ICHIMURA SANOHACHI

Stage name:

Ichimura Sanohachi

Existence: ???

Connection:

Career:

Before 1747: he was the son of a man named Genbê, who had a family relation to the actor Ichimura Tamagashiwa I. Ichimura Sanohachi started his career as a disciple of Ichimura Tamagashiwa II^[1], who gave him the name of Ichimura Sanohachi.

11th lunar month of 1747: Sanohachi became wakaonnagata, performing at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Kogane-bana Michinoku Jikki", which was produced by Ichikawa Ryûzô and celebrated the shûmei of Yamatoya Jinbê IV and Shibazaki Tamijûrô.

8th lunar month of 1748: Sanohachi played in the same theater in the the roles of Wakaba-no-Naishi and Kosen in the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura", which was staged for the first time in Ôsaka [casting].

11th lunar month of 1748: Sanohachi played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Kingo's sister Naruse in Namiki Shôzô I's kaomise drama "Fuyugomori Tsumagoi Ikusa", which was produced by Bandô Toyosaburô I and celebrated the shûmei of Sawamura Shinji.

11th lunar month of 1749: Sanohachi played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Sagoromo in Izumiya Shôzô's kaomise drama "Kotobuki Kogane no Kachi Ikusa", which was produced by Mimasu Daigorô I, welcomed back in Ôsaka Iwai Hanshirô III and celebrated the shûmei of Murayama Heijûrô IV.

11th lunar month of 1750: Sanohachi played at the Naka no Shibai the role of the keisei Sonohara in the kaomise drama "Yasa Heike Sakiwake Musha", which was produced by Nakamura Jûzô I.

11th lunar month of 1751: Sanohachi performed at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Sode Nikki Futatsu Domoe", which was produced by Nakamura Jûzô I.

1st lunar month of 1752: Sanohachi's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual]. He played in the same theater the role of the keisei Tsutayama in the new year ni-no-kawari "Keisei Miyako no Fuji".

11th lunar month of 1752: Sanohachi played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Namiemon's spouse Oyana in the kaomise drama "Kyô Miyage Matsuri Zoroe"; his stage partners were Wakayama Shinkurô, Wakayama Bunshichi, Yamamoto Kyôshirô I, Ôtani Hirohachi I, Matsushima Kiyosaki, Iwata Somematsu I, Kirishima Gizaemon I, Kiriyama Monji I, Matsushima Moheiji, Takenaka Heikichi, Murayama Heijûrô IV and Nakamura Shirogorô III.

11th lunar month of 1753: Sanohachi became zamoto in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai, producing and performing in the kaomise drama "Nakatomi Sandaijin".

1st lunar month of 1754: Sanohachi's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

9th lunar month of 1754: Sanohachi produced in the same theater the drama "Katakiuchi Ikkyû Banashi", which was written by Takagi Richû and Namiki Shôzô I. No record afterwards.

Comments:

Ichimura Sanohachi was a promising wakaonnagata actor, who made a short but successful career in Ôsaka from 1747 to 1754.

[1] This master-disciple relationship was reported in Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten".

The actors Yamashita Rokusaburô (left) and Ichimura Sanohachi (right) playing the roles of Onami and the keisei Konohana in the kaomise drama "Nakatomi Sandaijin", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1753 in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai