Stage names:

Otowa Jirosaburô I
Otowa Minenosuke

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: ??? ~ Summer 1732

Connection:

???

Career:

End of the 1670s ~ 1690: he performed in Kyôto as a wakashugata; his first stage name was Otowa Minenosuke.

1691: he became tachiyaku in Kyôto and took the name of Otowa Jirosaburô I.

Spring 1700: Jirosaburô produced in Ôsaka Ki-no-Kaion's play "Keisei Mugen no Kane", which starred Kataoka Nizaemon I.

1st lunar month of 1701: Jirosaburô went back to Kyôto and played at Ebisuya Kichirôbê's theater the role of Sadanojô in the new year drama "Miyako no Waka Ebisu", which was produced by Yamashita Hanzaemon I; his others stage partners were Ogino Samanojô I, Kanazawa Goheiji I, Yamashita Sagoemon, Okada Samanosuke and Yamamoto Kamon.

3rd lunar month of 1702: Jirosaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

1st lunar month of 1704: Jirosaburô went to Ôsaka and played the role of Okazaki Akushirô in the new year drama "Koi no Minamoto Yumi Hajime", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô II. Jirosaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Osagawa Jûemon, Sakurayama Shôzaemon I, Yamashita Matashirô I, Murayama Heijûrô I and Takioka Hikoemon.

Fall 1707: Jirosaburô went to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1707: Jirosaburô performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Hachinoki Ôkagami"; his stage partners were Takeshima Kôzaemon I, Hayakawa Hatsuse, Ichikawa Danshirô I and Kanazawa Goheiji I.

2nd lunar month of 1708: Jirosaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Ikushima Shingorô and Murayama Heiemon III.

11th lunar month of 1708: Jirosaburô played at the Yamamuraza the role of Takiguchi in the kaomise drama "Yorimasa Shiki Samba"; his stage partners were Ikushima Shingorô, Ichikawa Danjûrô II, Nakamura Gentarô and Yamanaka Heikurô I.

Fall 1709: Jirosaburô went back to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1709: Jirosaburô performed in Ôsaka in the kaomise drama "Maiôgi Masaki no Kazura", which was produced by Ogino Yaegiri I. He achieved a great success in a nuregoto scene in duo with Ogino Yaegiri I.

11th lunar month of 1710: Jirosaburô played the role of Okinojô in the kaomise drama "Sasaki Uji Ôshimadai", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I for the nadai Matsumoto Nazaemon; Jirosaburô's stage partners were Sakakiyama Koshirô I, Miyazaki Denkichi, Bandô Matajûrô I and Sodeshima Genji.

3rd lunar month of 1711: Jirosaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1711: Jirosaburô played the role of Sasano Gonjûrô, in reality the young master Tokuwaka, in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Hitachi Obi", which was produced by Arashi San'emon III for the nadai Ôsaka Kuzaemon; the role of Gonjûrô's nyôbô Osatsu was played by Sodeshima Genji.

3rd lunar month of 1712: Jirosaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Miyazaki Denkichi and Shinozuka Jirozaemon I.

11th lunar month of 1712: Jirosaburô played the role of the rônin Miyoshi Sangoemon in the kaomise drama "Inari Daimyô Shintaku no Kamado", which was produced in Ôsaka by Mitsuyama Shichisaburô.

Fall 1713: Jirosaburô went back to Kyôto.

2nd lunar month of 1714: Jirosaburô played the role of Isuke in the kaomise drama "Tarôzuki Wakô no Ônuki", which was produced in Kyôto by Nakamura Shingorô I. The playwright for this kaomise program was Jirosaburô. His rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).

Fall 1715: Jirosaburô went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1715: Jirosaburô played in Ôsaka the role of Sayama Asaemon in the kaomise drama "Seiwa Genji Kaichû Fude", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô I.

1st lunar month of 1716: Jirosaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was back to jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He shared the same rank with Sawamura Chôjûrô I, Miyazaki Denkichi and Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

Fall 1716: Jirosaburô went back to Kyôto.

1st lunar month of 1717: Jirosaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was back to jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He shared the same rank with Shinozuka Jirozaemon I, Shibazaki Rinzaemon I, Osagawa Jûemon and Yamatoyama Jinzaemon I.

11th lunar month of 1717: Jirosaburô played in Kyôto the role of Kamadoyama Taminojô 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: Jirosaburô played at Miyako Mandayû's theater the role of Sakuma Gorojirô in Sadoshima Saburôzaemon's kaomise drama "Meoto Matsu Jufuku no Kodane"; his stage partners were Mihogi Gizaemon I, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Kaneko Kichizaemon, Hyakuninshu Genzaburô, Miyazaki Giheita, Yamamoto Kamon, Tamagawa Genzaburô and Yamashita Kamenojô I.

11th lunar month of 1719: Jirosaburô played in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater the role of Senjô Kansuke in Sadoshima Saburôzaemon's kaomise drama "Shôjô Zakaya Mannen-gura".

12th lunar month of 1722: Jirosaburô became zamoto and produced at Daikokuya Takenojô's theater a kaomise program (unknown title), which starred Yoshizawa Ayame I, Matsumoto Shigemaki, Nakamura Sôjûrô, Miyazaki Giheita, Kanazawa Hikogorô II, Yamatogawa Gorojirô, Iwai Izaemon, Fujioka Daikichi, Kirinami Senju II, Ichikawa Toyama III, Ichikawa Takegorô, Mizuki Masano and Bandô Matasaburô I.

1st lunar month of 1723: Jirosaburô produced in the same theater the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Hitomaruzuka", in which he played the role of Sagara Wasuke.

Fall 1723: Jirosaburô went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1723: Jirosaburô played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of the rônin Moriguchi Sagoemon in the kaomise drama "Fukujukai Kogane no Minato", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

1st lunar month of 1724: Jirosaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was back to jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He shared the same rank with Arashi San'emon III, Kirinoya Gonjûrô I, Sakakiyama Koshirô I and Ôtani Hiroji I.

Spring 1724 ~ Winter 1728: Jirosaburô did not perform in Kyôto or Ôsaka major theaters. Was he on tour? Was he sick? No stage record.

2nd lunar month of 1728: Jirosaburô appeared for the last time on the stage of a major licensed theater, playing the role of Kurihara Sanzaemon in the drama "Man'yô no Hana Nishiki no Akebono", which was produced by Kanazawa Hikogorô in Kyôto. No stage record up to his death in Summer 1732.

Comments:

Otowa Jirosaburô I was an popular Kyôto tachiyaku actor, who achieved fame for himself in Kamigata from the beginning of the 1710s to the middle of the 1720s. This short-sized actor was outstanding in jitsugoto roles. He was also a skilled playwright and became famous by adapting to Kabuki Chikamatsu Monzaemon's puppets drama, although he always refused to keep Gidayû chanting in his dramas.

Otowa Jirosaburô I playing the role of Moriguchi Sagoemon in the kaomise drama "Fukujukai Kogane no Minato", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1723 at the Ônishi no Shibai

Prints & Illustrations