Stage name:

Hyakunin'isshu Genzaburô

Other name:

Hyakuninshu Genzaburô

Existence: ???

Connection:

Disciple: Hyakuninshu Shinzaburô

Career:

Before 1700: born in Nagasaki and raised in the pleasure quarter of Maruyama. He settled in Kamigata at unknown time.

11th lunar month of 1699 or 1st lunar month of 1700: debut on stage (hatsubutai) in Ôsaka, where he performed as a dôkegata.

11th lunar month of 1706: Genzaburô performed in Ôsaka in the kaomise drama "Kantô Koroku"; his main stage partners were Shinozuka Jirozaemon I (zamoto), Otowa Jirosaburô I, Ichikawa Sukejûrô I, Bandô Kikumatsu I, Hanai Azuma and Onogawa Orie.

1st lunar month of 1708: Genzaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, dôkegata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

Fall 1710: Genzaburô went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1710: Genzaburô played in Kyôto at Kameya Kumenojô's theater the role of Tsurutarô in the kaomise drama "Kenkon Daikoku Bashira", which was produced by Kataoka Sanpei.

1st lunar month of 1711: Genzaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, dôkegata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1711: Genzaburô performed in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Mannen Gura", which was produced by Sawamura Chôjûrô I and Sodesaki Karyû at Kameya Kumenojô's theater.

3rd lunar month of 1712: Genzaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, dôkegata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Kaneko Kichizaemon, Yamada Jinpachi and Tamagawa Genzaburô.

1st lunar month of 1713: Genzaburô performed in Kyôto at Kameya Kumenojô's theater in the kaomise drama "Fukubiki Miuma no Ôkamado".

2nd lunar month of 1714: Genzaburô performed in the kaomise drama "Tarôzuki Wakô no Ônuki", which was produced in Kyôto at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater by Nakamura Shingorô I.

11th lunar month of 1715: Genzaburô became tachiyaku and played at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater the role of Yaneya Chobê in the kaomise drama "Manpô Chitose no Matsu", which was produced by Yamatoya Jinbê III and included a kôjô commemorating the sudden death of Kataoka Nizaemon I.

1st lunar month of 1716: Genzaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô (superior) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Tatsuoka Someemon and Imamura Shichisaburô I.

11th lunar month of 1716: Genzaburô played in Kyôto at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater the role of Kin'emon in the kaomise drama "Daikoku Tenjin Fukuju Musume", which was produced by Yamatoya Jinbê III.

1st lunar month of 1716: Genzaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1717: Genzaburô played in Kyôto the role of Yanefuki Genzô, in reality Sengorô, in Sadoshima Saburôzaemon's kaomise drama "Iwao no Matsu Manbai no Midori", which was produced by Miyako Mandayû in his theater.

11th lunar month of 1718: Genzaburô played at Miyako Mandayû's theater the role of Tada Monjûrô in Sadoshima Saburôzaemon's kaomise drama "Meoto Matsu Jufuku no Kodane"; his stage partners were Mihogi Gizaemon I, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Kaneko Kichizaemon, Yamashita Kamenojô I, Miyazaki Giheita, Yamamoto Kamon, Tamagawa Genzaburô and Otowa Jirosaburô I.

Fall 1719: Genzaburô went back to Ôsaka after 9 seasons spent in Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1719: Genzaburô played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Ikomanojô in the kaomise drama "Onna Daimyô Iroha Obi", which was produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

1st lunar month of 1720: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's puppet theater drama "Heike Nyogo no Shima", which was produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai; Genzaburô played the role of Tanba no Shôshô Naritsune [casting].

Fall 1720: Genzaburô went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1720: Genzaburô played in Kyôto the role of Takejirô in the kaomise drama "Shin Yakata Fukutoku no Kado", which was produced by Matsumoto Shigemaki and Sodesaki Wakaura I.

11th lunar month of 1721: Genzaburô performed at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater in the kaomise drama "Banshiki Kogane no Miyako", which was produced by Ogino Yaegiri I.

11th lunar month of 1722: Genzaburô played in Kyôto at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater the role of the wakadono Kunitarô in Yoshida Rôfu's kaomise drama "Aioi Ôshimadai", which was produced by Ogino Yaegiri I and welcomed in Kyôto the actor Kirinoya Gonjûrô I.

11th lunar month of 1723: Genzaburô played in Kyôto the role of Ôenojô in the kaomise drama "Tatsu Goyomi Daishô Wagô no Tsurugi", which was produced by Ogino Yaegiri I.

1st lunar month of 1724: Genzaburô played in Kyôto in the same theater the role of the wakadono Tonerinosuke in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Sone no Matsu". This was his last-recorded stage appearance; no record afterwards.

Comments:

Hyakunin'isshu Genzaburô was a dôkegata and tachiyaku actor, who was active in Kamigata from the very beginning of the 1700s to the first half of the 1720s. He was extremely popular as a dôkegata, holding the prestigious jô-jô-kichi rank between 1712 and 1715. He was qualified as zendai mimon, unparalleled in dôkegata history! His family name was very unusual : Hyakunin'isshu was written the same way as the eponymous popular traditional poetry card game.

The actors Kikukawa Kyônosuke II (left), Yamashita Kamenojô I (center) and Hyakunin'isshu Genzaburô (right) playing the roles of Yaegiku's younger brother Shigegorô, the keisei Yaegiku and Kôno Gonroku in the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Chihaya no Toko", which was staged in Kyôto in the 1st lunar month of 1719

Prints & Illustrations