Stage names:

Yamashita Kamenojô I

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: ???

Connection:

Adoptive father: Yamashita Kyôemon I

Son: Sanjô Namie I (Yamashita Kamenojô III)

Disciple: Yamashita Kamenojô II

Career:

1698: he started his career in Kyôto as a disciple of Yamashita Hanzaemon I, who gave him the name of Yamashita Kamenojô I. He was trained to be a wakaonnagata actor.

1st lunar month of 1699: Kamenojô played at Miyako Mandayû's theater (Kyôto) the role of the koshimoto Konatsu in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Hotoke no Hara", which was produced by Sakata Tôjûrô I. This was most likely Kamenojô's first stage appearance.

7th lunar month of 1707: Kamenojô played at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater (Kyôto) the role of the keisei Tamahashi in the drama "Uta Makura Kaikoku Saigyô Hôshi".

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

11th lunar month of 1708: Kamenojô played at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater (Kyôto) the role of Hakata Kojorô in the kaomise drama "Ebisukô Musubi no Gojin".

3rd lunar month of 1709: Kamenojô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

Spring 1710: Kamenojô produced in Kyôto the new year drama "Keisei Chikubu Shima".

3rd lunar month of 1710: Kamenojô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

Fall 1710: Kamenojô went to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1710: he was expected ot perform at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Shinsen Kazanin". His feet causing him a lot of pain, he could not appear on stage.

1st lunar month of 1711: Kamenojô played at the Nakamuraza the role of the courtesan Ôiso no Tora in the new year drama "Senrei Suehiro Soga"; his performance did not go down well with the Edo audience. Then, he performed the leading role in the dance "Kanpaku Sumidagawa", a sumidagawamono/kyôranmono dance, which was a huge success.

Fall 1711: Kamenojô went back to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1711: Kamenojô played in Kyôto the role of Oraku 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: Kamenojô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Takeshima Takisaburô and Yamamoto Kamon.

Fall 1712: Kamenojô went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1712: Kamenojô played in Ôsaka the role of Kyô-no-Oren in the kaomise drama "Inari Daimyô Shintaku no Kamado", which was produced by Mitsuyama Shichisaburô; his stage partners were Otowa Jirosaburô I, Sawamura Chôjûrô I, Sanogawa Hanazuma I, Mihara Jûdayû I, Ikushima Jûshirô, Ôshima Kajûrô, Kaneko Jûrozaemon, Takashima Onoe and Sawamura Kodayû.

1st lunar month of 1714: Kamenojô played the role of the courtesan Ôshû in the drama "Keisei Asama-ga-Dake", which was produced by Yamamoto Hikogorô in Ôsaka; his stage partners were Sawamura Chôjûrô I (Asama Tomoenojô), Kirinami Takie (the courtesan Miura), Yamashita Kyôemon I (Hanaoka Wadaemon), Ôtori Michiemon (Hyôsuke) and Ôshima Kajûrô (Yotarô).

1714: Kamenojô went back to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1715: Kamenojô played at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater the role of Oyatsu 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: Kamenojô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1716: Kamenojô played in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Eboshidakara Mangoku no Kaname", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I for the nadai Miyako Mandayû.

1st lunar month of 1717: Kamenojô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, slightly fell to jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).

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

18th of the 1st lunar month of 1717 ^[1]: his adoptive father Yamashita Kyôemon I died.

1st lunar month of 1718: Kamenojô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, fell to jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).

11th lunar month of 1718: Kamenojô performed at Miyako Mandayû's theater 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 Otowa Jirosaburô I.

Fall 1719: Kamenojô went to Ôsaka.

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

1st lunar month of 1720: Kamenojô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was still jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent). 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; Kamenojô played the role of Azumaya [casting].

Fall 1720: Kamenojô went back to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1720: Kamenojô performed in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater in the kaomise drama "Gosha no Yonegura Fukki no Aimuko".

1st lunar month of 1721: Kamenojô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was still jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).

11th lunar month of 1722: Kamenojô played the role of Takao in the kaomise drama "Ôbashira Kogane no Sazare Ishi", which was produced in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater by Segawa Kikunojô I.

1st lunar month of 1723: Kamenojô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was back to jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).

11th lunar month of 1723: Kamenojô played the role of Ryôsuke's nyôbô in the kaomise drama "Manchô Chitose-gura", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô I for the nadai Ebisuya Kichirôbê.

11th lunar month of 1724: Kamenojô played in Kyôto the role of Osawa in the kaomise drama "Yomeiri Miyako no Shimadai", which was produced by the zamoto Ogino Umenosuke for the nadai Ebisuya Kichirôbê.

1st lunar month of 1725: Kamenojô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, fell to jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).

1725: Kamenojô retired from the Kabuki world; no record afterwards.

Comments:

Yamashita Kamenojô I was a Kyôto onnagata actor, who was active during the first quarter of the 18th century. He was said to be outstanding in sewamono dramas, especially in sewa nyôbô or keisei roles. From a technical point of view, he excelled in nuregoto, onna budô or onryôgoto. He had a great stage presence and was notable for his kôseki (good voice and good at delivering lines). His ranking in the hyôbanki started to decline from the end of the 1710s.

[1] The 18th day of the 1st lunar month of the 2nd year of the Kyôhô era was the 28th of February 1717 in the western calendar.

Yamashita Kamenojô I playing the role of Kyô-no-Oren in the kaomise drama "Inari Daimyô Shintaku no Kamado", which was staged in Ôsaka in the 11th lunar month of 1712

Prints & Illustrations

The Yamashita Kamenojô line of actors