Stage name:

Yamada Jinpachi

Existence: 1649 ~ 9th lunar month of 1728

Career:

1691: his name was recorded for the first time in a Kyôto theater playbills.

11th lunar month of 1697: premiere at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater of the drama "Keisei Asama-ga-Dake", which was produced by Yamashita Hanzaemon I; Jinpachi played the role of Yotarô [casting].

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

1st lunar month of 1702: Jinpachi performed in Kyôto at Ebisuya Shôdayû's theater in the drama "Ôtô-no-Miya Kumano Ochi", which was produced by Yamatoya Tôkichi; his others stage partners were Sakurayama Shirosaburô I, Fujikawa Buzaemon I and Kanazawa Goheiji I.

11th lunar month of 1710: Buzaemon performed in Kyôto at Ebisuya Shôdayû's theater in the kaomise drama "Inari Chôja Yotsugimaru", which was produced by Yamashita Karumo; his stage partners were Yamashita Kyôemon I, Yoshizawa Ayame I, Fujikawa Buzaemon I and Sawamura Chôjûrô I.

3rd lunar month of 1711: Jinpachi's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, dôkegata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1711: Jinpachi performed in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Kikenjô", which was produced at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I and celebrated the shûmei of Takioka Saburoshirô and Murayama Heijûrô II.

3rd lunar month of 1712: Jinpachi's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, dôkegata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1714: Jinpachi played the role of Arii Shingo in the kaomise drama "Azuma-zukuri Ôdaidokoro", which was produced at Kameya Kumenojô's theater by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

11th lunar month of 1717: Jinpachi played the role of Ono no Yoshizane in Sakakiyama Kansuke I's kaomise drama "Ômu Gaeshi Momotose Gitsune", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater; his stage partners were Shibazaki Rinzaemon I, Kirinami Takie, Yamada Jinpachi, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Sawamura Otoemon I, Sakakiyama Koshirô I, Katayama Kozaemon, Matsushima Moheiji, Bandô Matajûrô I and Onoe Samon.

11th lunar month of 1718: Jinpachi played in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of the kagokaki Jinsuke in the kaomise drama "Chôseiden Kogane no Ishizue", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

11th lunar month of 1719: Jinpachi played in Kyôto the role of Takasago Hyôbudayû in the kaomise drama "Hôraisan Hiyoku no Tsurukame", which was produced by Yamatoyama Jinzaemon I for the nadai Ebisuya Kichirôbê.

11th lunar month of 1721: Jinpachi played in Kyôto at Ebisuya Kichirôbê's theater the role of Kingorô in the kaomise drama "Yamato Uta Denju no Tomikura".

1722: Jinpachi fell ill; he retired from the Kabuki world.

9th lunar month of 1728: Jinpachi died in Kyôto.

Comments:

Yamada Jinpachi was one of the most important dôkegata in Kabuki history, excelling in fool (ahô) roles like Kaneko Kichizaemon. He was considered as the very first ahô actor in Kabuki. This actor, who had no master and did not train any disciple, was able to make the audience laugh in sad passages of a drama, without spoiling the tragedy and without any form of vulgarity. Unlike Kaneko Kichizaemon, he did not travel and spent all his career in Kyôto. Both actors died the same month the same year.

The actors Yamada Jinpachi and Yamamoto Koshikibu playing the roles of Sangobê and Kumagai Tsunajirô in the new year drama "Keisei Ôhara Sanemori", which was staged in Kyôto at Ebisuya Kichirôbê's theater in january 1721