Stage names:
| Asao Tamejûrô III |  |
| Asao Okuyama III | |
| Asao Tomozô I | |
Guild: Zeniya, Kawachiya
Poetry names: Okuyama (3), Kuchiyama, Sandô
Line number: SANDAIME (III)
Existence: 1780 ~ 1st lunar month of 1836
Connection:
Master: Asao Tamejûrô I
Sons: Asao Tamejûrô IV, Asao Okuyama IV
Disciple: Asao Kunigorô V
Career:
1780 ~ 1802: he starts his career as a disciple of Asao Tamejûrô I, who gives him the name of Asao Tomozô I at an unknown date.
4th lunar month of 1804: his master Asao Tamejûrô I dies.
1807: Asao Tomozô I takes the name of Asao Okuyama III in order to honour the memory of his late master. Okuyama was an haimyô used by his master and his master's son, who did not officially held the names of Asao Okuyama I and Asao Okuyama II but received them posthumously.
11th lunar month of 1809: Okuyama plays at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Keishoku Yuki-miru Yama", which is produced by Mimasu Kumesaburô and stars Nakayama Hyakka, Yoshizawa Ayame V, Arashi Kichisaburô II, Asao Kuzaemon I, Nakayama Shinkurô III, Nakamura Daikichi I and Kanô Minshi I.
1st lunar month of 1810: premiere at the Kado no Shibai of Chikamatsu Tokuzô and Namiki Miyosuke ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Sato no Funauta"; Okuyama plays the roles of Ôdachi Kenmotsu, the boatman Gonta, Kawagoe Dôhachi and Kitsui Nariiwa (?) [casting].
1818: Asao Okuyama III takes the name of Asao Tamejûrô III.
5th lunar month of 1818: Tamejûrô goes to Edo and plays at the Miyakoza in the drama "Shôchikubai Azuma Kagami".
9th lunar month of 1819: first adaptation to Kabuki (in ôshibai!) of the drama "Seishû Akogi-ga-Ura"; Tamejûrô plays the role of the shôya Hikosaku [casting].
9th lunar month of 1820: Tamejûrô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Midaroku and the yakko Tagohei in the epic drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".
Fall 1820: Tamejûrô goes back to Kamigata and takes back the name of Asao Okuyama III.
12th lunar month of 1820: Okuyama plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Nadaemon in the drama "Hachijin Shugo no Honjô".
3rd lunar month of 1821: premiere at the Kado no Shibai of the drama "Kajiwara Heizô Kôbai Tazuna", a new version of the third act of "Miura no Ôsuke Ôbai Tazuna", revised by Kanazawa Ryûgoku I; Okuyama plays the role of Ôba Saburô [casting].
11th lunar month of 1822: premiere at the Kitagawa no Shibai of the drama "Kajiwara Heizô Kidai no Ishikiri", a new version of the third act of "Miura no Ôsuke Ôbai Tazuna", revised by Kanazawa Ryûgoku I; Okuyama plays the role of Ôba Saburô [casting].
2nd lunar month of 1826: Okuyama plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Kyôgoku no Takumi in the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; the roles of Osono and Rokusuke are played by Nakamura Utaemon III and Ichikawa Ebijûrô II.
11th lunar month of 1828: Okuyama plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai 5 roles, including Sakae Gozen, in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi".
Spring 1829: short stay in Edo; Asao Okuyama III takes one more time the name of Asao Tamejûrô III and plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of the yakko Namihei and Onigadake Dôemon in the dramas "Sugata no Hana Yayoi no Nishikie" and "Sekitori Nidai no Shôbuzuke".
Winter 1829 ~ 1830: he goes back to Kamigata and takes back the name of Asao Okuyama III.
3rd lunar month of 1830: Okuyama plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Gonshirô and Yokosuga Gunnai in the epic drama "Hirakana Seisuiki". He moves to Ôsaka in the middle of the month and plays at the Naka no Shibai in the dramas "Kagamiyama Gonichi no Omokage" and "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba", which are produced by Nakamura Tomisuke.
4th lunar month of 1830: tour in Ise.
11th lunar month of 1830: Okuyama plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the dramas "Ehon Utô Monogatari" and "Zôho Hôjô Jiraiki".
1st lunar month of 1831: Asao Okuyama III takes one more time the name of Asao Tamejûrô III, playing at the Kado no Shibai in the drama "Keisei Sato no Odamaki". His stage partners are Onoe Kikugorô III, Kataoka Nizaemon VII, Arashi Rikan II, Asao Gakujûrô and Arashi Tokusaburô III.
3rd lunar month of 1832: Tamejûrô plays in Ôsaka at the Takeda no Shibai the roles of Sagisaka Bannai and Ono no Kudayû in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
6th lunar month of 1833: tour in Okazaki with Iwai Shijaku I, Arashi Sangorô IV and Sawamura Sawaemon.
1st lunar month of 1834: Tamejûrô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
3rd lunar month of 1835: Tamejûrô plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Fujiwara no Shihei and Haji no Hyôe in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
7th lunar month of 1835: Tamejûrô appears on stage for the last time, playing the roles of Takemura Sadanoshin, Washizuka Yaheiji and Date no Yosaku in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna", which is staged at the Minamigawa no Shibai. He falls ill and dies in the 1st lunar month of 1836.
Comments:
Asao Tamejûrô III was a katakiyaku and a jitsuaku of the first half of the nineteenth century, who spent most of his career in Kamigata (only 2 seasons (1818~1820) and a few months in 1829 spent in Edo). Handôgataki roles were his forte.
Asao Tamejûrô III portraying the bantô Gihei in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni III (1862~1863)
Print made by Jukôdô Yoshikuni in 1826
Print made by Utagawa Kuniyasu in 1829
The Asao Tomozô line of actors
The Asao Okuyama line of actors
The Asao Tamejûrô line of actors