Pen name:

Mimasuya Nisôji

Other name:

Iseya Sôzaburô III

Poetry names: Wachô, Watô

Existence: 1784 ~ 5th day of the 8th lunar month of 1856 ^[1]

Connection:

Master: Tsuruya Nanboku IV, Sakurada Jisuke I

Career:

1784 ~ 1806: born in Kuramae, in a family of fudasashi (Iseya) in the district of Kuramae near Asakusa.

27th day of the 6th lunar month of 1806 ^[2]: his master Sakurada Jisuke I died.

1812: with the patronage of Ichikawa Danjûrô VII, he became sakusha at the Ichimuraza. His pen name was Mimasuya ^[3] Nisôji.

1813: he organized a lavish party, inviting many actors and Kabuki-related people in an expensive restaurant in Edo. As a consequence of this amazing party, he was immediately disowned by his family.

1816: he became disciple of Tsuruya Nanboku IV.

11th lunar month of 1818: the Miyakoza went bankrupt and transferred the Ichimuraza license to the Tamagawaza, where Nisôji worked for the tatesakusha Tsuruya Nanboku IV on the kaomise drama "Shitennô Ubuyu no Tamagawa" which starred Matsumoto Kôshirô V, Ichikawa Danjûrô VII, Iwai Hanshirô V, Segawa Kikunojô V, Bandô Hikosaburô IV, Sôryô Jinroku II, Ichikawa Sôzaburô IV, Ôtani Bajû II, Yamashina Jinkichi III and Matsumoto Yonesaburô II.

11th lunar month of 1819: Nisôji worked at the Kawarasakiza, along with Segawa Jokô II (tatesakusha), Hon'ya Sôshichi and Katsu Hyôsuke, on the kaomise drama "Yakko Yakko Edo no Hanayari".

11th lunar month of 1822: Nisôji worked at the Nakamuraza, along with Sakurada Jisuke II and Nakamura Jûsuke IV, on the kaomise drama "Gohiiki Azuma Hyakkan", which celebrated the shûmei of Mimasu Gennosuke I and Sakata Hangorô IV, and welcomed in Edo the Kamigata actor Nakamura Sankô I; the others main actors were Matsumoto Kôshirô V, Bandô Mitsugorô III, Iwai Kumesaburô II, Arashi Kanjûrô I and Yamashina Jinkichi III.

11th lunar month of 1825: Nisôji worked at the Nakamuraza, along with Tsuruya Nanboku IV (tatesakusha) and Katsui Genpachi, on the kaomise drama "Oniwaka Kongen Butai". The main roles were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô VII, Iwai Shijaku I (Osome) and Iwai Kumesaburô II (Hisamatsu); the michiyuki (commonly called "Ukine no Tomodori") is still part of the current Kabuki repertoire.

8th lunar month of 1826: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Soga Nakamura Aki no Torikomi"; Nisôji was a member of the sakusha team [casting].

11th lunar month of 1826: Nisôji worked at the Ichimuraza to assist the tatesakusha Nakamura Jûsuke IV, along with Nagawa Motosuke and Sakurada Jisuke II, on the kaomise drama "Ise Heiji Shô no Kaomise".

11th lunar month of 1827: Nisôji worked at the Ichimuraza, along with Matsushima Chôfu I and Kanai Sangyô, on the kaomise drama "Kawaranu Hana Genji no Kaomise", which starred Bandô Mitsugorô III, Ichikawa Danjûrô VII, Ichimura Uzaemon XII, Bandô Minosuke II, Ichikawa Ichizô II, Iwai Kumesaburô II, Iwai Shijaku I, Osagawa Tsuneyo IV, Nakayama Bungorô II, Sawamura Shabaku, Ogino Izaburô III, Naritaya Sôbê I and Bandô Tamasaburô I.

11th lunar month of 1828: Nisôji became tatesakusha and worked at the Kawarasakiza, along with Tsuuchi Jihê IV and Shinoda Kinji II, on the kaomise drama "Sakigake Genji no Kibamusha", which welcomed in Edo the actors Sawamura Gennosuke II, Arashi Danpachi and Yoshizawa Enjirô. Nisôji's yearly salary was 85 ryô ^[4].

11th lunar month of 1829: Nisôji worked as a tatesakusha at the Kawarasakiza, along with Segawa Jokô II and Shinoda Kinji II, on the kaomise drama "Yamatomoji Iroha Kagami".

27th day of the 11th lunar month of 1829 ^[5]: his second master Tsuruya Nanboku IV died in Edo.

