Stage names:

Edosaka Kyôemon
Nakamura Shôzô

Guild: Sakaiya

Poetry names: Shôkichi, Shôkitsu

Existence: 1726 ~ 28th day of the 7th lunar month of 1774 ^[1]

Connection:

Master: Nakamura Jûzô I

Disciple: Edosaka Shôzô

Career:

Before 1751: he started his career as a disciple of the actor Nakamura Jûzô I, who gave him the name of Nakamura Shôzô.

11th lunar month of 1751: Shôzô makes his debut in ôshibai, playing in Kyôto the role of Tawara Matatarô in the kaomise drama "Kaeribana Shinohara Gunki".

11th lunar month of 1754: Shôzô played at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater in Kyôto the role of Ema no Koshirô Yoshitoki in the kaomise drama "Fûkigusa Aioi Genji", which was produced by Somematsu Matsujirô. This drama was in fact the first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet drama "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô" [more details].

1st lunar month of 1755: Shôzô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1757: Shôzô played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Ebisu Saburô and Minamoto Yukie in the kaomise drama "Ôyashiro Musubu no Sanban Tsuzuki", which was produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I and Somematsu Matsujirô for the nadai Hayagumo Chôdayû.

1st lunar month of 1758: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki", which was simultaneously produced at the Minamigawa no Shibai [casting] and the Kitagawa no Shibai [casting]. It used its real title at the former theater but it was entitled "Keisei Niwatoriyama" at the latter theater; Shôzô played in the former theater the roles of Shibata Gonroku Katsushige and Konishi Yajûrô. Shôzô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual]. He shared the same ranking with Sawamura Sukejûrô.

11th lunar month of 1758: Shôzô played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Ashiya Genzô in Sakurato Bunsaku's kaomise drama "Inari Yakata Irifune no Arashi", which was produced by Arashi Sangorô II.

11th lunar month of 1759: his master Nakamura Jûzô I and Ogurayama Sentarô respectively took the names of Nakamura Kichiemon I and Nakamura Jûzô II at the Minamigawa no Shibai.

12th lunar month of 1759: following a quarrel with his master, Nakamura Shôzô took the name of Edosaka Kyôemon at the Kitagawa no Shibai, playing the role of Horiguchi Jûnai in the drama "Bandai Fueki Hôrai Yakata", which was produced by Arashi Hinasuke I.

1st lunar month of 1760: Kyôemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-jû (superior - superior - "ten") [visual].

2nd lunar month of 1763: Kyôemon played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of the yakko Yodohei in the kaomise drama "Otowayama Renbo no Taki", which was produced by Nakamura Senzô.

3rd lunar month of 1763: Kyôemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was back to jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1763: Kyôemon played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Yata Fujihei in Sakurato Bunsaku's kaomise drama "Hôraisan Hatsuhi no Kachidoki", which was produced by Arashi Matsunojô III. He also played the role of Kurofune Chûemon in the drama "Kurofune Deiri Minato".

1st lunar month of 1764: Kyôemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. He played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Katagiri Hikoshirô Noriyasu in Namiki Shôzô I's ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Hana no Shiroyama", which was produced by Arashi Matsunojô III.

11th lunar month of 1764: Kyôemon played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Watônai in the kaomise drama "Tanomi-agemasu Goken Butsusama" (similar to "Kokusen'ya Gassen"); the role of Kanki was played by Sakakiyama Koshirô II.

11th lunar month of 1766: Kyôemon became zamoto and produced in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai the kaomise drama "Umayadogimi Shitennôji Kuyô", which celebrated the shûmei of the actors Sakakiyama Sagisuke, Sakakiyama Koshirô III and Sakakiyama Shirotarô III.

Spring 1768: tour in Nagoya with Arashi Hinasuke I.

Winter 1768~1769: reconciliation with his master Nakamura Kichiemon I; they perform together in Kyôto in the 1st lunar month of 1769 in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Sato no Kinzan", which was produced by Onoe Kumesuke. This was the last stage appearance of Kyôemon's master.

17th day of the 6th lunar month of 1770 ^[2]: his master Nakamura Kichiemon I died.

11th lunar month of 1770: Kyôemon played at the Kitagawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Sakae Genji Gojin no Kachidoki", which was produced by Mimasu Tokujirô I.

1st lunar month of 1771: Kyôemon was the kanjiku for tachiyaku actors. His rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki was two black strokes above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual].

3rd ~ 5th lunar months of 1771: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", produced by Mimasu Tokujirô I at the Kitagawa no Shibai; Kyôemon played the role of Shibaroku [casting].

11th lunar month of 1771: Kyôemon played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Hirai no Yasumasa and Hirai no Yasusuke in the kaomise drama "Bandai Isaoshi Genji", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II.

1st lunar month of 1772: Kyôemon played in the same theater the roles of Hosokawa Katsumoto and the yakko Shôsuke in the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Sakura Goten".

11th lunar month of 1772: Kyôemon played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Togashi Saemon, in reality Chishimanosuke, in the kaomise "Shiraume Genji Kuruwa no Hachinoki", which was produced by Anegawa Chiyosaburô II.

2nd lunar month of 1773: Kyôemon appeared on stage for the last time, at the Kitagawa no Shibai, where he played the roles of Kakogawa Honzô, Ishidô Umanojô and Teraoka Heiemon in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". He suddenly fell ill and had to retire.

28th day of the 7th lunar month of 1774 ^[1]: Kyôemon died in Kyôto.

Comments:

Edosaka Kyôemon was a 18th century tachiyaku actor, who made almost all his career in Kyôto (the exception was a tour to Nagoya). He did not venture to tour not only in the distant city of Edo (although his name would make us think that he had an interest in this city) but also to the nearby city of Ôsaka, even for a few days in this latter city. He was popular in the Imperial City and his final ranking was really close to the prestigious jô-jô-kichi.

[1] The 28th day of the 7th lunar month of the 3rd year of the An'ei era was the 3rd of September 1774 in the western calendar.

[2] The 17th day of the 6th lunar month of the 7th year of the Meiwa era was the 9th of July 1770 in the western calendar.

Edosaka Kyôemon performing in the kaomise drama "Umayadogimi Shitennôji Kuyô", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1766 at the Kitagawa no Shibai