SAWAMURA BUNJI

Pen/stage name:

Sawamura Bunji

Existence: ???

Connection:

Career:

Before 1721: he starts his career as unknown times as a disciple of Sawamura Chôjûrô I; he performs minor roles as a tachiyaku.

6th lunar month of 1721: Bunji becomes sakusha and works in Kyôto on the drama "Keisei Asahi no Taki".

2nd lunar month of 1728: Bunji works at Miyako Mandayû's theater on the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Makura Kagami", which stars Segawa Kikunojô I in a mugen no kane scene.

11th lunar month of 1730: Bunji works at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater on the kaomise drama "Inari Yakata Manpô no Kura", which is produced by Arashi Koroku I.

11th lunar month of 1731: Bunji works at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater on the kaomise drama "Asahi no Ichikura Eigô Seki".

11th lunar month of 1734: Bunji works at Miyako Mandayû's theater, along with Iwai Izaemon and Tomimura Takichi, Tomijûrô on the kaomise drama "Tomi Yakata Kogane no Yaguruma", which is produced by Nakamura Tomijûrô I.

Fall 1736: Bunji goes to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1736: Bunji works at the Naka no Shibai on the kaomise drama "Furômon Kon no Shikigawara", which is produced by Nakayama Shinkurô I and stars Arashi San'emon III, Arashi Sanjûrô II, Sanogawa Hanazuma I, Yamashita Matatarô I, Nakamura Jûzô I and Fujikawa Heikurô.

11th lunar month of 1742: Bunji works at the Naka no Shibai, along with the tatesakusha Namiki Jôsuke, on the kaomise drama "Ukisuiwa Mukashi Kagami", which is produced by Anegawa Shinshirô I.

1st lunar month of 1743: the star Anegawa Shinshirô I produces Namiki Jôsuke and Bunji new year drama "Kurofune Isse Ichidai Otoko"; some features used on stage become the latest fashion in the city of Ôsaka, like the anegawa zukin (Anegawa's turban) or the anegawa geta (Anegawa's wooden clogs).

6st lunar month of 1743: Bunji works at the Naka no Shibai on the drama "Futatsu Ido Meimei Kagami". We don't know what happens to him afterwards for he disappears from the records.

Comments:

Sawamura Bunji was a Kamigata sakusha, who was active from the beginning of the 1720s to the beginning of the 1740s. He worked on more than 30 dramas.