Stage names:

Sodeshima Genji
Sodeshima Ichiya III
Sodeshima Genji	|  |

Existence: ???

Connection:

Master: Sodeshima Ichiya I

Elder brother: Sakata Seiemon (Sodeshima Ichiya II)

Career:

1st lunar month of 1695: disciple of Sodeshima Ichiya I, he received the name of Sodeshima Genji and was trained in Kamigata. First record; Genji performed in Ôsaka in the new year drama "Shissei Nyoirin Kannon Kaichô".

11th lunar month of 1695: Genji played in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater the role of Naniwa in the kaomise drama "Hime Kura Daikoku Bashira".

8th lunar month of 1697: Genji performed in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Momoyo Komachi", which was produced by Sakata Tôjûrô I.

1st lunar month of 1698: Genji played in the same theater the role of Miyagino in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Kamigyô no Uta Hajime".

2nd lunar month of 1698: Genji played in the same theater the role of the Takama-no-Mae in the san-no-kawari drama "Keisei Edo Zakura".

7th lunar month of 1698: Genji performed in the same theater in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Isshin Niga Byakudô".

1st lunar month of 1699: Premiere at Miyako Mandayû's theater of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Hotoke no Hara", which was produced by Sakata Tôjûrô I; Genji played the role of the keisei Kozatsuma [casting]. This was a huge success.

3rd lunar month of 1699: Genji's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was naka-no-jô (superior in the middle class).

1st lunar month of 1700: Genji played in Ôsaka the role of the keisei Hanayama ^[1] in the new year drama "Nanto Jûsangane", which was produced in Ôsaka by Iwai Hanshirô II.

3rd lunar month of 1700: Genji's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was naka-no-jô (superior in the middle class).

1st lunar month of 1701: Genji played in Ôsaka the role of Ôiso no Tora ^[2] in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Hyakunichi Soga", which was produced by Kataoka Nizaemon I. A sogamono was an unusual feature in Kamigata!

3rd lunar month of 1702: Genji's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô (superior) [visual].

2nd lunar month of 1707: Genji played in Kyôto the role of the keisei Michishiba in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Ishiyamadera".

3rd lunar month of 1707: Genji's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1709: Genji played in Kyôto at Kameya Kumenojô's theater the role of Somegae in the kaomise drama "Takekaburi Mangokumochi", which was produced by Takeshima Kôjûrô.

3rd lunar month of 1710: Genji's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

Fall 1710: Genji went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1710: Genji played in Ôsaka the role of the menoto Makino in the kaomise drama "Sasaki Uji Ôshimadai", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

3rd lunar month of 1711: Genji's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1711: Genji played in Ôsaka the role of Gonjûrô's nyôbô Osatsu in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Hitachi Obi", which was produced by Arashi San'emon III; the role of Sasano Gonjûrô was played by Otowa Jirosaburô I.

3rd lunar month of 1712: Genji's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1713: Genji played in Ôsaka the role of Tanomo's nyôbô Asama in Azuma Sanpachi's kaomise drama "Onna Fude Yôbunshô", which was produced by Arashi San'emon III and Ogino Yaegiri I; the role of Miyoshi Tanomo was played by Takenaka Tôzaburô.

11th lunar month of 1714: Genji played the role of Danroku's nyôbô Ochiyo in Ôsaka in the kaomise drama "Daikoku Shinmai Dawara", which was produced by Anegawa Shinshirô I; the role of Danroku was played by Somenoi Hanshirô.

11th lunar month of 1715: Genji played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Osen in the kaomise drama "Ugashin Kogane no Hokora", which was produced by Sawamura Chôjûrô I and celebrated the shûmei of Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

1st lunar month of 1716: Genji's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1716: he took the name of Sodeshima Ichiya III at the Ônishi no Shibai and played the role of Princess Aioi in the kaomise drama "Kogane no Ichigura", which was produced by Sawamura Sôjûrô.

2nd lunar month of 1717: Ichiya performed in the same theater in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Chibiki no Ishi".

11th lunar month of 1717: Ichiya played in Ôsaka at the Higashi no Shibai the role of Otaku in the kaomise drama "Meryû Oryû Kogane no Uroko", which was produced by Arashi San'emon III.

