Stage names:

Onoyama Ujiemon
Onoyama Shume
Onoyama Shizuma

Poetry name: Renshû (or Renjû ?)

Existence: ??? ~ 1701

Connection:

???

Career:

1680: he starts his career in Ôsaka, where he performs as a wakashugata. His first stage name is Onoyama Shizuma. He takes the names of Onoyama Shume and Onoyama Ujiemon at unknown times.

1682 ~ 1683: Ujiemon performs in Ôsaka as a tachiyaku.

1686: Ujiemon becomes katakiyaku.

1691: Ujiemon plays in Kyôto the role of Matsunami Daizen in the drama "Matsunami Shôshô Kayoi-guruma".

1692: Ujiemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô (superior) [visual].

1693: Ujiemon plays in Kyôto the role of Kamei no Kikuômaru in the drama "Shinjû Yashima".

7th lunar month of 1694: Ujiemon performs in Ôsaka in Tsuuchi Jihê I's drama "Nihon Ajase Taishi", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô I and stars the Edo actor Bandô Matatarô I.

1st lunar month of 1695: Ujiemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. Ujiemon performs in Ôsaka in the new year drama "Shissei Nyoirin Kannon Kaichô".

11th lunar month of 1697: Ujiemon plays in Ôsaka the role of Yuranojô Kunitsura in the kaomise drama "Yamato no Kuni Chigo no Monju", which is produced by Araki Yojibê I and welcomes in Ôsaka the Edo actor Saruwaka Sanzaemon I; others main stage partners are Kanazawa Goheiji, Takioka Hikoemon, Kamogawa Noshio I, Hattori Jiroemon, Dekishima Kosaburô and Kawakami Saburozaemon.

3rd lunar month of 1698: Ujiemon plays in Ôsaka the role of the servant Torazô in the drama "Taema Chûjôhime Mandara no Yurai", which is produced by Araki Yojibê I.

Fall 1698: Ujiemon goes to Kyôto.

1st lunar month of 1699: Ujiemon's 's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

1st lunar month of 1700: Ujiemon plays in Kyôto the role of Komeya Yaichirô in the drama "Keisei Zen no Tsuna", which is produced by Yamatoya Jinbê II. The line-up includes the actors Yoshizawa Ayame I, Mizuki Tatsunosuke I, Onogawa Ugenji, Hayakawa Hatsuse, Takenaka Kiyonosuke, Matsunaga Rokuroemon, Sugiyama Kanzaemon I and Fujimoto Heijûrô.

Fall 1700: Ujiemon goes to Edo.

1st lunar month of 1701: Ujiemon plays in the same theater the role of Kitsuemon in the new year drama "Wakoku Onna Hankai".

1701: Ujiemon dies of paralysis and convulsions after eating fugu.

Comments:

Onoyama Ujiemon was a popular and talented Kamigata actor, who was one of the first katakiyaku in Kabuki history. He was considered as the katakiyaku no ganzo, literally the pioneer of katakiyaku. Unfortunately, some poisonous mouthfuls of fugu abruptly put an end to a promising career!

Onoyama Ujiemon