Stage names:

Bandô Yasuke
Bandô Sukesaburô I
Bandô Hikoemon
Bandô Iwamatsu

Poetry name: Kôgyo

Existence: ??? ~ 1769

Connection:

Real father: Bandô Hikosaburô I (?)

Son: Bandô Sukesaburô II

Career:

Before 1733: date of birth unknown. He was the nephew of the first wife of the actor Bandô Hikosaburô I. He was also rumored to be the real son of Bandô Hikosaburô I. His first stage name was Bandô Iwamatsu and his first master was Nakamura Shingorô I (he met him in Edo) at the beginning of the 1730s. His second stage name was Bandô Hikoemon.

11th lunar month of 1733: he became tachiyaku and took the name of Bandô Sukesaburô I in Kyôto, where he played the role of Fukagusa Mosuke in the kaomise drama "Meotogura Kogane no Masugata".

Fall 1743: Sukesaburô settled in Ôsaka

11th lunar month of 1743: Sukesaburô performed at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Tanshû Teteuchi Guri".

Fall 1744: Sukesaburô went back to Kyôto

11th lunar month of 1744: Sukesaburô played at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater the roles of Umagata Yosaku and Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the kaomise drama "Tanba Yosaku Kameyama Kayoi", which was produced by Nakamura Kumetarô I.

11th lunar month of 1748: Sukesaburô played at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of Miyoshi Emon in the kaomise drama "Jidai Makie Chûshingura", which was produced by Nakamura Matsubê I.

1st lunar month of 1749: Sukesaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1750: Sukesaburô played in Kyôto at Ebisuya Kichirôbê's theater the roles of the farmer Yogobê and Kawakami Mosaku in Fujikawa Sakoku's kaomise drama "Taira no Miyako Onna Ezôshi", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô II.

1st lunar month of 1751: Sukesaburô played in the same theater the roles of Shichirobê's nyôbô Tonase and Itô Tomokurô in Fujikawa Sakoku's ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Kane-ga-Fuchi".

1st lunar month of 1752: Sukesaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, fell to jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1752: Sukesaburô played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Sasano Saizô in the kaomise drama "Hatsubaika Asahi no Minato", which was produced by Yamashita Matatarô I.

1st lunar month of 1753: Sukesaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi [visual]. First Kabuki adaptation of the 5 acts puppet theater drama "Yamatogana Ariwara Keizu", which was produced as a new year drama at the Minamigawa no Shibai by Yamashita Matatarô I; Sukesaburô played the roles of Ariwara no Yukihira and Katsura Kingo [casting].

2nd lunar month of 1753: Sukesaburô played in the same theater the roles of Saigokuya's servant Gohei and Tsukishima Sanai in the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Naruo no Umi".

11th lunar month of 1753: Sukesaburô played at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater the role of Hirano Genjibê in the kaomise drama "Futaba no Nishiki Midori no Onikage".

2nd lunar month of 1755: first Kabuki adaptation of the 5 acts puppet theater drama "Ono no Tôfû Aoyagi Suzuri", which was produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I and staged at the Minamigawa no Shibai as a kaomise drama; Sukesaburô played the roles of Takatori Hyôgo and Tatsuki Jinsuke [casting].

1763: Sukesaburô became tôdori.

6th lunar month of 1755: Sukesaburô played in the same theater the roles of Minamoto no Yoritomo, Jijû Tarô Morikuni and Iso no Zenji in the drama "Gosho Zakura Horikawa no Youchi".

11th lunar month of 1756: Sukesaburô played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Yosuke in the kaomise drama "Ukematsuri Hôrai Yakata", which was produced by Somematsu Matsujirô.

1st lunar month of 1757: Sukesaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi [visual].

11th lunar month of 1757: Sukesaburô performed at the Kitagawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Tsunomoji Keman no Yurai".

1st lunar month of 1758: Sukesaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi [visual]. First Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki", which was simultaneously produced at the Minamigawa no Shibai [casting] and the Kitagawa no Shibai [casting]. It used its real title at the former theater but it was entitled "Keisei Niwatoriyama" at the latter theater; Sukesaburô played in the latter theater the roles of Miyoshi Shurinotayû Masayasu and Shinsaku.

12th lunar month of 1759: Sukesaburô performed in the play "Bandai Fueki Hôrai Yakata", which was produced by Arashi Hinasuke I.

1st lunar month of 1760: Sukesaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi [visual].

2nd lunar month of 1760: Sukesaburô played in the same theater the roles of Kikuchi Shuridayû and Kaisuke in the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Sajiki-ga-Dake".

11th lunar month of 1760: Sukesaburô performed at the Kitagawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Kiku Nagashi Kokka Taiheiki", which was produced by Nakamura Senzô and celebrated the shûmei of Nakamura Manbê.

1st lunar month of 1761: Sukesaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. Sukesaburô played in the same theater the roles of Sorori Shinzaemon and the servant Yomokurô in the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Kachiodera".

12th lunar month of 1761: Sukesaburô played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Hachijô Sehei in the kaomise drama "Karanishiki Miyako no Hinagata", which celebrated the shûmei of Takeshima Kôzaemon IV.

2nd lunar month of 1763: Sukesaburô performed at the Kitagawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Otowayama Renbo no Taki", which was produced by Nakamura Senzô.

11th lunar month of 1763: Sukesaburô became tôdori and performed at the Kitagawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Shôchikubai Ôshimadai", which was produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I.

1st lunar month of 1764: Sukesaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi [visual].

11th lunar month of 1764: Sukesaburô played in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Togashi Saemon in Namiki Shôzô I's kaomise drama "Genpei Tsûrikimaru", which celebrated the shûmei of Iwai Hanshirô.

11th lunar month of 1765: no record in any Kyôto or Ôsaka kaomise.

11th lunar month of 17676: no record in any Kyôto or Ôsaka kaomise.

Fall 1767: Sukesaburô decided to give his name to his son.

11th lunar month of 1767: Bandô Sukesaburô I and his son Bandô Hikotarô took respectively the names of Bandô Yasuke and Bandô Sukesaburô II at the Kitagawa no Shibai, performing together in the kaomise drama "Daikokuten" which was produced by Onoe Montarô and Onoe Kumesuke.

3rd lunar month of 1768: Yasuke played in the same theater the role of Hara Gôemon in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". This was most likely his last appearance on stage. No record afterwards.

1769: Yasuke passed away.

Comments:

Bandô Yasuke was said to be equally at home in sewamono and jidaimono dramas. He spent most of his acting career in Kyôto. He was able to perform a wide range of roles, as a jitsugotoshi, yatsushigata, handôgataki, dôkegata, wagotoshi or even fukeyaku (in his latter years). He had a great voice and was outstanding in kôjô for kaomise dramas. He was also a renowned musician.

Bandô Yasuke and Onoe Kikugorô I playing the roles of Fujinomori Jirosaku and Hosokawa Yoshimitsu in the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Setsuyôshû", which was staged in the 1st lunar month of 1768 at the Kitagawa no Shibai

The Bandô Sukesaburô line of actors