Stage names:

Bandô Matajûrô I
Bandô Sawaemon
Uemura Sagenta
Sodesaki Chisato

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: ???

Connection:

Masters: Bandô Matakurô II (?), Sodesaki Karyû (?)

Career:

11th lunar month of 1693: first-recorded performance in Kyôto; this wakaonnagata was most likely a disciple of Sodesaki Karyû and his stage name was Sodesaki Chisato.

1695: he went to Edo to perform at the Moritaza, where he took the name of Uemura Sagenta (relation to the Uemura clan unknown).

11th lunar month of 1696: Sagenta played at the Moritaza the role of Akashi-no-Mae in the drama "Shitennô Yome Kagami".

1st lunar month of 1700: he became tachiyaku, most likely disciple of Bandô Matakurô II, and took the name of Bandô Sawaemon at the Moritaza, playing the role of Hachiman Tarô in the new year drama "Kagemasa Ikazuchi Mondô".

Fall 1705: Sawaemon went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1705: Bandô Sawaemon took the name of Bandô Matajûrô I in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater.

Fall 1706: Matajûrô went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1706: he became katakiyaku and played the role of Ikegami Hasunojô in the kaomise drama "Shinpan Honma Kyôgen", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô II.

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

11th lunar month of 1708: Matajûrô became jitsuaku and performed in Ôsaka in the kaomise drama "Tate Eboshi Daijin Bashira", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô I.

3rd lunar month of 1709: Matajûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô (superior) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1709: Matajûrô performed in Ôsaka in the kaomise drama "Maiôgi Masaki no Kazura", which was produced by Ogino Yaegiri I.

3rd lunar month of 1710: Matajûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-(shiro)jô (superior - (white) superior) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1710: Matajûrô performed in Ôsaka in the kaomise drama "Sasaki Uji Ôshimadai", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

3rd lunar month of 1711: Matajûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

Fall 1715: Matajûrô went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1715: Matajûrô became tachiyaku and performed in the kaomise drama "Chiyogasane Kiku no Shinpai", which was produced by Yamatoyama Jinzaemon I for the nadai Hayagumo Chôdayû.

11th lunar month of 1717: Matajûrô played the role of Ôtomo no Kuronushi in Sakakiyama Kansuke I's kaomise drama "Ômu Gaeshi Momotose Gitsune", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater; his stage partners were Shibazaki Rinzaemon I, Kirinami Takie, Yamada Jinpachi, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Sawamura Otoemon I, Sakakiyama Koshirô I, Katayama Kozaemon, Matsushima Moheiji and Onoe Samon.

11th lunar month of 1719: Matajûrô became jitsuaku and played the role of Wadanohara Tatewaki in the kaomise drama "Hôraisan Hiyoku no Tsurukame", which was produced by Yamatoyama Jinzaemon I for the nadai Ebisuya Kichirôbê.

Fall 1721: Matajûrô went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1721: Matajûrô played at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Onna Genji Musha Sugoroku", which was produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

11th lunar month of 1722: Matajûrô played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Kumagushi Dôkan in the kaomise drama "Genji Moyô Ichimai Gushi", which was produced by Yamatoyama Jinzaemon II (who celebrated his shûmei).

Fall 1728: Matajûrô went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1728: Matajûrô became katakiyaku and performed in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Kogane no Uroko", which was produced by Sanogawa Mangiku at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater.

Fall 1730: Matajûrô went to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1730: Matajûrô played at the Moritaza the role of Abe no Munetô in the kaomise drama "Kankatsu Michinoku no Miyako".

1st lunar month of 1734: Matajûrô played at the Moritaza the role of Kajiwara in the new year drama "Harukoma Kanô Soga"; this was his last-recorded stage performance. We don't know what happens to him afterwards. His last ranking in the Edo hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-(shiro)jô (superior - (white) superior) [visual].

Comments:

Bandô Matajûrô I was a versatile actor, who was active in Kamigata and Edo from the beginning of the 1690s to the middle of the 1730s. He was trained as an onnagata but switched to male roles in 1700 and performed either as a tachiyaku, katakiyaku or jitsuaku.

Bandô Matajûrô I playing the role of Abe no Munetô in the kaomise drama "Kankatsu Michinoku no Miyako", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1730 at the Moritaza

The Bandô Matajûrô line of actors