Dates of birth and death unknown. Disciple of Yamakawa Hikozaemon, he started his career in Edo, performing as a tachiyaku under the name of Yamakawa Hikogorô. His first-recorded performance happened in the 1st lunar month of 1700 at the Nakamuraza, where he played in the new year drama "Mannen Goyomi Inariyama". He went to Kyôto, became katakiyaku and took the name of Ôtani Hikosaburô to play the role of Gofukuya Shôbê in the 1st lunar month of 1707 in the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Kiba no Ume", which was staged at Miyako Mandayû's theater. He was active in Kyôto up to 1725 (where he was in the last years of his stay both an actor and a tôdori). He went to Ôsaka at the beginning of 1727 and switched to tachiyaku roles. He played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Tsukuba Sukejûrô in the drama "Butsumo Mayasan Kaichô", which was produced by Yamamoto Kyôshirô I in the 2nd lunar month of 1726. His ranking in the 1726 Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-(shiro)jô (superior - (white) superior) [visual]. He stopped acting in ôshibai and started to perform in tabi shibai. There were records of performances in Ise and Nagoya in 1731. He performed as a jitsuaku in Nagoya in 1732. His last-recorded performance happened in 1734 in Nagoya, where he performed for the zamoto Onogawa Sennosuke at the Seijuin no Shibai. No record afterwards.