Stage names:

Bandô Mitsugorô VII
Bandô Yasosuke II

Guild: Yamatoya

Line number: SHICHIDAIME (VII)

Existence: 1882 ~ 4 November 1961

Connection:

Father: Morita Kan'ya XII

Brother: Morita Kan'ya XIII

Sister: Bandô Tamasaburô III

Masters: Ichikawa Danjûrô IX, Nakamura Shikan IV

Dance masters: Fujima Kan'emon II, Hanayagi Katsujirô

Adopted son: Bandô Mitsugorô VIII

Disciples: Bandô Minosuke V, Bandô Mitsuemon IV, Bandô Daikichi II, Bandô Daikichi III, Bandô Mitsusaburô, Bandô Kôtarô, Bandô Mitsunojô

Career:

October 1889: he made his first stage appearance, received the name of Bandô Yasosuke II and performed at the Kiriza in the drama "Date Kurabe Okuni Kabuki".

April 1906: Bandô Yasosuke II took the name of Bandô Mitsugorô VII at the Kabukiza, performing in the drama "Mekura Nagaya Ume Kagatobi".

1908: Mitsugorô became zagashira at the Ichimuraza; his stage partners were Onoe Kikugorô VI and Nakamura Kichiemon I.

March 1910: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the kyôgen "Hanago", adapted for Kabuki by Okamura Shikô and staged under the title "Migawari Zazen"; Mitsugorô played the role of Tamanoi [casting].

June 1911: Mitsugorô played at the Ichimuraza the roles of Shizuka Gozen and the spirit of Taira no Tomomori in the dance-drama "Funa Benkei".

September 1914: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Furukawa Shinsui's drama "Ansei Kibun Tsukuda no Yoarashi"; Mitsugorô played the roles of Kinezumi Seiji and Kasshirô Bunshirô [more details].

January 1916: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the kyôgen "Bô Shibari", which was adapted to kabuki by Okamura Shikô; Mitsugorô played the role of Tarôkaja [casting].

July 1917: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the kyôgen "Tachi Nusubito", adapted for Kabuki by Okamura Shikô with a musical accompaniment written by Kineya Mitarô. Onoe Kikugorô VI, Bandô Hikosaburô VI and Mitsugorô played the 3 roles of the dance.

September 1918: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Okamura Shikô's dance-drama "Imohori Chôja"; Mitsugorô played the role of Jirokurô [casting].

November 1920: Mitsugorô played at the Nihon Gekijô (Kôbe) and at the Misonoza (Nagoya, from the 12th of the month) the roles of Kojirô and Atsumori in the "Jinmon" and "Kumiuchi" scenes of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki"; the role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane was played by Nakamura Kichiemon I.

1921: Mitsugorô left the Ichimuraza.

March 1921: premiere at the Imperial Theater of the dance-drama "Chatsubo", which was adapted from kyôgen to Kabuki by Okamura Shikô and starred Onoe Kikugorô VI and Mitsugorô.

September 1921: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Yamamoto Yûzô's drama "Sakazaki Dewa-no-Kami"; Mitsugorô played the role of Honda Heihachirô Tadatoki [more details].

February 1922: revival at the Imperial Theater of the Nagauta-based dance-drama "Tsuki no Kao Monaka no Natorigusa", which was entitled "Oniji Hyôshimai"; Mitsugorô played the role of Osada Tarô [more details].

February 1926: Mitsugorô played at the Hongôza the roles of Shizuka Gozen and the spirit of Taira no Tomomori in the dance-drama "Funa Benkei".

April 1926: Mitsugorô played at the Hongôza the roles of Ishidô Umanojô and Genroku in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

January 1924: Mitsugorô played at the Minamiza (Kyôto) and at the Misonoza (Nagoya, from the 18th of the month) the roles of Kojirô and Atsumori in the "Jinmon" and "Kumiuchi" scenes of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki"; the role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane was played by Nakamura Kichiemon I.

May 1926: Mitsugorô played the role of Abe no Munetô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara", which was performed at the Asakusa Shôchikuza; his stage partners were Ichikawa Chûsha VII (Abe no Sadatô), Bandô Shûchô III (Sodehagi) and Ichimura Kamezô III (Yoshiie).

April 1928: Mitsugorô played for the first time the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the bombastic play "Ya-no-Ne", which was staged at the Meijiza.

January 1932: Mitsugorô played at the Nakaza (Ôsaka) the role of Sakata Kurando in the drama "Komochi Yamanba"; the roles of Yaegiri was played by Sawamura Sôjûrô VII.

April 1932: premiere at the Kabukiza of Mayama Seika's ninjômono drama "Edoe Ryôgoku Hakkei" (commonly called "Arakawa no Sakichi"); Mitsugorô played the role of Emaya Jûsaku [casting].

September 1933: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of the Nagauta-based kyôgen "Takatsuki", which was adapted for Kabuki by Hisamatsu Issei (lyrics) and Kashiwa Izaburô (music) and performed by Onoe Kikugorô VI and Mitsugorô. Premiere atthe Tôkyô Gekijô of Kawamura Karyô's drama "Jôshû Miyage Hyakuryô Kubi"; Mitsugorô played the role of the goyôkiki Hayabusa no Kanji [more details].

March 1935: premiere at the Kabukiza of the danmari "Otowa-ga-Dake Danmari"; Mitsugorô played the role of Edo Jirô Masayuki [more details].

May 1936: Mitsugorô played at the Kabukiza the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the bombastic play "Ya-no-Ne".

june 1940: Mitsugorô played at the Kabukiza the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the bombastic play "Ya-no-Ne".

January 1940: Mitsugorô played at the Kabukiza the role of Arajishi Otokonosuke in the "Yuka Shita" scene of the classic "Meiboku Sendai Hagi"; the role of Nikki Danjô was played by Matsumoto Kôshirô VII.

May 1949: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of the dance-drama "Higaki"; Mitsugorô played the role of Shii no Shôshô [casting].

September 1951: Mitsugorô played for the last time the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune, at the Kabukiza, in the bombastic play "Ya-no-Ne".

July 1956: revival at the Kabukiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Sumidagawa Hana no Goshozome", commonly called "Onna Seigen"; Mitsugorô played the role of Awazu Rokuemon Toshikane [more details].

September 1957: Mitsugorô collapsed on the Kabukiza stage while performing in the dance-drama "Kanzan Jittoku". This was his last performance.

4 November 1961: Mitsugorô died in Tôkyô.

Comments:

Bandô Mitsugorô VII was an excellent dancer, nicknamed "The God of Dance" ("Odori no Kamisama" in Japanese) and stage partner of Onoe Kikugorô VI in great dances like the 2 famous kyôgen "Migawari Zazen" (premiered at the Ichimuraza in 1910) and "Bô Shibari" (premiered at the Ichimuraza in 1916). Aragoto was another of his fields of excellence.

Bandô Mitsugorô VII's best roles : Tadanobu ("Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"), Kisen ("Rokkasen Sugata no Irodori"), Soga Gorô Tokimune ("Kotobuki Soga no Taimen" and "Ya-no-Ne"), the leading roles of the dances "Yasuna", "Chatsubo", "Kurama Jishi", "Sanja Matsuri", "Kairaishi", "Tomo Yakko" and "Tanemaki Sanbasô".

Bandô Mitsugorô VII in a yakko role in a print made by Natori Shunsen

Prints & Illustrations

Print made by Yamamura Toyonari in 1922

The Bandô Yasosuke line of actors

The Bandô Mitsugorô line of actors