Stage names:

Bandô Yasosuke I
Morita Kan'ya VIII
Bandô Matakurô IV
Morita Matajirô

Other name:

Bandô Kikô

Guild: Kinojiya

Poetry names: Zankyô ^[5], Minsha, Kikô, Shôka

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: 1759 ~ 22nd day of the 2nd lunar month of 1814 ^[1]

Connections:

Father: Morita Matazaemon (Morita Kan'ya V)

Brother-in-law: Morita Yasosuke (Morita Kan'ya VI)

Son: Morita Kan'ya IX

Career:

1759: born in Edo. He was the son of Morita Matazaemon, who was the adopted son of Morita Kan'ya IV and held the name of Morita Kan'ya V from 1744 to the 11th lunar month of 1751.

11th lunar month of 1765: he made his first appearance on stage, at the Moritaza, where he received the name of Morita Matajirô.

11th lunar month of 1776: Morita Matajirô took the name of Bandô Matakurô IV at the Moritaza, performing in the kaomise drama "Hikitsurete Yagoe Taiheiki".

19th day of the 5th lunar month of 1780 ^[2]: his brother-in-law Morita Kan'ya VI died.

4th lunar month of 1780: first Kabuki adaptation of Utei Enba, Kijô Tarô and Yô Yôdai puppet theater drama "Go Taiheiki Shiraishi Banashi". The play was staged in Edo at the Moritaza; Matakurô played the role of Kanae Tanigorô [casting].

10th of the 8th lunar month of 1783 ^[3]: Morita Kan'ya VI's son Morita Kan'ya VII died; Bandô Matakurô IV took the name of Morita Kan'ya VIII at the Moritaza and became the new manager of this theater.

26th day of the 12th lunar month of 1784 ^[4]: a fire broke out in the palace of a daimyô and destroyed the Moritaza.

1789 ~ 1797: the Moritaza went bankrupt and Kan'ya gave its license for Kabuki performance to his hikae yagura, the Kawarasakiza.

5th lunar month of 1794: premiere at the Kiriza of Sakurada Jisuke I's drama "Katakiuchi Noriai Banashi"; Kan'ya played the roles of Shinoda no Saemon and Oniô Shinzaemon [more details].

6th lunar month of 1795: the play "Miura no Ôsuke Kôbai Tazuna" was staged for the first time in Edo, at the Kiriza; Kan'ya played the role of Matano Gorô [casting].

2nd lunar month of 1798: Kan'ya reopened his theater, with a program entitled "Ichikawa Danzô Machiuke Banashi" and starring Ichikawa Danzô IV.

1800 ~ 1808: the Moritaza went bankrupt and Kan'ya gave its license for Kabuki performance to his hikae yagura, the Kawarasakiza.

11th lunar month of 1801: Morita Kan'ya VIII and his son Morita Matakichi respectively took the names of Bandô Yasosuke I and Morita Kan'ya IX at the Kawarasakiza, performing in the kaomise drama "Ume ni Suisen Iro no Udezuku".

1802: his father Morita Matazaemon died.

1804 ~ 1806: tour in Kamigata.

5th lunar month of 1808: the Moritaza reopened.

6th lunar month of 1808: Yasosuke appeared on stage for the last time, at the Moritaza, playing in the drama "Tokieshi Hana Sakae Morita". He definitively retired from stage, taking the name of Bandô Kikô.

22nd day of the 2nd lunar month of 1814 ^[1]: Kikô died in Edo.

Comments:

Bandô Yasosuke I was both a tachiyaku actor and the zamoto of the Moritaza from 1783 to 1789 and from 1797 to 1800. His theater went bankrupt twice and was closed for many years, allowing him to focus on acting. His forte were aragoto and budôgoto roles.

[1] The 22nd day of the 2nd lunar month of the 11th year of the Bunka era was the 12th of April 1814 in the western calendar.

[2] The 19th day of the 5th lunar month of the 9th year of the An'ei era was the 21st of June 1780 in the western calendar.

[3] The 10th of the 8th lunar month of the 3rd year of the Tenmei era was the 6th of September 1783 in the western calendar.

[4] The 26th day of the 12th lunar month of the 4th year of the Tenmei era was the 5th of February 1785 in the western calendar.

[5] Others possible readings: Zankô, Sankyô or Sankô.

Bandô Yasosuke I in the 1803 Kabuki encyclopedia "Shibai Kinmô Zui"

The Bandô Matakurô line of actors and theater managers

The Morita Kan'ya line of actors and theater managers

The Bandô Yasosuke line of actors