Stage name:

Sawamura Otoemon I

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: 1687 ~ 4th day of the 11th lunar month of 1741 ^[1]

Connections:

Masters: Sawamura Chôjûrô I, Sawamura Kodenji I

Career:

1687 ~ 1710: born in Kamigata. He started his career as a disciple of the actor Sawamura Kodenji I, who gave him the name of Sawamura Otoemon I. Later on, he became disciple of Sawamura Chôjûrô I.

Spring 1710: Otoemon performed in the drama "Keisei Chikubu Shima", which was produced in Kyôto by Yamashita Kamenojô I; his stage partners were Kataoka Nizaemon I and Sawamura Chôjûrô I.

1st lunar month of 1713: Otoemon played the role of Ageya Chôzaemon in the drama "Keisei Haru no Akebono", which was produced in Kyôto by Sawamura Chôjûrô I and Sodesaki Karyû.

11th lunar month of 1712: Otoemon settled in Ôsaka and played the role of Mikinojô in the kaomise drama "Inari Daimyô Shintaku no Kamado", which was produced by the zamoto Mitsuyama Shichisaburô for the nadai Matsumoto Nazaemon.

11th lunar month of 1713: Otoemon achieved a great success by playing the role of Shikanojô in the drama "Ôminato Kogane no Izumi", which was produced by Yamamoto Hikogorô for the nadai Ôsaka Kuzaemon.

11th lunar month of 1717: Otoemon played the role of Harada Kuranojô in Sakakiyama Kansuke I's kaomise drama "Ômu Gaeshi Momotose Gitsune", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater; his stage partners were Shibazaki Rinzaemon I, Kirinami Takie, Yamada Jinpachi, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Sakakiyama Koshirô I, Katayama Kozaemon, Matsushima Moheiji, Bandô Matajûrô I and Onoe Samon.

2nd lunar month of 1718: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Nihon Furisode Hajime", which was produced by the zamoto Sakakiyama Shirotarô I in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater; Otoemon played the role of Prince Mikumano [casting].

Fall 1718: Otoemon went back to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1718: Otoemon played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of the rônin Onosaka Daihachi in the kaomise drama "Suehiro Chôja Bandaigura", which was produced by Sawamura Chôjûrô I and celebrated the shûmei of Sugiyama Kanzaemon III.

11th lunar month of 1720: Otoemon played at the Naka no Shibai the role of the koji Mannen in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Nishiki no Kusazuri", which was produced by the zamoto Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

11th lunar month of 1721: Otoemon achieved a great success by playing two roles in the kaomise drama "Onna Genji Musha Sugoroku", which was produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II at the Naka no Shibai.

Spring 1722: Otoemon became jitsuaku.

11th lunar month of 1722: Otoemon played the role of Ichiyô Daizenmaru in the kaomise drama "Odori Hotei", which was produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II at the Naka no Shibai.

11th lunar month of 1723: Otoemon played the role of Tezuka Yasaemon in the kaomise "Kogane no Hanagata", which was produced by the zamoto Arashi San'emon III at the Kado no Shibai and celebrated the arrival in Ôsaka of the Edo star Ôtani Hiroji I.

1st lunar month of 1724: Otoemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. Premiere at the Kado no Shibai of "Edoe Ukiyo Soga", an Edo-flavored new year drama; Otoemon played the role of Kudô Suketsune [casting].

11th lunar month of 1725: Otoemon became tachiyaku, moved to the Ônishi no Shibai and performed in the kaomise drama "Gokoku Jôju Naniwa no Yakata", which was produced by the zamoto Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

2nd lunar month of 1726: Otoemon played in the same theater the role of the yakko Sadahachi in the drama "Sankô Taiheiki".

11th lunar month of 1726: Otoemon moved to the Naka no Shibai and played the role of Tottori Gen'emon in the kaomise drama "Hakoiri Daikoku Gane", which was produced by Kaneko Kichizaemon.

1st lunar month of 1727: Otoemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1727: Otoemon became zamoto, working with the nadai Matsumoto Nazaemon; he produced at the Ônishi no Shibai the kaomise drama "Watamashi Yatsumune Gura". His line-up included the actors Ogino Yaegiri I, Nakamura Sôjûrô, Sugiyama Kanzaemon III and Imamura Shirojûrô.

11th lunar month of 1728: Otoemon played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Kagokaki Tarôbê in the kaomise drama "Kunkoku Ôe no Kishi", which was produced by Sanogawa Hanazuma I.

Fall 1729: Otoemon went back to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1729: Otoemon played the role of Yamaoka Gonzô in Azuma Sanpachi's kaomise drama "Yomeiri Shichigosan", which was produced by the zamoto Arashi Koroku I for the nadai Daikokuya Takenojô.

1st lunar month of 1730: Otoemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

Fall 1730: Otoemon went back to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1730: Otoemon performed in the kaomise drama "Kunkoku Ôe no Kôbai", which was produced by Asao Motogorô I.

11th lunar month of 1731: Otoemon played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Chûgen Bansuke in the kaomise drama "Aioi Kikenjô", which was produced by Arashi Kokuseki.

11th lunar month of 1732: Otoemon played the role of Fujioka Man'emon in the kaomise drama "Mitsu no Hama Kogane no Irie", which was produced by Arashi San'emon III at the Kado no Shibai.

3rd lunar month of 1733: the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki" was performed for the first time in Ôsaka, at the Kado no Shibai; Otoemon played the roles of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Taira no Kagekiyo [casting].

11th lunar month of 1733: Otoemon moved to the Naka no Shibai and played the role of Shigaragi Jônosuke in the kaomise drama "Genji Rokujûjô", which was produced by the zamoto Iwai Hanshirô III.

24th day of the 1st lunar month of 1734 ^[2]: his master Sawamura Chôjûrô I died.

Fall 1735: Otoemon went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1735: Otoemon played at Kameya Kumenojô's theater the role of Kôsuke in the kaomise drama "Ôkamado Miyako no Ichigura", which was produced by Yamamoto Kyôzô.

12th lunar month of 1735: Otoemon played in the same theater the role of Hôjô Tatewaki in the kaomise drama "Onna Tokimasa Gunpô Hinagata".

11th lunar month of 1739: Otoemon played the role of Ôuchi Kamon 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 (Nikki Danjô), Ôtani Hiroji I (Ise no Saburô) and Onoe Kikugorô I (Enju).

12th lunar month of 1740: Otoemon appeared on stage for the last time, at the Kado no Shibai, playing the role of Mochizuki Saemon in the drama "Katakiuchi Deguchi no Yanagi", which was produced by Nakamura Jûzô I. He fell ill and stopped acting.

4th day of the 11th lunar month of 1741 ^[1]: Otoemon died in Ôsaka.

Comments:

Sawamura Otoemon I was an excellent tachiyaku and katakiyaku, who made a great career in Kamigata during the second half of the 18th century. He was endowed with a great voice and he was able to perfectly deliver his lines. Jitsuaku and jitsugotoshi roles were his forte.

[1] The 4th day of the 11th lunar month of the 1st year of the Kanpô era was the 11th of December 1741 in the western calendar.

[2] The 24th day of the 1st lunar month of the 19th year of the Kyôhô era was the 27th of February 1734 in the western calendar.

Sawamura Otoemon I (left) and Asao Motogorô I (right) playing the roles of Kôsuke and Okura in the kaomise drama "Ôkamado Miyako no Ichigura", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1735 in Kyôto

Prints & Illustrations

The Sawamura Otoemon line of actors