Stage names:

Kirishima Gizaemon I
Kirishima Kosaburô

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry names: Fûko ^[1], Shun'ei

Existence: ???

Connection:

Father: Kirishima Jûemon

Disciples: Kirishima Gizaemon II, Kirishima Shinshirô, Kirishima Sentarô

Career:

11th lunar month of 1722: son of the katakiyaku actor Kirishima Jûemon, he made his debut on stage in Ôsaka, where he performed as an iroko in the kaomise drama "Shingoten Aioi no Komatsu", which was produced by Arashi San'emon III.

1724: Kosaburô became wakashugata.

1730s ~ 1740s: he performed in tabi shibai; he took the name of Kirishima Gizaemon I at an unknown date.

11th lunar month of 1749: Gizaemon was back in ôshibai; he became tachiyaku and played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Kisanta in the kaomise drama "Fûryû Gosho Zakura", which was produced by Nakamura Jûzô I.

1st lunar month of 1750: Gizaemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was two black strokes above jô-(shiro)jô (superior - (white) superior) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1750: Gizaemon became jitsuaku and performed at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Tachibana Gojûyongun", which was produced by Iwata Somematsu I; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danzô III, Arashi Shichigorô I, Bandô Toyosaburô I and Yoshizawa Sakinosuke II.

3rd lunar month of 1751: Gizaemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1751: Gizaemon played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Sannigorobê in the kaomise drama "Sode Nikki Futatsu Domoe", which was produced by Nakamura Jûzô I.

11th lunar month of 1752: Gizaemon played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Takamatsu Gengo in the kaomise drama "Kyô Miyage Matsuri Zoroe"; his stage partners were Wakayama Shinkurô, Wakayama Bunshichi, Yamamoto Kyôshirô I, Ôtani Hirohachi I, Matsushima Kiyosaki, Iwata Somematsu I, Ichimura Sanohachi, Kiriyama Monji I, Matsushima Moheiji, Takenaka Heikichi, Murayama Heijûrô IV and Nakamura Shirogorô III.

1st lunar month of 1753: Gizaemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1753: Gizaemon played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Nose Kenmotsu [picture] in the kaomise drama "Nakatomi Sandaijin", which was produced by Ichimura Sanohachi.

1st lunar month of 1754: Gizaemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

10th/11th lunar month of 1754: Gizaemon played in Ôsaka at the Kita no Shinchi Shibai the role of Kajiwara Heiji Kagetaka in the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki", which was produced by Yamamoto Sakichi.

1st lunar month of 1755: Gizaemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

2nd lunar month of 1755: Gizaemon went for the first time in his career to Kyôto; first Kabuki adaptation of the 5 acts puppet theater drama "Ono no Tôfû Aoyagi Suzuri", which was produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I and staged at the Minamigawa no Shibai as a kaomise drama; Gizaemon played the role of Daroku [casting].

12th lunar month of 1755: Gizaemon played at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of Yakushiji Jirozaemon [picture] in the kaomise drama "Homare Otoko Bandaigura" ^[2], which was produced by Nanba Matsunosuke.

1st lunar month of 1756: Gizaemon's Kyôto in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1756: Gizaemon played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of the bashi Shujin no Ichizô (in reality Kyô no Jirô) in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Bimandai Kuniiri Kamakura Kagami".

1st lunar month of 1757: Gizaemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1757: Gizaemon played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Yoshimura Tanzaemon in Sakurato Bunsaku's kaomise drama "Tsunomoji Keman no Yurai", which was produced by Nakamura Kumetarô I.

1st lunar month of 1758: Gizaemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. First Kabuki adaptation of the 5 acts puppet theater drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki" ^[3], which was simultaneously produced at the Minamigawa no Shibai [casting] and the Kitagawa no Shibai [casting]; Gizaemon played in the latter theater the roles of Yamaguchi Kurojirô and Kojibê.

8th lunar month of 1758: Gizaemon played in the same theater the role of Sudô Rokurôemon in Sakurato Bunsaku's drama "Hinin Monogatari".

11th lunar month of 1758: Gizaemon performed at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Homare Musha Senri no Kachidoki", which was produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I and Somematsu Matsujirô.

1st lunar month of 1759: Gizaemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]; Gizaemon played in the same theater the role of Hosokawa Takakuni in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Kachôzan".

7th lunar month of 1759: Gizaemon played in the same theater the roles of Imagawa Tamon and Izumo no Sanpei in the drama "Shimabara Okuni Kabuki". He also played the roles of Miyoshi Sakondayû and Ichinose Zenjibê in "Kurikararyû Renbo no Fuchi".

11th lunar month of 1759: Gizaemon played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Taira no Tokitada and Ono no Kudayû in the kaomise drama "Hônen no Miyako Mutsuki no Kotobuki" ^[4], which was produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I and celebrated the shûmei of Nakamura Kichiemon I, Nakamura Jûzô II and Matsuya Shinjûrô.

1st lunar month of 1760: Gizaemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. Gizaemon played in the same theater the role of Shiaku Tôdayû in the new year drama "Senjin Ukisu no Iwa".

