Stage names:

Onoyama Ujiemon
Onoyama Shume
Onoyama Shizuma

Poetry name: Renshû

Existence: ??? ~ 1701

Connection:

???

Career:

1680: he started his career in Ôsaka, where he performed as a wakashugata. His first stage name was Onoyama Shizuma. He took the names of Onoyama Shume and Onoyama Ujiemon at unknown times.

1682 ~ 1683: Ujiemon performed in Ôsaka as a tachiyaku.

1686: Ujiemon became katakiyaku.

1691: Ujiemon played in Kyôto the role of Matsunami Daizen in the drama "Matsunami Shôshô Kayoi-guruma".

1692: Ujiemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô (superior) [visual].

1693: Ujiemon played in Kyôto the role of Kamei no Kikuômaru in the drama "Shinjû Yashima".

7th lunar month of 1694: Ujiemon performed in Ôsaka in Tsuuchi Jihê I's drama "Nihon Ajase Taishi", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô I and stars the Edo actor Bandô Matatarô I.

1st lunar month of 1695: Ujiemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. Ujiemon performed in Ôsaka in the new year drama "Shissei Nyoirin Kannon Kaichô".

11th lunar month of 1697: Ujiemon played in Ôsaka the role of Yuranojô Kunitsura in the kaomise drama "Yamato no Kuni Chigo no Monju", which was produced by Araki Yojibê I and welcomed in Ôsaka the Edo actor Saruwaka Sanzaemon I; others main stage partners were Kanazawa Goheiji I, Takioka Hikoemon, Kamogawa Noshio I, Hattori Jiroemon, Dekishima Kosaburô and Kawakami Saburozaemon.

3rd lunar month of 1698: Ujiemon played in Ôsaka the role of the servant Torazô in the drama "Taema Chûjôhime Mandara no Yurai", which was produced by Araki Yojibê I.

Fall 1698: Ujiemon went to Kyôto.

1st lunar month of 1699: Ujiemon's 's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

1st lunar month of 1700: Ujiemon played in Kyôto the role of Komeya Yaichirô in the drama "Keisei Zen no Tsuna", which was produced by Yamatoya Jinbê II. The line-up included the actors Yoshizawa Ayame I, Mizuki Tatsunosuke I, Onogawa Ugenji, Hayakawa Hatsuse, Takenaka Kiyonosuke, Matsunaga Rokuroemon, Sugiyama Kanzaemon I and Fujimoto Heijûrô.

Fall 1700: Ujiemon went to Edo.

1st lunar month of 1701: Ujiemon played in the same theater the role of Kitsuemon in the new year drama "Wakoku Onna Hankai".

1701: Ujiemon died of paralysis and convulsions after eating fugu.

Comments:

Onoyama Ujiemon was a popular and talented Kamigata actor, who was one of the first katakiyaku in Kabuki history. He was considered as the katakiyaku no ganzo, literally the pioneer of katakiyaku. Unfortunately, some poisonous mouthfuls of fugu abruptly put an end to a promising career!

Onoyama Ujiemon