SAWAMURA OTOEMON I

Existence: 1687 ~ 4th day of the 11th lunar month of 1741

Connections:

Masters: Sawamura Chôjûrô I, Sawamura Kodenji I

Career:

1687 ~ 1710: born in Kamigata. He starts his career as a disciple of the actor Sawamura Kodenji I, who gives him the name of Sawamura Otoemon I. Later on, he becomes disciple of Sawamura Chôjûrô I.

Spring 1710: Otoemon plays in the drama "Keisei Chikubu Shima", which is produced in Kyôto by Yamashita Kamenojô I; his stage partners are Kataoka Nizaemon I and Sawamura Chôjûrô I.

1st lunar month of 1713: Otoemon plays the role of Ageya Chôzaemon in the drama "Keisei Haru no Akebono", which is produced in Kyôto by Sawamura Chôjûrô I and Sodesaki Karyû.

11th lunar month of 1712: Otoemon settles in Ôsaka and takes part in the kaomise produced by the zamoto Mitsuyama Shichisaburô for the nadai Matsumoto Nazaemon; he plays the role of Mikinojô in the drama "Inari Daimyô Shintaku no Kamado".

11th lunar month of 1713: Otoemon achieves a great success by playing the role of Shikanojô in the drama "Ôminato Kogane no Izumi", which is produced by Yamamoto Hikogorô for the nadai Ôsaka Kuzaemon.

11th lunar month of 1717: Otoemon plays the role of Harada Kuranojô in Sakakiyama Kansuke I's kaomise drama "Ômu Gaeshi Momotose Gitsune", which is produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater; his stage partners are Shibazaki Rinzaemon I, Kirinami Takie, Yamada Jinpachi, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Sakakiyama Koshirô I, Katayama Kozaemon, Matsushima Moheiji, Bandô Matajûrô I and Onoe Samon.

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; Otoemon plays the role of Prince Mikumano [casting].

11th lunar month of 1718: Otoemon goes back to Ôsaka; and plays at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of the rônin Onosaka Daihachi in the kaomise drama "Suehiro Chôja Bandaigura", which is produced by Sawamura Chôjûrô I and celebrates the shûmei of Sugiyama Kanzaemon III.

11th lunar month of 1720: Otoemon plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of the koji Mannen in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Nishiki no Kusazuri", which is produced by the zamoto Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

11th lunar month of 1721: Otoemon achieves a great success by playing two roles in the kaomise drama "Onna Genji Musha Sugoroku", which is produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II at the Naka no Shibai.

Spring 1722: Otoemon becomes jitsuaku.

11th lunar month of 1722: Otoemon plays the role of Ichiyô Daizenmaru in the drama "Odori Hotei", which is produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II at the Naka no Shibai.

11th lunar month of 1723: Otoemon plays the role of Tezuka Yasaemon in the kaomise "Kogane no Hanagata", which is produced by the zamoto Arashi San'emon III at the Kado no Shibai and celebrates the arrival in Ôsaka of the Edo star Ôtani Hiroji I.

1st lunar month of 1724: Otoemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. Premiere at the Kado no Shibai of "Edoe Ukiyo Soga", an Edo-flavored new year drama; Otoemon plays the role of Kudô Suketsune [casting].

11th lunar month of 1725: Otoemon becomes tachiyaku, moves to the Ônishi no Shibai and plays in the kaomise drama "Gokoku Jôju Naniwa no Yakata", which is produced by the zamoto Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

2nd lunar month of 1726: Otoemon plays in the same theater the role of the yakko Sadahachi in the drama "Sankô Taiheiki".

11th lunar month of 1726: Otoemon moves to the Naka no Shibai and plays the role of Tottori Gen'emon in the kaomise drama "Hakoiri Daikoku Gane", which is produced by Kaneko Kichizaemon.

1st lunar month of 1727: Otoemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1727: Otoemon becomes zamoto, working with the nadai Matsumoto Nazaemon. He produces at the Ônishi no Shibai the kaomise drama "Watamashi Yatsumune Gura". His line-up includes the actors Ogino Yaegiri I, Nakamura Sôjûrô, Sugiyama Kanzaemon III and Imamura Shirojûrô.

1728: Otoemon is replaced by Sanogawa Hanazuma I for the zamoto position.

11th lunar month of 1728: Otoemon plays the role of Kagokaki Tarôbê in the kaomise drama "Kunkoku Ôe no Kishi", which is produced at the Ônishi no Shibai by Sanogawa Hanazuma I.

11th lunar month of 1729: Otoemon goes back to Kyôto and takes part in the kaomise produced by the nadai Daikokuya Takenojô and the zamoto Arashi Koroku I; Otoemon plays the role of Yamaoka Gonzô in the drama "Yomeiri Shichigosan".

1st lunar month of 1730: Otoemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1730: Otoemon goes back to Ôsaka and plays in the drama "Kunkoku Ôe no Kôbai", which is produced by Asao Motogorô I.

11th lunar month of 1731: Otoemon plays the role of Chûgen Bansuke in the kaomise drama "Aioi Kikenjô", which is produced by Arashi Kokuseki at the Kado no Shibai.

11th lunar month of 1732: Otoemon plays the role of Fujioka Man'emon in the kaomise drama "Mitsu no Hama Kogane no Irie", which is produced by Arashi San'emon III at the Kado no Shibai.

3rd lunar month of 1733: the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki" is performed for the first time in Ôsaka, at the Kado no Shibai; Otoemon plays the roles of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Taira no Kagekiyo [casting].

11th lunar month of 1733: Otoemon moves to the Naka no Shibai and plays the role of Shigaragi Jônosuke in the kaomise drama "Genji Rokujûjô", which is produced by the zamoto Iwai Hanshirô III.

Fall 1735: Otoemon goes to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1735: Otoemon plays at Kameya Kumenojô's theater the role of Kôsuke in the kaomise drama "Ôkamado Miyako no Ichigura", which is produced by Yamamoto Kyôzô.

12th lunar month of 1735: Otoemon plays in the same theater the role of Hôjô Tatewaki in the kaomise drama "Onna Tokimasa Gunpô Hinagata".

11th lunar month of 1739: Otoemon plays the role of Ôuchi Kamon in the kaomise drama "Muromachi Dono Chôhô Denki", which is produced by Sanogawa Ichimatsu I for the nadai Miyako Mandayû; his stage partners are Yamanaka Heijûrô I (Nikki Danjô), Ôtani Hiroji I (Ise no Saburô) and Onoe Kikugorô I (Enju).

12th lunar month of 1740: Otoemon appears on stage for the last time, at the Kado no Shibai, playing the role of Mochizuki Saemon in the drama "Katakiuchi Deguchi no Yanagi", which is produced by Nakamura Jûzô I. He suddenly falls ill and dies in Ôsaka in the 11th lunar month of 1741.

Comments:

Sawamura Otoemon I was an excellent tachiyaku and katakiyaku, who made a great career in Kamigata during the second half of the 18th century. He was endowed with a great voice and he was able to perfectly deliver his lines. Jitsuaku and jitsugotoshi roles were his forte.

Sawamura Otoemon I (left) and Asao Motogorô I (right) playing the roles of Kôsuke and Okura in the kaomise drama "Ôkamado Miyako no Ichigura", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1735 in Kyôto

Prints & Illustrations

The Sawamura Otoemon line of actors