Stage names:

Ôtori Michiemon
Ôtori Kurôji

Existence: ??? ~ ???

Connection:

???

Career:

7th lunar month of 1695: first-recorded performance, in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater; he played under the name of Ôtori Kurôji the role of Kumazawa Tôta in the drama "Shitennô Masu Kagami".

11th lunar month of 1696: Kurôji played in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of Kumagawa Tôta in the drama "Fukujumaru", which was produced by Yamashita Hanzaemon I.

Fall 1699: Kurôji and Uemura Kichisaburô I went together to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1699: Kurôji performed at the Moritaza in the drama "Tôsei Okuni Kabuki".

Fall 1708: Kurôji went back to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1708: he became jitsuaku and took the name of Ôtori Michiemon in Ôsaka, performing in the kaomise drama "Ôkamado Uke Matsuri", which was produced in Ôsaka by Iwai Hanshirô II.

11th lunar month of 1709: Michiemon performed in Ôsaka at Shioya Kuroemon's theater in the kaomise "Inari Chôja Kokonotsu Kogura", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô II.

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

11th lunar month of 1710: Michiemon performed in Ôsaka in the kaomise drama "Shusse Yakushi Jûnishin", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô I.

11th lunar month of 1712: Michiemon performed in Ôsaka in the kaomise drama "Mikawa no Kuni Yatsuhashi no Kura Saiwai Chôja", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô I.

3rd lunar month of 1713: Michiemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1713: Michiemon played in Ôsaka the role of Ôgiku Danjô in the kaomise drama "Ôminato Kogane no Izumi", which was produced by Yamamoto Hikogorô.

2nd lunar month of 1714: Michiemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

1st lunar month (spring?) of 1715: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Daikyôji Mukashi Goyomi", which was entitled "Daikyôji" and was staged in Ôsaka; Michiemon played the role of Sukeshichi [casting].

11th lunar month of 1715: Michiemon performed in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Saiwai Mochimaru Chôja", which celebrated the shûmei of Iwai Hanshirô III.

11th lunar month of 1717: Michiemon played in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai the role of Ôe no Hyôgo (a role popularized by Kataoka Nizaemon I in Kyôto) in the kaomise drama "Benten Chôja Uga no Tama", which was produced by Ogino Kinnojô.

11th lunar month of 1718: Michiemon performed at the Naka no Shibai in Azuma Sanpachi's kaomise drama "Sumiyoshi Tanjôseki", which was produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

1st lunar month of 1719: Michiemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

1st lunar month of 1720: 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; Michiemon played the role of Taira no Kiyomori [casting].

11th lunar month of 1720: Michiemon played in Ôsaka at the Higashi no Shibai the roles of Kaguyama Daizen [illustration] and Kitao Jindayû in Kyôya Yagoshirô's kaomise drama "Kogane no Ikioi" and in the kiri kyôgen "Nanshoku Kamo Samurai Jûshichikinenki", which were produced by Arashi San'emon III.

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

11th lunar month of 1723: Michiemon became katakiyaku and performed at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Hosshôji Kanzaemon in the kaomise drama "Fukujukai Kogane no Minato", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

1st lunar month of 1724: Michiemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He played in the same theater the role of Taira no Masamori in the new year drama "Kôkiden Uwanari Guruma".

Fall 1725: Michiemon went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1725: Michiemon became jitsuaku and played the role of Hideemon ^[1] in the kaomise drama "Sanpukutsui Eiga no Shikishi".

1st lunar month of 1726: Michiemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, fell to jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual].

2nd lunar month of 1726: Michiemon played in the same theater the role of Okuzaemon in the new year drama "Keisei Ise Monogatari".

3rd lunar month of 1726: Michiemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, fell to jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

Fall 1726: he fell ill and had to stop acting for several years.

2nd lunar month of 1729: Michiemon was temporarily back on stage as a jitsuaku to play the role of the karô Usami Genba in the kaomise drama "Wakatake Ôshimadai", which was produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon III.

3rd lunar month of 1729: Michiemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

6th lunar month of 1732 ~ 1734: tour in Ise and long stay in Nagoya; Michiemon's travelling and stage partners were Fujioka Daikichi, Ogino Yaegiri I, Arashi Sanjûrô I, Sakakiyama Fujisaburô, Tatsuoka Someemon, Sawamura Sôgorô I, Sagawa Bunzô II, Fukuda Dan'emon, Tamiya Shirogorô and Matsushima Hyôtarô. No record afterwards.

Comments:

Ôtori Michiemon was a Kamigata jitsuaku/katakiyaku who spent 9 years in Edo in his prime and achieved fame for himself in Ôsaka from the end of the 1700s to the middle of the 1720s. His ranking had its ups and downs due to health issues.

[1] Hideemon or Shûemon? Two possible readings.

Ôtori Michiemon playing the role of Tetsuemon in the kaomise drama "Genji Moyô Ichimai Gushi", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1722 at the Ônishi no Shibai

Prints & Illustrations