Real name: Honma Hisao

Guild: Yamatoya

Birthday: 10 May 1956

Connections:

Great-grandfather: Morita Kan'ya XII

Grandfather: Morita Kan'ya XIII

Father: Bandô Kôtarô

Brother: Bandô Kichiya II

Son: Bandô Shingo

Career:

May 1973: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Kabukiza, receiving the name of Bandô Yajûrô and playing a monk role in the dance "Yakko Dôjôji".

February 1978: Yajûrô becomes nadai and plays the role of Ihei in the play "Bunshichi Mottoi", which is performed at the Shinbashi Enbujô theater.

July 1980: revival at the Kabukiza of the never-performed 5th act of "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"; Yajûrô plays the role of Washinoo no Saburô Yoshihisa [more details].

April 1984: revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's 1813 kaomise drama "Gohiiki Tsunagi Uma"; Yajûrô plays the roles of Sakato Kurô Kumohaya and the kedamonoya Gonsuke (in reality, the yakko Gonpei) [more details].

April 1987: Yajûrô takes part in the revival at the Meijiza of the play "Jûni Hitoe Komachi Zakura", which includes the famous Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no seki no To" [more details].

September 1998: third edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Kamikakete Sango Taisetsu"; Yajûrô plays the roles of Yasuke and Tominomori Sukeemon [more details].

January 2000: Yajûrô plays the prestigious role of the villain Iwanaga Saemon in the play "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki", which is performed at the Kabukiza.

June 2001: 4th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Sannin Kichisa"; Yajûrô plays the role of Dozaemon Denkichi [more details].

June 2003: 5th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; Yajûrô plays the role of Tsuribune Sabu [more details].

July 2004: Fifth edition of the Heisei Nakamuraza, staged abroad for the first time; Nakamura Kankurô and his troupe, which includes Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Senjaku, Yajûrô, Kataoka Kamezô and Nakamura Shichinosuke, perform in Boston (8~10 July, Cutler Majestic Theatre), New York City (17~25 July, Lincoln Center) and Washington DC (28 July, Warner Theater). In Boston and Washington, the troupe presents the dances "Bô Shibari" and "Renjishi". In New York, an Edo 545-seat traditional theater is built within the Lincoln Center and the troupe presents the great Kamigata drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" [more details].

June 2005: 6th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki (the first one without Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII) with the production of "Sakura Hime"; Yajûrô plays the role of Zangetsu [more details].

March~April 2006: 7th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production (in two different programs) of "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan"; Yajûrô plays the roles of Naosuke Gonbê or Yotsuya Samon/Hotoke no Magobei [more details].

July 2007: second Heisei Nakamuraza tour in the USA, in New York (Lincoln Center, 16~22 July) and Washington (Warner Theatre, 26 July); Yajûrô plays in New York the role of Eirakuya Gonzaemon in "Sumidagawa Gonichi no Omokage". He also plays in Washington the roles of Kamei Rokurô and Tamanoi in "Kanjinchô" and "Migawari Zazen" [more details].

May~June 2008: first Heisei Nakamuraza tour in Europe, in Berlin at the The House of World Cultures (Germany) from the 14th to the 21st of May 2008 and in Sibiu (Rumania) from the 29th of May to the 1st of June 2008 for the International Theatre Festival; Yajûrô plays the role of Tsuribune Sabu in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" [casting].

June 2008: 9th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; Yajûrô plays the role of Tsuribune Sabu [more details].

July 2009: 10th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki [more details].

September 2009: Heisei Nakamuraza in Nagoya [more details].

February 2010: revival at the Kabukiza of the Nagauta-based dance "Tsumeô", which is staged to commemorate the 22nd anniversary (23rd memorial service) of late Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII; Yajûrô plays the role of the falconer [casting].

June 2010: 11th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki [more details].

July 2010: Heisei Nakamuraza in Matsumoto [more details].

October 2014: the October Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza commemorates the 26th anniversary (27th memorial service) and the 2nd anniversary (3rd memorial service) of late Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII and late Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII [more details].

May 2016: Kabuki tour in Western Europe for Yajûrô and his son Bandô Shingo [more details].

Comments:

Bandô Yajûrô is a talented supporting tachiyaku actor of the Yamatoya guild and a mainstay at the Heisei Nakamuraza.

The mon of Bandô Yajûrô