayama Gentarô I (Namboku Kidayû I)

Elder brother: Murayama Gentarô II (Namboku Kidayû II)

Son: Tsuruya Namboku II

Career:

1672 ~ 1697: born in the city of Sakai in the province of Senshû. He settles with his brother in Edo and makes his apprenticeship at the Ichimuraza, performing under the name of Murayama Genjirô.

1st lunar month of 1697: he becomes tachiyaku and plays at the Nakamuraza in the new year drama "Daifukuchô Sankai Nagoya", which includes the first "Shibaraku" scene in Kabuki history.

5th lunar month of 1697: he becomes dôkegata, takes the name of Namboku Magotarô I and plays in the same theater in the drama "Tsuwamono Kongen Soga".

11th lunar month of 1719: Namboku Magotarô I and his son Tsuruya Genzô respectively take the names of Tsuruya Namboku I and Namboku Magotarô II at the Ichimuraza, playing together in the kaomise drama "Tategami Teika Kazura".

1st lunar month of 1726: Namboku's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, dôkegata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).

11th lunar month of 1735: Namboku's last kaomise; he plays the role of Ono no Yoshizane in the drama "Kongen Nana Komachi". He falls ill at the beginning of the following year and has to retire.

9th day of the 9th lunar month of 1736: Namboku dies in Edo; his tombstone is located in the precinct of the Shôkôin temple.

Comments:

Tsuruya Namboku I, the founder of the Tsuruya clan, was a popular actor, who was specialized in comical roles and made all his career in Edo from the end of the Genroku era to the end of the Kyôhô era. He was said to be a dôkegata both on and off stage.

Tsuruya Namboku I (right) and Nakajima Mihoemon I (left) playing the roles of Minamoto no Yoshitora and Nikki Danjô Saemon in the new year drama "Keisei Fukubiki Nagoya", which was staged in the 1st lunar month of 1731 at the Nakamuraza