Other name: Kamimura Kichiya II

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Existence: ???

Connection:

Master: Araki Yojibê I

Adoptive father: Uemura Kichiya I

Brother: Uemura Tatsuya

Disciple: Uemura Kichiya III

Career:

11th lunar month of 1681: he performs in Ôsaka as a wakaonnagata in the troupe led by Kaneko Kichizaemon. the others wakaonnagata are Matsumoto Sanshirô, Ichimura Kin'ya, Iwai Morinosuke, Shimomura Katsunojô and Karamatsu Kasen.

17th day of the 5th lunar month of 1683: the courtesan Yamatoya Ichinojô and her lover Goze no Chôemon commit suicide together in Ôsaka. This event causes quite a stir and three Ôsaka theaters decide to capitalize on the situation by simultaneously producing the first shinjûmono of Kabuki history; Kichiya plays the role of Ichinojô in one of these productions, with Arashi San'emon I in the role of Chôemon [more details].

11th lunar month of 1686: Kichiya performs in Kyôto for the zamoto Iwamoto Gonzaburô. Kichiya's stage partners are Sakata Tôjûrô I, Okada Samanosuke, Nakamura Kazuma II, Shiga Kichibê and Hattori Jiroza.

1st lunar month of 1687: Kichiya's rank in "Yarô Tachiyaku Butai Ôkagami" is jô (superior) [visual]. He shares this ranking with Araki Yojibê I, Yamashita Hanzaemon I, Takeshima Kôzaemon I, Suzuki Heizaemon I, Nakamura Kazuma II, Takenaka Kichisaburô I, Fujita Koheiji I and Karamatsu Kasen.

11th lunar month of 1689: Kichiya plays in Ôsaka in the drama "Fujiwara no Haruhime", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô I. His two main stage partnere are Murayama Heijûrô I and Nakagawa Kinnojô.

1691: Kichiya most likely plays in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai in the drama "Sakai no Daiji Kaichô", which stars Sakata Tôjûrô I.

1st lunar month of 1693: publication of "Kokon Shibai Irokurabe Hyakunin Isshu"; Kichiya is one of the 100 actors selected in this book. This is unfortunately the last record of Kichiya.

Comments:

Uemura Kichiya II was a 17th century Kamigata onnagata actor and the heir of the legendary Uemura Kichiya I. His career was short (less than 15 years) but successful. He excelled in dancing, shûtangoto and onryôgoto. He was nicknamed by his fans Pintokona no Kichiya (the word pintokona was used during the Genroku era to refer to strong females).

Uemura Kichiya II

The Uemura (Kamimura) Kichiya line of actors