Stage names:

Tomizawa Tatsujûrô
Tomizawa Tatsunosuke

Guild: Hiranoya

Poetry name: Renjû

Existence: ??? ~ 19th day of the 8th lunar month of 1777 ^[1]

Connection:

Master: Tomizawa Chiyonosuke

Disciple: Tomizawa Edozô

Career:

1720: disciple of Tomizawa Chiyonosuke, he started his career as an iroko in Ôsaka. His first stage name was Tomizawa Tatsunosuke.

11th lunar month of 1723: Tatsunosuke became wakaonnagata and played at the Kado no Shibai the role of the keisei Miyoshi in the kaomise drama "Kogane no Hanagata", which was produced by Arashi San'emon III and welcomed in Ôsaka the Edo actor Ôtani Hiroji I.

Fall 1728: Tatsunosuke went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1728: Tatsunosuke played at Kameya Kumenojô's theater (Kyôto) the role of Princess Wakamatsu in the kaomise drama "Tokiwagura Kogane no Ishizue", which was produced by Tamiya Hannosuke.

1732: tour in Nagoya.

Fall 1738: Tatsunosuke and Bandô Toyosaburô I went together to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1738: Tatsunosuke performed at the Kawarasakiza in the kaomise drama "Kotobuki Momiji Kagemasa".

11th lunar month of 1740: he became jitsuaku, took the name of Tomizawa Tatsujûrô and performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Miya Bashira Taiheiki", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Danzô III.

1st lunar month of 1741: Tatsujûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was one black stroke below jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1741: Tatsujûrô became tachiyaku and played at the Nakamuraza the role of Bingo no Saburô in Hayakawa Denshirô's kaomise drama "En'ya Hangan Kokyô no Nishiki", which welcomed in Edo the Kamigata actor Nakayama Shinkurô I; his others main stage partners were Matsumoto Kôshirô II, Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Sanogawa Mangiku and Sawamura Sôjûrô I.

1st lunar month of 1742: Tatsujûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1742: Tatsujûrô played at the Ichimuraza the role of Otoha Kamonnosuke in the kaomise drama "Furisode Shinoda no Zuma", which welcomed in Edo the Kamigata actor Onoe Kikugorô I; his stage partners were Bandô Hikosaburô I, Segawa Kikunojô I, Ichimura Uzaemon VIII, Bandô Matatarô III, Nakajima Mihoemon I, Ichikawa Sôzaburô I, Sanogawa Senzô, Tamazawa Saijirô I, Sawamura Utagiku and Ichimura Manzô.

1st lunar month of 1743: Tatsujûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1743: Tatsujûrô played at the Ichimuraza the role of Oyamada Tarô in the kaomise drama "Ishizue Taiheiki", which celebrated the arrival in Edo of the actors Segawa Kikujirô I, Tamiya Jûzaburô I and Segawa Somematsu.

11th lunar month of 1744: Tatsujûrô moved to the Moritaza, where he played the role of Sasano Saizô in the kaomise drama "Higashiyama Bandai no Watamashi".

11th lunar month of 1745: Tatsujûrô played at the Moritaza the role of Sasaki Moritsuna in the kaomise drama "Chikyôdai Izu Nikki".

11th lunar month of 1746: Tatsujûrô played at the Moritaza the role of Matsudo Takenori in the kaomise drama "Ôtorii Gojûshigun".

11th lunar month of 1747: Tatsujûrô played at the Moritaza the role of Hôjô no Yasutoki in the kaomise drama "Aruji Môke Onna Hachinoki", which celebrated the shûmei of Sawamura Sôjûrô.

11th lunar month of 1748: Tatsujûrô played at the Moritaza the role of Bingo no Saburô in the kaomise drama "Fuyu Botan Yoshino Dairi", which celebrated the shûmei of Azuma Tôzô II.

2nd lunar month of 1749: the play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" was staged for the first time in Edo, at the Moritaza; Tatsujûrô played the roles of Momonoi Wakasanosuke and Hara Gôemon.

11th lunar month of 1749: Tatsujûrô played at the Moritaza the role of Tezuka no Tarô in Tsuuchi Jihê II's kaomise drama "Bijo Kurabe Kiso no Kakehashi", which celebrated the shûmei of Sawamura Sôjûrô II.

4th lunar month of 1750: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" was produced at the Moritaza for the first time; Tatsujûrô played the role of Kan Shôjô [casting].

