Stage names:

Murayama Shirôji
Murayama Shirojirô
Ichimura Shirôji
Ichimura Shirojirô
Asaka Shizuma

Existence: ??? ~ 12th day of the 1st lunar month of 1713 ^[1]

Connection:

Masters: Murayama Heiemon III, Komai Shôzaemon

Son: Murayama Shirotarô

Career:

Before 1679: he started his career in Kamigata, performing as a wakashugata named Asaka Shizuma. He was a disciple of Komai Shôzaemon.

1679: he went to Edo, where he took the name of Ichimura Shirôji ^[2] and performed at the Ichimuraza.

3rd lunar month of 1680: the very first sayaate scene in Kabuki history is staged at the Ichimuraza; Shirôji plays the role of Nagoya Sanzaburô [more details].

11th lunar month of 1686: Shirôji performed as a tachiyaku in Ôsaka at Arashi Monzaburô I's theater. His yearly salary was 80 ryô. His stage partners were Arashi San'emon I, Takeshima Kôzaemon I, Uemura Tatsuya, Namie Kokan I, Hanai Saijirô, Kaneko Hikotarô, Kawashima Kazuma, Yoshijima Kodayû, Sawai Hannosuke, Matsumoto Hyôzô, Sawamura Kodenji I, Ôyama Giemon, Iwakura Man'emon and Sendai Yahachi.

11th lunar month of 1692: Shirôji played in Kyôto the role of Andô Sen'emon in the drama "Kawachi Izumi Renri no Matsu", which was produced by Murayama Heiemon III.

1693: he became disciple of Murayama Heiemon III and received the name of Murayama Shirôji ^[3].

1694: Shirôji settled in Edo to perform at the Moritaza.

1st lunar month of 1697: Shirôji played at the Nakamuraza the role of Nagoya Sanzaburô in the new year drama "Daifukuchô Sankai Nagoya", which included the first bombastic "Shibaraku" scene in Kabuki history.

3rd lunar month of 1699: Shirôji's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô (superior) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1699: Shirôji played at the Nakamuraza the role of Minamoto no Nakatsuna in the kaomise drama "Taira no Kiyomori Bijin Zoroi".

11th lunar month of 1702: Shirôji played at the Moritaza the role of Shinoda Rokurô in the kaomise drama "Tenchijin Tsutsumamori"; the super-hero in the "Shibaraku" scene was Ichikawa Kuzô I.

4th lunar month of 1703: Shirôji played in the same theater the role of Yukihira in Mimasuya Hyôgo's drama "Naritasan Bunshin Fudô".

7th lunar month of 1703: Shirôji played in the same theater the role of Oniô Shinzaemon in Mimasuya Hyôgo's drama "Oguri Jûnidan". No record in ôshibai afterwards.

12th day of the 1st lunar month of 1713 ^[1]: Shirôji died in Edo ^[4].

Comments:

Murayama Shirôji was a tachiyaku actor, who was born and trained in Kamigata and who ended his career in Edo. He was active from the 1670s to the first half of the 1700s. He performed in the first sayaate scene in Kabuki history!

[1] The 12th day of the 1st lunar month of the 3rd year of the Shôtoku era was the 6th of February 1713 in the western calendar.

[2] He was called either Ichimura Shirôji or Ichimura Shirojirô.

[3] He was called either Murayama Shirôji or Murayama Shirojirô.

[4] His tombstone was located in the cemerery of the Keiyôji temple in the district of Imado in Edo.

Murayama Shirôji in an ilustration from the book "Kokon Shibai Irokurabe Hyakunin Isshu" (1st lunar month of 1693)

Prints & Illustrations