Stage names:

Sawamura Tosshi VII
Nakamura Sennosuke II
Ichikawa Sennosuke 0.2

Real name: Itô Sennosuke

Nickname: Môyû ("the ferocious actor")

Guild: Kinokuniya

Line number: SHICHIDAIME (VII)

Poetry name: Tosshi (7)

Existence: 20th day of the 4th lunar month of 1860 ~ 26 March 1926

Connections:

Adoptive father: Suketakaya Takasuke IV

Adopted brother: Sawamura Sôjûrô VII

Sons: Suketakaya Kodenji I, Sawamura Sônosuke I, Sawamura Chôjûrô VII

Grandsons: Sawamura Sônosuke II, Sawamura Shônosuke

Nephew: Suketakaya Kodenji II

Son-in-law: Sawamura Tosshi VIII

Disciples: Sawamura Shirogorô V, Sawamura Tokusaburô

Career:

1860 ~ 1881: born in Nagoya in the district of Deki-chô in a samurai family. He became bonze in Kyôto at the Daitokuji Temple but left soon the monastic world to join a children-actors troupe (kodomo shibai). He made his first stage apperance in 1874 in Ôgaki, performing under the name of Ichikawa Sennosuke. A few years later he took the name of Nakamura Sennosuke II. He moved to Tôkyô in 1877 and performed mainly at the Harukiza.

June 1881: Sennosuke got married with Itô Haruko, whose aunt was the spouse of the star Suketakaya Takasuke IV. Sennosuke was adopted a few months later by this actor.

September 1882: he took the name of Sawamura Tosshi VII at the Harukiza, playing the role of Oda Harunaga in the drama "Oke Hazama Narumi Gundan". Tosshi was one of the haimyô used by the Sawamura Sôjûrô line of actors and Sawamura Tosshi VII was the first actor to use it as a stage name.

November 1883: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Zôho Tenjiku Tokubê", a revision of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's "Tenjiku Tokubê Ikoku Banashi"; Tosshi played the roles of Sasaki Katsuranosuke and Sasano Saizô [casting].

January 1885: Tosshi played at the Tsutaza (Yokohama) the role of Wada no Hyôe Hidemori in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata"; the role of Sasaki Moritsuna was played by Suketakaya Takasuke IV.

November 1887: Tosshi took part in the opening ceremony of the Azumaza [more details].

January 1888: Tosshi played at the Azumaza the role of Wada no Hyôe Hidemori in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata"; the role of Sasaki Moritsuna was played by Ichikawa Kuzô III.

March 1889: Tosshi plays for the first time the role of Takechi Mitsuhide in the drama "Ehon Taikôki", which was staged at the Azumaza.

May 1892: Tosshi played for the first time the roles of Sodehagi and Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara", which was staged at the Sawamuraza (Tôkyô); His stage partners were Sawamura Yodogorô III (Abe Munetô), Sawamura Sônosuke I (Okimi) and Ichikawa Danzaburô IX (Yoshiie).

November 1896: Tosshi took part in the opening ceremony of the Miyatoza [more details].

December 1898: Tosshi played at the Miyatoza the role of Igami no Gonta in the "Sushiya" scene of the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

February 1900: Tosshi played for the first time the roles of the villain Adachi Motoemon and Ningyôya Kôemon in the drama "Tengajaya-mura", which was staged at the Engiza (Tôkyô); his stage partners were Nakamura Shikaku I (Hayase Iori), Seki Hanasuke II (Hayase Genjirô) and Ichikawa Danzô VII (Tôma Saburôemon).

January 1902: Tosshi played at the Harukiza the role of the shirabyôshi in the dance "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji".

March 1903: Tosshi played at the Misonoza (Nagoya) the role of Shigetada in the play "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki"; his stage partners in the roles of Akoya and Iwanaga were Sawamura Sônosuke I and Seki Hanasuke II.

June 1903: Tosshi played at the Ichimuraza the role of Iwafuji in the drama "Kagamiyama Kokyô no Nishikie"; the roles of Onoe and Ohatsu were played by Jitsukawa Enzaburô IV and Nakamura Fukusuke III.

October 1904: Tosshi played at the Miyatoza the role of Matahei in the play "Domo Mata"; the role of Otoku, Matahei's wife, was played by Ichikawa Kigan IV.

October 1905: Tosshi played at the Engiza the roles of Taira no Tomomori and Igami no Gonta in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

March 1906: Tsubouchi Shôyô's drama "Hototogisu Kojô no Rakugetsu" was produced for the first time in Tôkyô, at the Tôkyôza; Tosshi played the role of Ôno Shurinosuke [casting].

June 1906: Tosshi played for the last time the role of Takechi Mitsuhide in the drama "Ehon Taikôki", which was staged at the Meijiza.

January 1914: Tosshi played at the Tôkyôza the roles of Yuranosuke, Yajirobê and Shimizu Ikkaku in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

May 1917: Tosshi played at the Bentenza (Ôsaka) the role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane in the "Kumagai Jin'ya" scene of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".

October 1918: Tosshi played at the Azumaza the role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane in the "Kumagai Jin'ya" scene of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".

January 1921: Tosshi played at the Tatsumi Gekijô the role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane in the "Kumagai Jin'ya" scene of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".

December 1922: Tosshi played at the Mikuniza the role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane in the "Kumagai Jin'ya" scene of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".

March 1924: Tosshi played at the Kanda Gekijô the role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane in the "Kumagai Jin'ya" scene of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".

May 1924: Tosshi played for the last time the role of the villain Adachi Motoemon in the drama "Tengajaya-mura", which was staged at the Azabu Meijiza (Tôkyô); his stage partners were Onoe Kikuemon (Hayase Iori), Nakamura Katsugorô (Hayase Genjirô) and Kawarasaki Gonjûrô II (Tôma Saburôemon).

April 1925: Tosshi played for the last time the roles of Sodehagi and Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara", which was staged at the Tokiwaza.

July 1925: Tosshi appeared on stage for the last time, in Tôkyô at the Kôen Gekijô, where he played the role of Baba Saburô in the drama "Ôsakazuki Shusen no Tsuwamono".

26 March 1926: Tosshi died in Tôkyô.

Comments:

Sawamura Tosshi VII was a popular kaneru yakusha, who made a great career mainly on the koshibai stages (Asakusaza, Azumaza, Engiza, Miyatoza). He excelled in the big tachimawari scenes, gaining the nickname of "ferocious actor" (môyû).

Sawamura Tosshi VII's best roles: Jirôzaemon ("Kagotsurube Sato no Eizame"), Marubashi Chûya ("Keian Taiheiki"), Terutora ("Shinshû Kawanakajima Kassen") and Sodehagi/Abe no Sadatô ("Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara").

Sawamura Tosshi VII playing the role of Momonoi Wakasanosuke in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura" (print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1894)

The Nakamura Sennosuke line of actors

The Sawamura Tosshi line of actors