11th lunar month of 1750: Tatsujûrô performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Hatsuyuki Reijin no Sode".

11th lunar month of 1751: Tatsujûrô performed at the Moritaza in Tsuuchi Jihê II's kaomise drama "Aizuchi Jûnidan", which celebrated the shûmei of Morita Kan'ya VI and Tsuyama Yûzô I.

4th lunar month of 1752: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki", which was staged in Edo at the Moritaza; Tatsujûrô played the role of Satsuma-no-Kami Tadanori [casting].

11th lunar month of 1752: Tatsujûrô moved to the Nakamuraza after 8 seasons spent at the Moritaza; he performed in the kaomise drama "Akazawayama Sumô Nikki".

11th lunar month of 1753: Tatsujûrô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Oyamada Tarô in the kaomise drama "Hyakumanki Tsuwamono Taiheiki", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Masuzô I.

11th lunar month of 1754: Tatsujûrô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Soga no Tarô in the kaomise drama "Miura no Ôsuke Bumon no Kotobuki", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Danjûrô IV, Matsumoto Kôshirô III and Tsuuchi Monzaburô II.

1st lunar month of 1755: Tatsujûrô played in the same theater the role of Daitônai (in reality Rôikkan) in the new year sogamono drama "Waka Midori Nishiki Soga".

11th lunar month of 1755: Tatsujûrô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Watanabe Kiô in the kaomise drama "Arigatashi Yunzei Genji" [print]; his stage partners were Ichikawa Ebizô II, Ichikawa Danjûrô IV, Nakamura Shichisaburô II, Yamashita Matatarô I, Ichikawa Yaozô I, Nakajima Mihoemon I, Sawamura Sôjûrô II, Miyazaki Jûshirô II, Matsushima Moheiji, Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Nakamura Kiyosaburô I, Osagawa Tsuneyo I, Nakamura Denkurô II and Yamashita Kinsaku II.

1st lunar month of 1756: Tatsujûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was one black stroke below jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1756: Tatsujûrô moved to the Moritaza, where he played the role of Ariômaru in the kaomise drama "Manazuru Heike Monogatari", which celebrated the shûmei of Agemaki Rin'ya.

11th lunar month of 1757: Tatsujûrô played at the Moritaza the role of Izumi no Kojirô in the kaomise drama "Ikioi Wada Gassen".

11th lunar month of 1758: Tatsujûrô performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Akazawa Genjiyama".

11th lunar month of 1759: Tatsujûrô performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Toki Tsukaze Heike Monogatari".

1st lunar month of 1760: Tatsujûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was back to two black strokes above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1761: Tatsujûrô performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Misonô Banzei no Hachinoki".

1st lunar month of 1762: Tatsujûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1762: Tatsujûrô performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Tôzai Tôzai Wagakuni no Umeyashiki", which celebrated the shûmei of Bandô Matahachi II.

1st lunar month of 1763: Tatsujûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent) [visual].

2nd lunar month of 1763: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara", which was staged at the Moritaza; Tatsujûrô played the role of Taira no Kenjô Naokata [casting|illustrations].

11th lunar month of 1763: Tatsujûrô moved to the Ichimuraza, where he played the role of Bingo no Saburô in the kaomise drama "Shikai Nami Yawaragi Taiheiki".

5th lunar month of 1764: Tatsujûrô played in the same theater the roles of Enju and Shigetada in the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki".

7th lunar month of 1764: Tatsujûrô played in the same theater the role of Date Yosobê in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".

11th lunar month of 1764: Tatsujûrô performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Wakaki no Hana Suma no Hatsuyuki", which celebrated the shûmei of Yoshizawa Sakinosuke III.

11th lunar month of 1765: Tatsujûrô performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Furitsumu Hana Nidai Genji".

9th lunar month of 1766: Tatsujûrô played in the same theater the roles of Kakogawa Honzô, Ishidô Umanojô and Yoichibê's nyôbô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which was staged to celebrate the onagori kyôgen of the Kamigata star Onoe Kikugorô I.

11th lunar month of 1766: Tatsujûrô played at the Ichimuraza the role of Umezu Kamon in the kaomise drama "Higashiyama Dono Kabuki no Tsuitachi".

