Playwright names:

Hon'ya Sôshichi
Toyoshima Daisaku
Takei Tôkichi
Takei Tôkichi

Existence: ???

Connection:

Master: Masuyama Kinpachi I

Disciples: Hon'ya Hanshichi, Hon'ya Shinshichi

Career:

Before 1787: born in Edo in the family at the head of the famous Kameido Tenjin Shrine. Because of his dissipated life ^[1], he left the Shintô world and joined the Kabuki world, becoming a disciple of the sakusha Masuyama Kinpachi I. He received the name of Takei Tôkichi.

8th lunar month of 1787: first record; he worked at the Kiriza on the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

11th lunar month of 1788: Tôkichi worked for the tatesakusha Segawa Jokô I at the Ichimuraza, which reopened after a few years of business interruption, on the kaomise drama "Genji Saikô Kogane no Tachibana", which celebrated the arrival in Edo of the Kamigata actor Asao Tamejûrô I.

11th lunar month of 1789: Tôkichi worked for his master Masuyama Kinpachi I, along with Sone Shôji, Tamamaki Keisuke and Kasanui Sensuke I, at the Ichimuraza on the kaomise drama "Hana no Oedo Masakado Matsuri".

11th lunar month of 1793: Tôkichi worked at the Miyakoza on the kaomise drama "Yasa Gunbai Miyako no Jintori", which starred Segawa Kikunojô III, Ichikawa Danjûrô VI, Iwai Kumesaburô I, Ôtani Hiroji III and Bandô Mitsugorô II. He changed the first ideogram of his name:

1794: he took the name of Toyoshima Daisaku ^[2].

11th lunar month of 1794: Daisaku worked for the tatesakusha Namiki Gohei I at the Miyakoza on the kaomise drama "Uruô Tosshi Meika no Homare".

11th lunar month of 1798: he became nimaime sakusha, took the name of Hon'ya Sôshichi and worked at the Moritaza, along with Kimura Benisuke, Kasanui Sensuke I, Shimizu Shôshichi I, Matsui Kôzô I and Katsu Hyôzô I, on the kaomise drama "Taiheiki Mitsugi no Funauta", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Aragorô I.

11th lunar month of 1806: Sôshichi worked at the Nakamuraza, along with Nagawa Shimesuke I (tatesakusha), Segawa Jokô II, Fukumori Kyûsuke I, Tajima Konosuke I and Matsushima Hanji I, on the kaomise drama "Kawaranu Hana Yuki no Michinoku". The 13th of this month, a fire broke out from the shop of the hair-dresser Tomokurô in the district of Nihonbashi Fukiya-chô. It burnt both the Ichimuraza and the Nakamuraza, killing many spectators.

11th lunar month of 1808: Sôshichi worked at the Nakamuraza, along with Segawa Jokô II and Tajima Konosuke I, on the kaomise drama "Gohiiki Onga no Shimadai".

11th lunar month of 1813: Sôshichi became tatesakusha and worked at the Moritaza, along with Tsuruya Nanboku IV (tatesakusha) and Ichioka Washichi I, on the kaomise drama "Gohiiki Tsunagi Uma".

11th lunar month of 1815: Sôshichi worked at the Nakamuraza, along with Fukumori Kiusuke and Shinoda Kinji I, on the kaomise drama "Shitennô Oedo no Kaburaya", which celebrated the shûmei of Onoe Kikugorô III and Kataoka Gachô and welcomed in Edo the actor Sawamura Tanosuke II.

11th lunar month of 1819: Sôshichi worked at the Kawarasakiza, along with Segawa Jokô II, Mimasuya Nisôji and Katsu Hyôsuke, on the kaomise drama "Yakko Yakko Edo no Hanayari".

11th lunar month of 1820: Sôshichi worked as tatesakusha ^[3] at the Tamagawaza on the kaomise drama "Koe Kakete Hikeya Takatsuna". The only star of this kaomise was Bandô Mitsugorô III and there was no tateonnagata in the casting. There was also the premiere of the dance "Fumi Uri" ^[4], which was performed in the dance program "Hana Momiji Shinô Kôshô" (the main role was played by Bandô Mitsugorô III). The lack of funding led to the departure of Bandô Mitsugorô III, who went to Ôsaka, and the stopping of performances at the Tamagawaza.

11th lunar month of 1821: Sôshichi worked at the Nakamuraza, along with Sakurada Jisuke II and Tajima Konosuke I, on the kaomise drama "Hana Zumô Sajiki Gatake".

11th lunar month of 1822: Sôshichi worked at the Moritaza ^[5], along with Masuyama Kinpachi II (who celebrated his shûmei), on the kaomise drama "Hanayagura Wakoku no Kachidoki", which celebrated the shûmei of Iwai Shijaku I, Ichikawa Dannosuke IV and Nakamura Gyoraku II.

11th lunar month of 1823: Sôshichi worked at the Ichimuraza, along with Tsuruya Nanboku IV, Mimasuya Nisôji and Sakurada Jisuke II, on the kaomise drama "Yama Mata Yama Hana no Yamagatsu", which celebrated the shûmei of Osagawa Tsuneyo IV, Yamashina Jinkichi IV and Nakayama Tomisaburô II.

1st lunar month of 1824: Sôshichi worked in the same theater on the new year sogamono drama "Kanade Soga Nezashi no Fujigane", which mixed the sekai of the Soga Brothers and "Chûshingura".

5th lunar month of 1824: Sôshichi worked in the same theater on the drama "Ehon Gappô-ga-Tsuji". No record afterwards.

Comments:

Hon'ya Sôshichi was an Edo sakusha, who worked on more than 50 dramas. He was active from the end of the 1780s to the first half of the 1820s.

[1] It was said that, in order to entertain himself in the pleasure quarter of Yoshiwara, he stole a precious sword in the treasure of the Kameido Tenjin Shrine. On his way to a shichiya to pawn it, lightnings stroke right at his feet. Convinced that the Gods were angry, he was so afraid that he brought back the sword to the Shrine as fast as he could.

[2] Toyoshima was the name of the district where he was born. Daisaku, a common first name during the Edo period, was an original way to clearly mean daisakusha (or ôsakusha), which can be translated as big (famous) playwright. He had quite a lot of ambition in his prime!

[3] He was assisted by Matsumoto Kôji I.

[4] This dance is still part of the current Kabuki repertoire.

[5] The Moritaza was closed from the 7th lunar month of 1818 to the 10th lunar month of 1822. Its license was used by the Kawarasakiza. This kaomise drama celebrated the reopening of the theater.

The name of Hon'ya Sôshichi in a 1814 Edo hyôbanki (the name within the red box)