11th lunar month of 1719: he took back the name of Sodeshima Genji and played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Otora in the kaomise drama "Onna Daimyô Iroha Obi", which was produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

1st lunar month of 1720: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's puppet theater drama "Heike Nyogo no Shima", which was produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai; Genji played the role of Tokiwa Gozen [casting].

11th lunar month of 1720: Genji played in Ôsaka at the Higashi no Shibai the roles of Oshige and Sakyô's nyôbô in Kyôya Yagoshirô's kaomise drama "Kogane no Ikioi" and in the kiri kyôgen "Nanshoku Kamo Samurai Jûshichikinenki", which were produced by Arashi San'emon III.

11th lunar month of 1721: Genji performed in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Kogane no Shachihoko".

11th lunar month of 1722: Genji played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Okuzaemon's nyôbô Otatsu in the kaomise drama "Genji Moyô Ichimai Gushi", which was produced by Yamatoyama Jinzaemon II (who celebrated his shûmei).

1st lunar month of 1723: Genji's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual]. Genji performed in the same theater in the new year drama "Daibutsu Kuyô Ryakuengi".

3rd lunar month of 1723: Genji's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

Fall 1723: Genji went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1723: Genji played in Kyôto the role of Gekizaemon's nyôbô Otsuru in Fukuoka Yagoshirô's kaomise drama "Teono Hajime Kogane no Ishizue", which was produced by Segawa Kikunojô I; the role of the karô Gekizaemon was played by Matsukawa Tsuneemon (who celebrated his shûmei).

1st lunar month of 1724: Genji's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual]. Genji was the kanjiku for onnagata actors. Genji played in the same theater the role of Sagoemon's nyôbô Okita in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Futakamiyama"; the role of Taema Sagoemon was played by Anegawa Shinshirô I.

11th lunar month of 1724: Genji played in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of Sezameon's nyôbô Makino in the kaomise drama "Sanmen Daikoku Mangoku Dawara", which was produced by Mihogi Gizaemon I; the role of Wada Sezaemon was played by Matsumoto Tomojûrô I.

1st lunar month of 1725: Genji's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1725: Genji played in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of Hanzaemon's nyôbô Komatsu in the kaomise drama "Ôkamado Hatsumen Bako", which was produced by Sanogawa Mangiku; the role of the karô Kanamori Hanzaemon was played by Nakamura Shingorô I.

12th lunar month of 1725: Genji played in the same theater the role of the kôya gejo Oyoshi in the kiri kyôgen drama "Kashû Ishikawa-zome".

1st lunar month of 1726: Genji played in the same theater the role of Matori's elfer sister Kumoi in the ni-no-kawari new year drama "Keisei Futagoyama".

3rd lunar month of 1726: Genji's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual]. Genji was the kanjiku for onnagata actors. No record afterwards.

Comments:

Sodeshima Genji was a popular and talented wakaonnagata actor, who was active in Kamigata from the second half of the 1690s to the second half of the 1720s. He was outstanding in karô nyôbô roles.

[1] Hanayama or Kazan. Both readings were possible.

[2] the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune, Soga Jûrô Sukenari and Kewaizaka no Shôshô were played by Kataoka Nizaemon I, Sugiyama Kanzaemon I (who fell sick and was replaced by Okamura Jûrôji) and Sodesaki Karyû.

Yamashita Kinsaku I (top/1st from left), Arashi Kanshirô I (top/2nd from left), Iwai Hanshirô III (top/center), Sodeshima Genji (top/2nd from right), Tsugawa Kamon (top/1st from right), Bandô Hikosaburô I (bottom/1st from left), Murayama Heijûrô II (bottom/2nd from left), Arashi San'emon III (bottom/2nd from right) and Ôtori Michiemon (bottom/1st from right) playing the roles of Daizen's mekake Oteru, Yawatayama Gondayû, Fujiki Matasuke, Oshige, Princess Takamatsu, Kushiro Wadanosuke, Kaguyama Manzô, Okumatsu Tominojô and Kaguyama Daizen in Kyôya Yagoshirô's kaomise drama "Kogane no Ikioi", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1720 at the Higashi no Shibai (Ôsaka)

The Sodeshima Ichiya line of actors