Pen names:

Takarada Jusuke
Matsukawa Hôsaku

Existence: 1797 ~ 19th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1838 ^[1]

Connection:

Master: Matsui Kôzô II

Career:

1797: born in Edo. His father is the owner of the Takahashiya house, a shichiya.

1822: he started his career as a sakusha; his first pen name was Matsukawa Hôsaku. He received the patronage of Matsui Kôzô II.

11th lunar month of 1828: Hôsaku worked at the Ichimuraza, along with Nakamura Jûsuke IV, Matsushima Chôfu I and Nagawa Motosuke, on the kaomise drama "Mitsugi no Yuki Genji Hiiki". Jûsuke's yearly salary was 24 ryô ^[2].

1830~1832: stay in Kamigata.

11th lunar month of 1832: he became tatesakusha, took the name of Takarada Jusuke ^[3] and worked at the Ichimuraza, along with Nagawa Motosuke, on the kaomise drama "Bandô Musha Tsunagate Hajime".

11th lunar month of 1833: Jusuke worked, along with Mimasuya Nisôji (tatesakusha), Namiki Gohei III (who celebrated his shûmei) and Nanboku Magotarô IV, at the Moritaza, on the kaomise drama "Shitennô Kabuki no Yorizome".

11th lunar month of 1835: Jusuke worked as tatesakusha at the Moritaza on the kaomise drama "Hanayagura Kabuki no Jintori", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Kuzô II and Bandô Zenkô.

7th lunar month: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the drama "Shinobi Yoru Koi no Kusemono"; the roles of Princess Takiyasha and Mitsukuni were played by Ichikawa Kuzô II and Ichimura Uzaemon XII; the lyrics were written by Jusuke.

11th lunar month of 1836: Jusuke worked at the Ichimuraza, along with Nakamura Jûsuke IV and Shinoda Sasuke, on the kaomise drama "Seiwa Nidai Oshi no Tsuwamono" ^[4].

11th lunar month of 1837: Jusuke worked, along with Mimasuya Nisôji and Tsuruya Nanboku V, at the Kawarasakiza (which celebrated its reopening!) on the drama "Sekai ha Taira Ume no Kaomise".

19th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1838 ^[1]: Jusuke died in Edo.

Comments:

Takarada Jusuke was an Edo sakusha, who was active from the beginning of the 1820s to the end of the 1830s. He will stay in Kabuki history as the playwright who created the spectacular dance-drama "Masakado".

[1] The 19th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 9th year of the Tenpô era was the 14th of March 1838 in the western calendar.

[2] Tsuruya Nanboku IV, the best Edo playwright, was paid 175 ryô. Bandô Mitsugorô III, the zagashira at the Ichimuraza, was paid 700 ryô.

[3] This name was a way to celebrate the memory of Takarada Jurai, who passed away a few months before the birth of Takarada Jusuke.

[4] Another possible reading was "Semewa Nidai Kishi no Tsuwamono".

The name of Takarada Jusuke in a 1834 Edo hyôbanki (the zone within the red shape on the left side of the picture); all the names were the sakusha at the Moritaza