Stage names:

Kiriyama Monji II
Arashi Jizô I
Arashi Shinzô
Arashi Jizô I
Yamashita Jizô

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Existence: ???

Connection:

Master: Arashi Hinasuke I

Career:

1st lunar month of 1766: Yamashita Jizô appears for the first time in a Kabuki hyôbanki, in Kyôto in the katakiyaku section. Relationship to the Yamashita clan unknown.

Summer 1770: he becomes disciple of Arashi Hinasuke I and receives the name of Arashi Jizô.

11th lunar month of 1770: he changes his stage name to Arashi Shinzô.

1773: he takes back the name of Arashi Jizô I.

Summer 1775: he takes the name of Kiriyama Monji II.

Fall 1775: he settles in Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1775: Monji plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Arata Gorô in the kaomise drama "Gohiiki Tenmokuzan", which is produced by Mimasu Matsunojô and welcomes in Ôsaka the actor Sawamura Sôjûrô III.

12th lunar month of 1775: Monji plays in the same theater the roles of Sagisaka Bannai, Senzaki Yagorô and Amakawaya Igo in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

1st lunar month of 1776: Monji's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiuchi/jitsuaku section, is jô-(shiro)jô (superior - (white) superior).

4th lunar month of 1776: Monji plays in the same theater the roles of Koppa no Gon and Yahei in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami".

7th lunar month of 1776: Monji plays in the same theater the roles of Hirayama no Mushadokoro and Mojibei in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".

7th lunar month of 1776: Monji plays in the same theater the roles of the yakko Tansuke, Washizuka Kandayû's wife Ozasa and Honda Yasozaemon in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".

11th lunar month of 1776: Monji plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Yatsurugi Naizen in the kaomise drama "Genji Saikô Uchide no Kozuchi", which is produced by Arashi Shichisaburô II.

1st lunar month of 1777: Monji's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiuchi/jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

4th lunar month of 1777: premiere in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai of Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi"; Monji plays the roles of Ôba Michitô, Ukiyo Tohei, Yashio, the rônin Satô no Hyôe, Yôsen and Samegai Hyôta [casting].

10th lunar month of 1777: Monji plays in the same theater the role of Itagaki Hyôbu in the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô".

11th lunar month of 1777: Monji plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Oniyagi Kenmotsu and Tarobê (in reality Sueyama Tarô) in the kaomise drama "Ôiri Kabuki no Tsuitachi", which is produced by Ogawa Kichitarô I and celebrates the shûmei of Shibazaki Rinzaemon II.

4th lunar month of 1778: premiere in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai of Namiki Gohê's play "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri"; Monji plays the roles of Jakotsu Babâ, Tsutsui Junkei, Kojibê and Tsutsui Kumatarô [casting].

10th lunar month of 1778: Monji plays in the same theater the role of Gokuin Sen'emon in the drama "Otokodate Itsutsu Karigane"; the roles of Kaminari Shôkurô, Hotei Ichiemon, An no Heibei and Karigane Bunshichi are played by Mimasu Tanin II, Ogawa Kichitarô I, Arashi Hinasuke I and Fujikawa Hachizô II.

11th lunar month of 1778: Monji plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Banba no Chûta in the kaomise drama "Genpei Tatoezukushi", which is produced by Ogawa Kichitarô I and welcomes back in Ôsaka the star Nakamura Tomijûrô I.

3rd lunar month of 1779: premiere in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai of Namiki Gohê's play "Sode Nikki Banshû Meguri"; Monji plays the roles of the yakko Okisuke and Saikoku Sonoemon [casting].

7th lunar month of 1779: Monji plays in the same theater the roles of Tônai and Iwakura Jibudayû in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami".

Fall 1779: Monji goes back to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1779: Monji plays in Kyôto the role of Nagasaka Chôkan in the kaomise drama "Kaikei Kikkegawara", which is produced by Somematsu Shichisaburô II.

1st lunar month of 1780: Monji's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiuchi section, is jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual]. Namiki Gohê's drama "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri" is produced for the first time in Kyôto; Monji plays the roles of Tsutsui Junkei, Kojibê and Monnojô [casting].

11th lunar month of 1781: Monji plays in Kyôto the roles of Miyoshi Kiyotsura and Kasami Kurando in the kaomise drama "Tenmangû Natane no Gokû".

1st lunar month of 1782: Monji's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiuchi section, is jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual].

3rd lunar month of 1782: Monji plays in the same theater the roles of Sagisaka Bannai and Ôta Ryôchiku in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

5th lunar month of 1782: Monji plays in the same theater the roles of Hiraoka Tampei, the tedai Gonkurô and Yamazaki Yojibê in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki".

3rd lunar month of 1783: Monji performs in Nagoya at the Ôsu no Shibai along with Arashi Hinasuke I, Nakamura Utaemon II, Anegawa Minato II, Arashi Sanjûrô IV, Yamashita Kamenojô IV, Arashi Fusajirô, Arashi Konomatsu and Asao Toyozô I. This is his last-recorded performances. We don't know what happens to him afterwards for he disappears from the records.

Comments:

Kiriyama Monji II was a katakiyaku actor who was active in Kamigata from the second half of the 1760s to the beginning of the 1780s. He was the first actor in Kabuki history to perform the role of the evil Yashio in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi".

Kiriyama Monji II playing the role of Banba no Chûta in the kaomise drama "Genpei Tatoezukushi", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1778 at the Kado no Shibai

Prints & Illustrations

The Kiriyama Monji line of actors