Stage name:

Asao Motogorô I

Other name: Izayoinosuke

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Kisui

Existence: ???

Connection:

Master: Asao Jûjirô I

Brother: Asao Motozô

Disciples: Asao Tamejûrô I, Asao Yatarô, Asao Motogorô II (?)

Career:

End of the 1710s: he started his career as a disciple of Asao Jûjirô I, who gave him the name of Asao Motogorô I. He performed in Kyôto as a wakashugata/iroko in Kyôto theaters.

11th lunar month of 1727: he became wakaonnagata.

11th lunar month of 1730: Motogorô became zamoto and produced in Ôsaka the kaomise drama "Kunkoku Ôe no Kôbai".

1st lunar month of 1734: Motogorô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Hanagiri Toyomatsu I and Mihogi Shichitarô.

11th lunar month of 1738: Motogorô played in Kyôto the role of Daihachi's spouse Yaseno in Tomimura Takichi's kaomise drama "Ichi no Tomi Hôrai Yakata", which was produced by Nakamura Tomijûrô I at Kameya Kumenojô's theater; the role of Hirano Daihachi was played by Arashi Shichigorô I.

1st lunar month of 1739: Motogorô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1739: Motogorô performed in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Muromachi-dono Chôhô Denki", which was produced by Sanogawa Ichimatsu I for the nadai Miyako Mandayû; his stage partners were Yamanaka Heijûrô I, Ôtani Hiroji I, Sawamura Otoemon I, Tamiya Shirogorô, Haruyama Genshichi II, Onoe Kikugorô I, Shinozuka Kazaemon, Matsumoto Tomojûrô I and Arashi Sanshirô III.

1st lunar month of 1740: Motogorô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

5th lunar month of 1742: Chikamatsu Monzaemon's play "Shinshû Kawanakajima Kassen" was adapted for Kabuki for the first time, in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai; Motogorô played the role of Danjô's spouse Matsushima [more details].

9th lunar month of 1746: first Kabuki adaptation of Takeda Izumo I, Miyoshi Shôraku, Namiki Senryû I and Takeda Koizumo puppet theater drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", which was produced by Kiyosaburô at Miyako Mandayû's theater (the Kitagawa no Shibai); Motogorô played the roles of Kakuju and Tonami [casting].

11th lunar month of 1746: Motogorô became zamoto and produced in Kyôto the kaomise drama "Taihei Asahi no Shirahata", in which he played the role of Okano; his stage partners were Fujioka Daikichi, Sakurayama Shirosaburô II, Shinozuka Kazaemon, Yamanaka Heijûrô I, Mihogi Shichitarô and Tatsuoka Hisagiku.

1st lunar month of 1747: Motogorô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Nakamura Tomijûrô I.

11th lunar month of 1747: Motogorô performed in the kaomise drama "Teikin Ôrai Manzoku Kagami", which was produced by Nakamura Matsubê I at the Kitagawa no Shibai and celebrated the shûmei of Sakakiyama Kôshirô II and his son Sakakiyama Shirotarô II; Others stage partners were Yamashita Matatarô I, Takenaka Heikichi, Fujioka Daikichi, Nakamura Kiyosaburô I, Nakamura Shirogorô III, Kasaya Matakurô I, Fujikawa Heikurô and Sanogawa Hanazuma II.

11th lunar month of 1748: Motogorô performed at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater in the kaomise drama "Jidai Makie Chûshingura", which was produced by Nakamura Matsubê I.

11th lunar month of 1749: Motogorô played at Miyako Handayû's theater the role of Hanzaemon's spouse Okyô in the kaomise drama "Imosegura Kogane no Ishizue"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danzô III, Yamatoya Jinbê IV, Fujikawa Heikurô, Arashi Tôjûrô (he played the role of the senior retainer Nanbu Hanzaemon), Anegawa Daikichi I, Arashi San'emon IV and Ôtani Hirohachi I.

11th lunar month of 1750: Motogorô played at Miyako Handayû's theater the role of Hanzô's wife Makino in Matsuya Raisuke I's kaomise drama "Kaikei Wagô Hanayakata"; the role of Todoroki Hanzô was played by Fujioka Daikichi.

1st lunar month of 1751: First Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Tamamo-no-Mae Asahi no Tamoto", which was produced in Kyôto by Miyako Handayû at his theater; Motogorô played the roles of Michiharu's wife Hagi-no-Kata and Oyachi [casting].

6th lunar month of 1751: Motogorô played in the same theater the role of Kanbei's wife Chizato in the drama "Katakiuchi Deguchi no Yanagi"; the role of Muneta Kanbei was played by Yamashita Matatarô I.

11th lunar month of 1751: Motogorô performed in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Kaeribana Shinohara Gunki".

11th lunar month of 1752: Motogorô played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of the keisei Hanaura in the kaomise drama "Hatsubaika Asahi no Minato", which was produced by Yamashita Matatarô I.

1st lunar month of 1753: first Kabuki adaptation of the 5 acts puppet theater drama "Yamatogana Ariwara Keizu", which was produced as a new year drama at the Minamigawa no Shibai by Yamashita Matatarô I; Motogorô played the roles of Kingo's spouse Kaoyo and Hyôe's spouse Kishinami [casting].

11th lunar month of 1753: Motogorô performed in Kyôto at Miyako Handayû's theater in the kaomise drama "Hade Musume Bandachi Yakata", which was produced by Yamashita Ugenta II and celebrated the shûmei of Matsumoto Tomojûrô II.

Fall 1755: Motogorô went to Ôsaka.

12th lunar month of 1755: Motogorô performed at the Kado no Shibai in the drama "Hyakumanki Tsuwamono Taiheiki".

1st lunar month of 1756: Motogorô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Arashi Koroku I and Yoshizawa Sakinosuke II.

11th lunar month of 1756: Motogorô played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Mihara Ikkaku's nyôbô Sonô in Namiki Shôzô I's kaomise drama "Daimatsu Kyokusuke Tanzen Roppô", which was produced by Daimatsu Kyokusuke.

1st lunar month of 1757: premiere at the Ônishi no Shibai of Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Tenjiku Tokubê Kikigaki Ôrai"; Motogorô played the roles of Yoshiteru's midaidokoro Asaka Gozen and Shirokurô's nyôbô Omoto [casting].

1st lunar month of 1758: Motogorô appeared on stage most likely for the last time, in Kyôto at the Hirano no Shibai, playing the role of Harukaze in the new year drama "Kume no Sennin Yoshino Zakura", which was produced by Kameya Jûjirô. No record afterwards.

Comments:

Asao Motogorô I was an important 18th century onnagata actor, who achieved fame for himself in Kyôto and in Ôsaka in the 1740s and the 1750s. He followed in the footsteps of his master Asao Jûjirô I, the founder of the Asao clan and an outstanding female roles specialist. He excelled in keisei and karô nyôbô roles. He was the last onnagata of the Asao clan for his best disciple became one of the most talented katakiyaku actors in Kabuki history.

Asao Motogorô I (right) and Nakamura Danzô (left) performing in the kaomise drama "Kachidoki Manzairaku", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1745 at the Kitagawa no Shibai