Stage name:

Ôtani Tokuji I

Others names:

Ôtani Bajû I

Guilds: Sugataya, Maruya, Tamuraya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry names: Bajû, Tochô

Existence: 1756 ~ 17th day of the 7th lunar month of 1808 ^[1]

Connection:

Father: Takemoto Shigetayû

Master: Ôtani Hiroji III

Disciple: Ôtani Bajû II

Career:

Spring 1770: he started his career as a disciple of Ôtani Hiroji III, who gave him the name of Ôtani Tokuji I.

9th lunar month of 1777: Tokuji became dôkegata at the Nakamuraza, playing the role of Yurugi Umanosuke in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".

3rd lunar month of 1782: Tokuji went to Kamigata.

5th lunar month of 1783: Tokuji went to Edo.

1st lunar month of 1792: Tokuji's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, dôkegata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

7th lunar month of 1794: premiere at the Miyakoza of the drama "Keisei Sanbon Karakasa"; Tokuji played the role of Monogusa Tarô [more details].

1st lunar month of 1795: Namiki Gohei I's drama "Godairiki Koi no Fûjime" was staged for the first time in Edo, at the Miyakoza; Tokuji played the role of the landlord Rokuemon [casting].

9th lunar month of 1796: the play "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi" was staged for the first time in Edo, simultaneously at the Kiriza and the Miyakoza; Tokuji played the role of the yakko Sagohei in the latter theater [casting].

11th day of the 5th lunar month of 1802 ^[2]: his master Ôtani Hiroji III died.

6th lunar month of 1802: the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" was produced for the first time at the Kawarasakiza; Tokuji played the role of Tsuribune Sabu [casting].

1st lunar month of 1803: Tokuji went to Ôsaka. He played at the Naka no Shibai the roles of the house-owner Tasuke and the priest Tsuji Hôin in the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki", which was produced by Anegawa Kumajirô.

11th lunar month of 1803: Tokuji played at the Kado no Shibai the role of kannushi Tokudayû in the kaomise drama "Hatsu Yagura Kogane no Manmaku", which was produced by Nakamura Noshio III. The troupe moved to the Kita no Shinchi Shibai in the 12th lunar month to perform the same program for 10 days.

1st lunar month of 1804: Tokuji's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, dôkegata section, fell to jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1806: Tokuji played at the Minamigawa no Shibai two roles in the drama "Futatsu Mon Sato no Nishikie".

17th day of the 7th lunar month of 1808 ^[1]: Tokuji died ^[3].

Comments:

Ôtani Tokuji I was a talented Edo dôkegata, who was as popular as Arashi Otohachi II. He ended his career in Kamigata, where he was not as successful as he used to be in Edo. He opened and manage a shop in the district of Setomono-chô, which sold rice crackers in the shape of actors faces.

[1] The 17th day of the 7th lunar month of the 5th year of the Bunka era was the 7th of September 1735 in the western calendar.

[2] The 11th day of the 5th lunar month of the 2nd year of the Kyôwa era was the 10th of June 1802 in the western calendar.

[3] His tombstone was located in Ôsaka in the Saishôji Temple.

Ôtani Tokuji I playing the role of the yakko Sodesuke in the drama "Hana Ayame Bunroku Soga", whose plot and characters belonged to the "Kameyama no Adauchi" world and which was staged in the 5th lunar month of 1794 in Edo at the Miyakoza (print made by Tôshûsai Sharaku)

Prints & Illustrations

The Ôtani Bajû line of actors

The Ôtani Tokuji line of actors