Stage names:

Ôtani Hiroemon I
Ôtani Hirokichi

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Banfû

Existence: 1666 ~ 19th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1721 ^[1]

Connections:

Son: Ôtani Hiroji I

Disciple: Ôtani Hiroemon II

Career:

1666 ~ 1693: no data available on the first years of the career of this actor, who started to perform under the name of Ôtani Hirokichi, then took the name of Ôtani Hiroemon I at an unknown date.

1694: his name appeared for the first time in an Edo hyôbanki, in the katakiyaku section.

11th lunar month of 1696: Hiroemon played at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Neko no Koneko", commonly called "Onna Narukami"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danjûrô I, Ogino Sawanojô, Nakamura Shichisaburô I, Nakamura Denkurô I, Sodeoka Masanosuke II and Nakajima Kanzaemon I.

11th lunar month of 1698: Hiroemon played at the Nakamuraza the role of the monk warrior Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan in the drama "Yoshino Shizuka Goban Tadanobu"; his stage partners in the roles of Tadanobu, Tamewaka and Kotadawaka were Ichikawa Danjûrô I, Nakamura Sen'ya I and Ichikawa Kuzô I.

3rd lunar month of 1699: Hiroemon's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

5th lunar month of 1699: Hiroemon played at the Nakamuraza the role of the Hell deity Enma Daiô in the drama "Katsuragi Sayo Arashi".

11th lunar month of 1699: Hiroemon moved to the Moritaza and played the role of the nyûdô Nikki in the drama "Tôsei Okuni Kabuki"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danjûrô I, Miyazaki Denkichi and the Kamigata star Ogino Sawanojô.

11th lunar month of 1700: Hiroemon played the role of Kiyohara no Takehira in the Moritaza kaomise drama "Kagemasa Ikazuchi Mondô".

3rd lunar month of 1701: Hiroemon's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

1st lunar month of 1704: Hiroemon played at the Yamamuraza the role of the monk warrior Benkei in the drama "Genji Aioi Jûnidan".

11th lunar month of 1706: Hiroemon performed at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Uji Genji Yumihari-zuki".

11th lunar month of 1709: Hiroemon played at the Nakamuraza the role of Arakawa Danjô in the kaomise drama "Imagawajô Ryôshun Katoku".

11th lunar month of 1711: Hiroemon played at the Yamamuraza the role of Oyama Hangan in the kaomise drama "Shida Konjiki no Uroko".

11th lunar month of 1713: Hiroemon became jitsuaku and played at the Nakamuraza the role of Ômori Hikoshichi in the kaomise drama "Onna Kusunoki Taiheiki".

2nd lunar month of 1714: Hiroemon's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1716: Hiroemon played at the Nakamuraza the role of Noto-no-Kami Noritsune in the drama "Mitsudomoe Katoku Biraki", which celebrated the shûmei of Arashi Kiyosaburô II.

11th lunar month of 1717: Hiroemon played at the Moritaza the role of Ômori Hikoshichi in Murase Genzaburô's kaomise drama "Hônô Taiheiki".

11th lunar month of 1718: Hiroemon moved to the Moritaza and played the role of the rebel Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Zenkunen Yoroi Kurabe".

1st lunar month of 1720: Hiroemon played at the Nakamuraza the role of Tomoe Gozen in the new year sogamono drama "Ichi Fuji Raihai Soga".

11th lunar month of 1720: Hiroemon played the role of Kiyohara no Takehira in the Nakamuraza kaomise drama "Michinoku Taiheiki".

1st lunar month of 1721: Hiroemon appeared on stage for the last time, at the Nakamuraza, playing the role of Matano Gorô in the new year drama "Kichijô Ôtaka Soga". He suddenly fell ill and died the 19th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1721 ^[1]. His tombstone was located in the cemetery of the Seidenji Temple ^[2].

Comments:

Ôtani Hiroemon I was the founder of the Ôtani clan and an outstanding katakiyaku, who competed with Yamanaka Heikurô I and Hayakawa Dengorô for the title of Edo best jitsuaku.

[1] The 19th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 6th year of the Kyôhô era was the 16th of March 1721 in the western calendar.

[2] A temple located in the district of Shiba in Edo.

Ôtani Hiroemon I playing the role of Kiyohara no Takehira in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni III (1862~1863)

The Ôtani Hiroemon line of actors