11th lunar month of 1832: Nisôji worked as a tatesakusha, along with Uba Jôsuke II, Shinoda Ginzô and Shinoda Kinji II, at the Kawarasakiza on the drama "Tanomiaru Gohiiki no Tsuna"; which celebrated the shûmei of Yamashita Kinsaku IV.

3rd lunar month of 1833: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of the dance-drama "Ochiudo", starring Ichikawa Ebizô V and Onoe Kikugorô III in the roles of Kanpei and Okaru; the lyrics were written by Nisôji.

11th lunar month of 1833: Nisôji worked as a tatesakusha, along with Namiki Gohei III (who celebrated his shûmei), Takarada Jusuke and Nanboku Magotarô IV, at the Moritaza, on the kaomise drama "Shitennô Kabuki no Yorizome".

2nd lunar month of 1835: premiere at the Ichimuraza of "Ume no Haru Gojûsan Tsugi" ^[6], a drama written by Nisôji, Nakamura Jûsuke IV and Nanboku Magotarô IV.

11th lunar month of 1835: Nisôji worked as a tatesakusha, along with Nanboku Magotarô IV and Sakurada Jisuke III, on the kaomise drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", which starred Onoe Kikugorô III, Ichikawa Ebizô V, Matsumoto Kôshirô V, Osagawa Tsuneyo IV, Onoe Kikujirô II (who celebrated his shûmei), Iwai Shijaku I, Onoe Eizaburô III and Arashi Kanjûrô I.

11th lunar month of 1837: Nisôji worked, along with Tsuruya Nanboku V and Takarada Jusuke, at the Kawarasakiza (which celebrated its reopening!) on the drama "Sekai ha Taira Ume no Kaomise".

11th lunar month of 1838: Nisôji worked, along with Sakurada Jisuke III, Nakamura Jûsuke IV, Matsushima Chôfu II and Tsuruya Nanboku V, at the Nakamuraza on the drama "Isse Ichidai Kuriki no Myônoji", which celebrated the isse ichidai performance of the Edo star Onoe Kikugorô III.

9th lunar month of 1839: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of the Kiyomoto-based dance-drama "Shimero Yare Iro no Kakegoe" (commonly called "Kanda Matsuri"), which starred Sawamura Tosshô I, Onoe Eizaburô III and Ichikawa Ebizô V; the lyrics were written by Nisôji.

11th lunar month of 1839: Nisôji worked, along with Namiki Gohei III, at the Kawarasakiza on the drama "Seishû Akogi-ga-Ura", which starred Ichikawa Ebizô V and Sawamura Tosshô I in the roles of Hiragawara no Jirozô and Akogi no Heiji and welcomed in Edo the Kamigata actor Bandô Jutarô I.

11th lunar month of 1840: Nisôji worked at the Nakamuraza on the drama "Yasa Heike Kabuki no Gunbai" with Bandô Hikosaburô IV as zagashira.

7th lunar month of 1841: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the dance "Ame no Gorô", which was performed by Onoe Tamizô II as part of a nine-role hengemono entitled "Yae Kokonoe Hana no Sugatae"; the lyrics were written by Nisôji.

1843: publication of the book "Sakusha Tana Oroshi" (literally "Playwright Inventory").

11th lunar month of 1845: Nisôji worked, along with Tajima Konosuke II, Toyoshima Shinzô and Namiki Gohei III, at the Nakamuraza on the drama "Hana no Sakazuki Ôeyama", which celebrated the shûmei of Onoe Kikujûrô I.

1846: publication of the book "Okuramae Baka Monogatari" (literally "Stories of the Fools of Okuramae"), commonly called "Jûhachi Ôtsû" (literally The Eighteen Great Golden Boys") ^[7].

11th lunar month of 1847: Nisôji worked, along with Sakurada Jisuke III, Namiki Gohei III, Fujimoto Kichibê, Shimizu Shôshichi II and Fukumori Kyûji, at the Ichimuraza on the drama "Genke Hachidai Megumi no Tsuwamono", which welcomed back in Edo the actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV.

1848: publication of the book "Sakusha Nenjû Gyôji" (literally "Annual Calendar for Playwrights").

11th lunar month of 1848: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of the dance-drama "Takigi Ôyukima no Ichikawa", commonly called "Yamanba"; the lyrics were written by Nisôji [more details]. Afterwards, he stopped working as a sakusha and left the Kabuki world.

1849: publication of the books "Gakuya Suzume" (literally "Backstage Sparrows" ^[8]), "Shibai Hidenshû" (literally "Secrets of the Théâtre"), "Kabuki Shûdan" (literally "Selected Conversations about Kabuki") and "Sakusha Meimoku" (literally "Index of Playwrights").