2nd lunar month of 1760: Gizaemon played in the same theater the roles of Manago no Shôji and Kiyomizu Seigen in the new year drama "Keisei Chikai no Kane", which celebrated the shûmei of Nakamura Kitsuemon.

11th lunar month of 1760: Gizaemon played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Fuwa Bansaku in the kaomise drama "Ôshimadai Kitsune no Mukoiri", which was produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I.

1st lunar month of 1761: Gizaemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual]. Gizaemon played in the same theater the role of Yamana Saemon in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Ôuchiyama".

11th lunar month of 1761: Gizaemon performed in Kyôto at Kameya Kumenojô's theater in Amano Kyûshichi's kaomise drama "Mineiri Futaba Genji", which was produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I.

1st lunar month of 1762: Gizaemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual]. Gizaemon played in the same theater the roles of Naoi Yamatonosuke and Otowa no Gihachi in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Kanekake no Matsu".

11th lunar month of 1762: Gizaemon performed at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Tenka Taihei Kogane no Kurairi", which was produced by Onoe Montarô and Sawamura Kunitarô I.

3rd lunar month of 1763: Gizaemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1763: Gizaemon played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Ôba no Jûbê, in reality Iwabara no Yoichi, in Sakurato Bunsaku's kaomise drama "Hôraisan Hatsuhi no Kachidoki", which was produced by Arashi Matsunojô III.

1st lunar month of 1764: Gizaemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual]. Gizaemon played in the same theater the roles of Azai Daizennosuke and Utsumi Sachû (in reality Komagata Jûbê) in Namiki Shôzô I's ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Hana no Shiroyama".

Fall 1764: Gizaemon went back to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1764: Gizaemon performed at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Momotarô Obako Banashi", which was produced by Nakayama Bunshichi I and celebrated the shûmei of Yoshizawa Ayame III.

12th lunar month of 1764: Gizaemon played in the same theater the roles of the yakko Datehei and Tokubê's father in the drama "Tenjiku Tokubê Kikigaki no Ôrai".

1st lunar month of 1765: Gizaemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual].

2nd lunar month of 1765: Gizaemon played in the same theater the role of Washizuka Kandayû in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".

11th lunar month of 1765: Gizaemon performed at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Ôzatsuki Shuen no Kachidoki" ^[5], which was produced by Mimasu Daigorô I.

1st lunar month of 1766: Gizaemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual].

Fall 1766: Gizaemon went to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1766: Gizaemon performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Kogane no Hana Kaijin Arasmusha".

1st lunar month of 1767: Gizaemon's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual]. Gizaemon played in the same theater the roles of Kudô Saemon Suketsune and Shinobu no Sôta in the new year drama "Hatsu Akinai Ômise Soga".

Fall 1767: Gizaemon went back to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1767: Gizaemon performed at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Danjo Aishô Kagami", which was produced by Nakayama Raisuke I.

1st lunar month of 1768: Gizaemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual].

Fall 1768: Gizaemon went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1768: Gizaemon performed at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Kaeribana Misao Taiheiki", which celebrated the shûmei of Nakamura Noshio I, Nakamura Tsutaemon and Arashi Kasen; Gizaemon's main stage partners were Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Onoe Kikugorô I, Nakamura Jûzô II, Onoe Shinshichi I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô II and Matsuya Shinjûrô.

3rd lunar month of 1769: Gizaemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

5th lunar month of 1769: Gizaemon appeared on stage for the last time, in Kyôto at the Minamigawa no Shibai, where he played the role of Katagiri Sôta in the drama "Katsuragawa Chishio no Marutabashi" (a play belonging to the same sekai as the future "Katsuragawa Renri no Shigarami"); no record afterwards.

Comments:

Kirishima Gizaemon I was an important jitsuaku actor, who was active in Kyôto and Ôsaka from the end of the 1740s to the end of the 1760s. He was a travelling actor in his prime and he spent only one season in Edo at the end of his career.

[1] Fûko or Fuko.

[2] This drama was a chûshinguramono.

[3] The title at the Kitagawa no Shibai was "Keisei Niwatoriyama", not "Gion Sairei Shinkôki".

[4] This drama mixed the sekai of "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura", "Hirakana Seisuiki", "Gosho Zakura Horikawa no Youchi" and "Fujito no Watashi".

[5] There were two zamoto at the Naka no Shibai, Mimasu Daigorô I and Nakamura Utaemon I, and there were two kaomise dramas produced in this theater. Nakamura Utaemon I produced the two dramas and Mimasu Daigorô I produced only the second drama. The two dramas had a different casting but used the same title "Ôzatsuki Shuen no Kachidoki".

Mimasu Daigorô I (left) and Kirishima Gizaemon I (right) playing the roles of the bashi Ishibe no Kinkichi (in reality Mata no Gorô Kagehisa) and bashi Shujin no Ichizô (in reality Kyô no Jirô) in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Bimandai Kuniiri Kamakura Kagami", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1756 at the Minamigawa no Shibai

Prints & Illustrations