Pen name:

Chikamatsu Monkyô
Morita Monkyô
Morita Bunkyô

Connection:

Master: Chikamatsu Tokuzô

Disciples: Morita Ushichi, Morita Manji

Career:

11th lunar month of 1794: his first pen name was Morita Bunkyô and he worked in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai, along with Tatsuoka Mansaku and Chikamatsu Tokusô ^[1], on the kaomise drama "Tatematsuru Chibako no Tamamono".

11th lunar month of 1795: Bunkyô worked in Kyôto at the Minamigawa no Shibai, along with Nagawa Tokusuke I and Nagawa Kunisuke ^[2], on the kaomise drama "Hajimete Hiraku Nanshi no Hanabusa".

Fall 1796: he took the name of Morita Monkyô.

11th lunar month of 1796: common kaomise program for the Kitagawa no Shibai (Kyôto) and the Kado no Shibai (Ôsaka); Monkyô worked, along with Chikamatsu Tokuzô, Nagawa Tokusuke I and Nagawa Kunisuke ^[3], on the drama "Yama Katsura Asahi no Menbako", which was staged in Kyôto from the 5th day and in Ôsaka from the 18th day and celebrated the shûmei of Onoe Koisaburô I.

11th lunar month of 1797: Monkyô worked at the Minamigawa no Shibai in Kyôto, along with Namiki Jûsuke II and Namiki Miyosuke ^[4], on the kaomise drama "Nanboku Yuki no Miyako", which celebrated the shûmei of Arashi Raishi I ^[5] and Arashi Sangorô III.

1798: he became disciple of Chikamatsu Tokuzô. He took the name of Chikamatsu Monkyô.

Fall 1798: Monkyô went to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1798: Ichimura Uzaemon X reopened the Ichimuraza, producing the kaomise drama "Hanayagura Tachibana Keizu", which was written by Monkyô and Kanai Yûsuke I ^[6] (who celebrated his shûmei) and which starred the actors Ichikawa Yaozô III, Segawa Kikunojô III, Onoe Matsusuke I, Ichikawa Omezô I, Bandô Mitsugorô II, Matsumoto Yonesaburô I and Nakamura Denkurô IV.

1st lunar month of 1799: Monkyô worked in the same theater on the new year sogamono drama "Ômonbi Kuruwa Soga"; the roles of Kudô Saemon Suketsune, Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari were played by Onoe Matsusuke I, Ichikawa Omezô I and Ichikawa Yaozô III.

11th lunar month of 1799: Monkyô worked at the Ichimuraza, along with Katsu Hyôzô I, Matsui Kôzô I and Matsushima Hanji I ^[7], on the kaomise drama "Utsukushiki Yuki no Sekai", which celebrated the shûmei of Ogino Izaburô II and welcomed in Edo the Ôsaka actor Arashi Hinasuke II.

1st lunar month of 1800: Monkyô worked in the same theater on the new year sogamono drama "Ume Kaoru Homare Soga"; the roles of Kudô Saemon Suketsune, Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari were played by Arashi Hinasuke II, Ogino Izaburô II and Bandô Hikosaburô III.

11th lunar month of 1800: Monkyô worked at the Ichimuraza, along with Nagawa Shimesuke I (tatesakusha) and Muraoka Kôji I ^[8], on the kaomise drama "Oishigeru Nami no Une Une", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Danjûrô VII and Arashi Kanjûrô I.

1st lunar month of 1801: Monkyô worked in the same theater on the new year sogamono drama "Kayoi Kuruwa Naresome Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô VII and Ichikawa Yaozô III ^[9].

11th lunar month of 1801: Monkyô worked at the Ichimuraza, along with Namiki Gohei I and Fukumori Kyûsuke I ^[10], on the kaomise drama "Otoko Narikeri Onna Masakado", which celebrated the shûmei of Omegawa Kyôjûrô, Matsumoto Kôshirô V, Ichikawa Komazô IV and Bandô Zenji II. No record afterwards.

Comments:

Chikamatsu Monkyô was an Ôsaka sakusha, who was active for a short period of times from the first half of the 1790s to the beginning of the 1800s. His career was short but quite successful, especially in Edo where he settled in Fall 1798 and where he worked on 4 kaomise and 3 sogamono at the Ichimuraza. He most likely died in the 4th lunar month of 1802.

[1] The others sakusha were Ôno Isaburo and Namiki Jûsuke II.

[2] The others sakusha were Nagawa Edosuke and Kamai Wakichi.

[3] The others sakusha were Chikamatsu Sakuhei, Tanabe Yashichi and Arashi Sangyô.

[4] The others sakusha were Arashi Sangyô, Arashi Tokuhei, Morita Ushichi and Morita Manji.

[5] Arashi Raishi I also did his isse ichidai performance.

[6] The others sakusha were Matsushima Hanji I, Tajima Konosuke I, Sasa Rindôsuke and Fujita Kinji.

[7] The others sakusha were Sone Shôkichi I, Tajima Konosuke I, Kawatake Matsuzô, Nagawa Kinji and Motono Enpachi.

[8] The others sakusha were Sone Shôkichi I, Kawatake Matsuzô, Kimura Matsuroku, Tonami Enza, Muraoka Gohachi, Mura Kisanji and Oka Tanji.

[9] Ichikawa Yaozô III also played the role of Kudô Saemon Suketsune.

[10] The others sakusha were Sone Shôkichi I, Imamura Kichisuke, Orikawa Chûzô, Namiki Fûji, Namiki Raiji and Hôzumi Katsusuke.

The name of Chikamatsu Monkyô in a 1800 Edo hyôbanki (the zone within the red box); all the names were the sakusha at the Moritaza (left) and the Ichimuraza (right)