Stage names:

Ôtani Tomoemon III
Arashi Shagan IV
Arashi Sanpachi II
Nakayama Monzaburô

Guild: Akashiya

Line number: SANDAIME (III)

Poetry names: Bundô, Kimbi (or Kinpi ?)

Existence: 1793 ~ 5th day of the 11th lunar month of 1839

Connection:

Masters: Ôtani Tomoemon II, Nakayama Sharyû

Career:

1793 ~ 1812: born in Kyôto. He starts his career in miyaji shibai as a disciple of the actor Nakayama Sharyû, who gives him the name of Nakayama Monzaburô.

1812: Monzaburô goes to Edo, where he becomes a jitsuaku actor.

3rd lunar month of 1814: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Sumidagawa Hana no Goshozome", commonly called "Onna Seigen"; Monzaburô plays the role of the yakko Todahei [more details].

7th lunar month of 1814: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's natsu kyôgen "Imaori Hakata no Irifune"; Monzaburô plays the roles of Ôtsune Naonoshin, the Chinese emissary Go Chikkan and Tomitaya Tazaemon [casting].

11th lunar month of 1817: he takes the name of Arashi Sanpachi II at the Miyakoza, performing in the kaomise drama "Muro no Ume Hôgan Biiki" ^[1].

11th lunar month of 1820: Arashi Sanpachi II takes the name of Arashi Shagan IV (most likely in Edo). Shagan was the haimyô of the actors Arashi Shichigorô I, Arashi Shichigorô II and Arashi Shichigorô III.

1821 ~ 1823: Shagan goes back to Kamigata.

1st lunar month of 1827: Shagan's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

24th day of the 3rd lunar month of 1830: his master Ôtani Tomoemon II dies.

9th lunar month of 1831: Arashi Shagan IV takes the name of Ôtani Tomoemon III at the Naka no Shibai. It is interesting to note that two months later, in the 11th lunar month of 1831, the actor Ôtani Rakuen, another disciple of late Ôtani Tomoemon II, will take the name of Ôtani Tomoemon IV in Edo at the Kawarasakiza. The 2 actors play under the same name in 2 different cities (an unique case in Kabuki history). Ôtani Tomoemon III and Ôtani Tomoemon IV are nicknamed respectively "Kamigata Tomoemon" and "Edo Tomoemon".

11th lunar month of 1831: Tomoemon plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Ono no Kudayû, Sagisaka Bannai and Ichimonjiya Saibê in the drama Kitagawa no Shibai.

2nd lunar month of 1832: the "Gojôbashi" scene of "Ôgiya Kumagai", which was not in the original puppet drama, is added to this drama for the first time and staged in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai; Tomoemon plays the role of Kazusa [more details].

1st lunar month of 1836: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Nishizawa Ippô's drama "Hana no Ani Tsubomi no Yatsufusa"; Tomoemon plays the roles of Somaki Bokuhei and Kamezasa [casting].

11th lunar month of 1837: Tomoemon plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the dramas "Meiboku Sendai Hagi", "Godairiki" and "Daikyôji Mukashi Goyomi".

5th day of the 11th lunar month of 1839: Tomoemon dies.

Comments:

Ôtani Tomoemon III was a good 19th century jitsuaku and katakiyaku actor, who was quite popular in Kamigata but who did not reach the same level of fame as his Edo namesake Ôtani Tomoemon IV, who was of another calibre altogether.

[1] Another possible reading of this title could be "Muro no Ume Hangan Biiki".

Ôtani Tomoemon III

The Arashi Sanpachi line of actors

The Arashi Shagan line of actors

The Ôtani Tomoemon line of actors