Stage names:

Bandô Hikozaemon I
Bandô Zenji I

Guild: Tsuriyoshiya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Zenkô, Tôgi

Existence: ???

Connection:

Masters: Bandô Hikosaburô III, Bandô Hikosaburô II

Sons: Bandô Hikozaemon II, Bandô Momotarô II

Career:

Before 1768: he started his career as a disciple of Bandô Hikosaburô II, who gave him the name of Bandô Zenji I.

4th day of the 5th lunar month of 1768 ^[1]: his master Bandô Hikosaburô II died.

11th lunar month of 1768: he became katakiyaku and played two roles at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Ima o Sakari Suehiro Genji", which celebrated the arrival in Edo of Nakamura Utaemon I and the shûmei of Osagawa Tsuneyo II.

Beginning of the 1790s: he became disciple of Bandô Hikosaburô III.

11th lunar month of 1801: he became handôgataki and took the name of Bandô Hikozaemon I at the Nakamuraza, performing in the kaomise drama "Date Dôgutsui no Ôtori", which celebrated also the shûmei of Yamashita Mansaku; his son Bandô Momotarô I took the name of Bandô Zenji II at the Ichimuraza.

7th lunar month of 1804: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Katsu Hyôzô I's drama "Tenjiku Tokubê Ikoku Banashi"; Hikozaemon played the roles of the sendô Sakudayû and the ashigaru Saruta Hikozaemon [casting].

11th lunar month of 1804: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Katsu Hyôzô I's kaomise drama "Shitennô Momiji no Edoguma"; Hikozaemon played the role of the nyûdô Inokuma Raiun [casting].

6th lunar month of 1809: premiere at the Moritaza of Katsu Hyôzô I's drama "Okuni Gozen Keshô no Sugatami"; Hikozaemon played the roles of Yotsugi Sehei and Tôroku [casting].

7th lunar month of 1811: Hikozaemon appeared on stage for the last time, in Edo at the Nakamuraza, where he played the roles of Yamana Jirozaemon and Ôta Ryôchiku in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura";

1811 ~ end of the 1810s: Hikozaemon retired from the Kabuki world and settled in the district of Tsukiji, calling himself Tsukiji no Zenkô (Tsukiji's Zenkô). He spent his latter years in Yotsuya, where he died most likely at the end of the Bunka era.

Comments:

Bandô Hikozaemon I was a popular Edo handôgataki and dôkegata actor.

[1] The 4th day of the 5th lunar month of the 5th year of the Meiwa era was the 18th of June 1768 in the western calendar.

Bandô Hikozaemon I portraying Yatôji in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni III (1862~1863)

Print made by Tôshûsai Sharaku in 1794

The Bandô Zenji line of actors

The Bandô Hikozaemon line of actors