5th day of the 8th lunar month of 1856 ^[1]: Nisôji died in Edo.

Comments:

Mimasuya Nisôji was an important Edo sakusha, who was active during the first half of the 19th century. Some of his creations are still in the Kabuki repertoire: "Ochiudo" (1833), "Kanda Matsuri" (1839), "Ame no Gorô" (1841) and "Yamanba" (1848).

"A playwright and fan of Danjûrô VII. The son of a wealthy rice merchant, in his early years he was the archetypal spendthrift son, but his dissipation obviously served him well since he went on to write the lyrics for popular dance dramas like The Elopers (Ochiudo), Kanda Festival (Kanda Matsuri), Osome, Gorô and Ubae. He has also been of immense benefit to future Kabuki researchers, as he wrote a book about the structure of the theatre year, and another book of memories about Kabuki playwrights. It is said that Danjûrô interceded to get him a job in the theatre, and when his family heard about the lavish party he threw to celebrate, they disowned him." (from www.naritaya.jp)

"For many years after Nanboku Tsuruya, there were no playwrights capable of filling his place except Mimasuya Nisôji, who gained a position in Edo because of his long service to Edo Kabuki. For twenty years Nisôji wrote for the third Kikugorô, the fourth Nakamura Utaemon, and the seventh Danjûrô, but his work consisted largely in revision. He belonged to a wealthy family and began to write for his own amusement. On account of extravagance and dissipation, he was sent away from his home, and died in his seventies. Nisôji and Nanboku were great friends, and they played practical jokes upon each other. Nanboku was once slightly ill and Nisôji asked a Court doctor to go and examine him. A kago, or palanquin, carried on the shoulders of six stout bearers proceeded to Nanboku's humble dwelling. The Kabuki sakusha had received no warning of the Court physician's visit, and was greatly surprised. Taken unawares, he got out of his bed and bowed low on the mats. When the great medical man took his departure, the kago bearers asked for money, but the maker of plays was incurably poor, and could only pay a small portion of the kago men's demands. In order to get even with Nisôji, Nanboku planned a counter joke. There was a certain shrine in Shinagawa, a suburb of Edo, where the spirit of the famous general, Katô Kiyomasa, was enshrined, and it was Nisôji's habit after visiting the shrine to repair to a tea-house in the vicinity. There was some gossip that Nisôji had carried on a flirtation with the daughter of the tea-house keeper, and Nanboku ordered a lantern to be made bearing his friend's crest together with that of the tea-house maiden, and hung it up in front of the shrine. Nisôji was much perplexed, and acknowledged that Nanboku had evened up the score." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")

[1] The 5th day of the 8th lunar month of the 3rd year of the Ansei era was the 3rd of September 1856 in the western calendar.

[2] The 27th day of the 6th lunar month of the 3rd year of the Bunka era was the 11th of August 1806 in the western calendar.

[3] Mimasu, the three measures (of rice), was the mon of the Ichikawa Danjûrô line of actors.

[4] Tsuruya Nanboku IV, the best Edo playwright, was paid 175 ryô. Ichikawa Danjûrô VII, the zagashira at the Kawarasakiza, was paid 700 ryô.

[5] The 27th day of the 11th lunar month of the 12th year of the Bunsei era was the 22nd of December 1829 in the western calendar.

[6] "Given the title, audiences might have expected a version of Jippensha Ikku's (1765–1831) best-selling comic novel Tôkaidôchû Hizakurige (popularly known as Shank's Mare), but what they got instead was a spectacle of frightening scenes, along with erotic interplay and comic spoofing of Nanboku's favorite themes. Ume no haru, like its predecessor, included a monstrous demon cat, but also added a renegade priest who masters rat magic and a thief named Nezumi Kozô ("Kid Rat"). With these elements, the play qualified as a type of drama called neko-sôdômono." (from osakaprints.com)

[7] A book about a group of 18 people called Jûhachi Daitsû, the eighteen big connoisseurs of Edo. A group of rich, elegant and highly-cultured men who spent a lot of money in parties and at the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter. Many of them were fudasashi, a business well-known by Mimasuya Nisôji, who used to be himself a fudasashi at the Iseya, one of the most famous rice brokers in Edo.

[8] In the Kabuki world, the backstage sparrows are fans who are always in the Kabuki dressing rooms.

The name of Mimasuya Nisôji in a 1836 Edo hyôbanki (the name within the red box); all the names were the sakusha at the Ichimuraza (right block) or the Moritaza (left block)