Stage names:

Matsumoto Tomojûrô II
Matsumoto Shinkurô

Guild: Iseya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Kitô

Existence: ???

Connection:

Master: Matsumoto Tomojûrô I

Career:

Before 1753: he started his career as a disciple of Matsumoto Tomojûrô I, who gave him the name of Matsumoto Shinkurô. He learnt the art of acting in travelling troupes.

11th lunar month of 1753: Matsumoto Shinkurô took the name of Matsumoto Tomojûrô II in Kyôto at Miyako Handayû's theater, performing as a katakiyaku in the kaomise drama "Hade Musume Bandachi Yakata", which was produced by Yamashita Ugenta II. This was his first stage appearance in ôshibai.

Fall 1765: Tomojûrô went to Edo.

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

1st lunar month of 1766: Tomojûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was one little stroke above jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1766: Tomojûrô performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Tsuno Moji Izu no Irifune", which celebrated the shûmei of Bandô Mitsugorô I, Ichikawa Somegorô and Sawamura Yodogorô II.

1st lunar month of 1767: Tomojûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

Fall 1767: Tomojûrô went back to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1767: Tomojûrô played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Masaki Danjô in the kaomise drama "Daikokuten", which was produced by Onoe Montarô and Onoe Kumesuke and celebrated the shûmei of Bandô Yasuke and Bandô Sukesaburô II.

1st lunar month of 1768: Tomojûrô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1771: Tomojûrô played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Iwabuchi Naizen in the kaomise drama "Bandai Isaoshi Genji", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II.

11th lunar month of 1776: Tomojûrô played the roles of Togashi Saemon and Kajiwara Heizô Kagetoki in the kaomise drama "Oso Uji Yodo no Irifune", which was produced in Kyôto by Matsuyama Kogenji.

1st lunar month of 1777: premiere at the Kitagawa no Shibai of the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Tonoi Zakura", whose plot was very close to Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa"; Tomojûrô played the role of Kondô Nomorinosuke [casting]. This was his last recorded stage appearance and his last rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual].

Comments:

Matsumoto Tomojûrô II was active from the 1750s to the 1770s. He was a Kamigata actor specialized in katakiyaku/jitsuaku roles and spent his career either on Kyôto stages or in travelling troupes. He was not officially a dôkegata but excelled in comic scenes or parody of serious scenes.

The actors Matsumoto Tomojûrô II (left) and Ôtani Hirohachi I (right) performing in the 11th lunar month of 1760 at the Kitagawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Kiku Nagashi Kokka Taiheiki"

The Matsumoto Tomojûrô line of actors