Stage names:

Matsumoto Kozaemon
Yamazaki Kozaemon
Yamazaki Kodayû

Existence: ???

Connection:

Master: Matsumoto Nazaemon III

Career:

Before 1687: born and trained in Kamigata. His first stage name was Yamazaki Kodayû. He was called by Hisamatsu Koshirô, who was said to be one of his relatives.

8th lunar month of 1687: Kodayû, along with Bandô Matatarô I, Kokon Shinzaemon, Takimoto Kinnosuke, Takimoto Kingo, Akashi Sennosuke, Murayama Manzaburô, Hanamura Kinue, Katayama Shinzô, Sakurai Kaheiji and others, was invited to perform at the Edo mansion of the daimyô Matsudaira Yamato-no-Kami (the kami of the Yamato province).

1687 ~ 1692: he performed in Edo as a wakaonnagata.

1694 (?): he settled in Kyôto and took the name of Yamazaki Kozaemon.

1st lunar month of 1695: Kozaemon performed in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Ima Genji Rokujûjô".

1698: Kozaemon settled in Ôsaka, where he became a disciple of Matsumoto Nazaemon III, received the name of Matsumoto Kozaemon and performed as a kashagata.

1st lunar month of 1700: Kozaemon played the role of a kôshitsu in the new year drama "Kamakura Shôgatsu Tsukai", which was produced in Ôsaka by Arashi San'emon II.

11th lunar month of 1706: Kozaemon played in Ôsaka a role of midaidokoro in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Chôhôki", which was produced by Arashi San'emon III.

11th lunar month of 1710: Kozaemon played in Ôsaka a role of kôshitsu in the kaomise drama "Shinzome Hinagata Chôja".

11th lunar month of 1711: Kozaemon played in Ôsaka the role of Daihachi's mother in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Hitachi Obi", which was produced by Arashi San'emon III.

1st lunar month of 1712: Kozaemon played in the same theater the role of Ninomiya's elder sister in the new year drama "Soga Furiwake Gami".

3rd lunar month of 1712: Kozaemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, kashagata section, was jô (superior) [visual]. No record afterwards.

Comments:

Matsumoto Kozaemon was a kashagata actor, who was born and trained in Kamigata, spent the first half of his career in Edo and spent the second half of his career in Ôsaka. He was active from the second half of the 1680s to the beginning of the 1710s.

Mitsuyama Shichisaburô (left), Matsumoto Kozaemon (center) and Takeshima Kôjûrô (right) playing the roles of Daihachi, Daihachi's mother and Oki-no-Ishi Banzaemon in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Hitachi Obi", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1711 in Ôsaka

Prints & Illustrations