1st lunar month of 1767: Tatsujûrô played in the same theater the role of the mother of the Soga Brothers in the new year sogamono drama "Soga Yawaragi Soga"; the roles of Soga Jûrô Sukenari and Soga Gorô Tokimune were played by Ichimura Uzaemon IX and Ichikawa Yaozô II.

11th lunar month of 1767: Tatsujûrô moved to the Moritaza, where he performed in the kaomise drama "Sanada no Yoichi Banjaku no Iezuto", which celebrated the shûmei of Sanogawa Ichimatsu II and welcomed in Edo the Kamigata actor Yamashita Kyônosuke.

11th lunar month of 1768: Tatsujûrô performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Mutsuchidori Meika no Yumitori".

11th lunar month of 1769: Tatsujûrô became zagashira and performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Na ni Takashi Kumoi no Yumihari", which welcomed in Edo the actors Yamashita Kinsaku II and Kasaya Matakurô II (who also celebrated his shûmei) and celebrated the shûmei of Nakamura Shirogorô IV.

9th lunar month of 1770: Chikamatsu Hanji's 1759 puppet theater drama "Hidakagawa Iriai Zakura" was staged for the first time in Edo, at the Moritaza; Tatsujûrô played the role of Manago no Shôji [casting].

11th lunar month of 1770: Tatsujûrô moved to the Ichimuraza, where he played the roles of Ômi no Kotôta and Tôkurô Morinaga in the kaomise drama "Meoto Giku Izu no Kisewata", which welcomed in Edo the Kamigata star Arashi Sangorô II and celebrated the shûmei of Bandô Hikosaburô III, Bandô Sanpachi II and Segawa Kichiji III.

11th lunar month of 1771: Tatsujûrô moved to the Moritaza, where he played the role of the kanpaku Michinaga in the kaomise drama "Fukikaete Tsuki no Yoshiwara", which welcomed in Edo the Kamigata actor Nakamura Jûzô II.

11th lunar month of 1772: Tatsujûrô played at the Moritaza the roles of Naniwa no Jirô (in reality the priest Mongaku) and Sanmi Toshinari in the kaomise drama "Izu Goyomi Shibai no Ganjitsu", which celebrated the shûmei of Sawamura Chôjûrô IV, Sawamura Kijûrô II and Mikuni Fujigorô.

11th lunar month of 1773: Tatsujûrô moved to the Ichimuraza, where he became jitsuaku and performed in the kaomise drama "Kaeri Kiso Kigoto no Hatsumono", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Danzô IV.

1st lunar month of 1774: Tatsujûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was one black stroke below jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He also became tôdori at the Ichimuraza.

5th lunar month of 1775: Tatsujûrô ^[2] played in the same theater the role of Keijuin in the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki".

7th lunar month of 1776: Tatsujûrô ^[2] played in the same theater the role of Kakuju in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

11th lunar month of 1776: Tatsujûrô played at the Ichimuraza the role of Ono no Yoshizane in the kaomise drama "Sugata no Hana Yuki no Kuronushi".

1st lunar month of 1777: Tatsujûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. He appeared on stage for the last time, in Edo at the Ichimuraza, where he played the roles of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Toshinari in the new year sogamono drama "Tsukisenu Haru Hagoromo Soga. He fell ill and had to retire.

19th day of the 8th lunar month of 1777 ^[1]: Tatsujûrô died in Edo.

Comments:

Tomizawa Tatsujûrô was a talented and popular actor, who was active from 1720 to 1777. He was born and trained in Kamigata where he performed between 1720 and 1738 before definitively settling in Edo and making a fame for himself for almost 4 decades in the Edo Sanza (especially the Moritaza where he spent 20 seasons)! He was said to act on stage like Bandô Hikosaburô I. He was outstanding in jitsugoto roles. In his latter years, he was an excellent fukeyaku actor. He also successfully performed fukeoyama roles like Kakuju in "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". It was also worthy to note that he quickly became jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (in 1743) but he never achieved to receive the prestigious jô-jô-kichi ranking although he was many years only one stroke below.

[1] The 19th day of the 8th lunar month of the 6th year of the An'ei era was the 20th of September 1777 in the western calendar.

[2] He did not appear on stage for the 1774 and 1775 kaomise at the Ichimuraza but he occasionally performed during each season.

Tomizawa Tatsujûrô in a print made in 1770 by Ippitsusai Bunchô for the Ehon Butai Ôgi series of prints

Prints & Illustrations