MATSUMOTO YONESABURÔ I

1775~1779: he became the disciple of Matsumoto Kôshirô IV, then the adopted son of Matsumoto Kôshirô IV's disciple Matsumoto Kojirô II. His new name was Matsumoto Yonesaburô I.

11th lunar month of 1779: Yonesaburô made his debut on stage in Edo at the Ichimuraza, where he performed as a koyaku in the kaomise drama "Azuma no Mori Sakae Kusunoki", which celebrated the shûmei of Azuma Tôzô III and Segawa Otome.

11th lunar month of 1788: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Modori Kago Iro ni Aikata" (commonly called "Modori Kago"), which was staged within Sakurada Jisuke I's kaomise program "Tôzumô Hana no Edokata", which celebrated the return in Edo of the actor Nakamura Nakazô I; Yonesaburô played the role of the kamuro [casting].

1791: Yonesaburô became wakaonnagata.

11th lunar month of 1791: Yonesaburô achieved a great success at the Nakamuraza by playing the role of Komurasaki in the kaomise drama "Nidai Genji Oshi no Gôkyû".

28th day of the 9th lunar month of 1792^[3]: his father Yoshizawa Ayame IV died.

5th lunar month of 1794: premiere at the Kiriza of Sakurada Jisuke I's drama "Katakiuchi Noriai Banashi"; Yonesaburô played the role of Mikinoshin's daughter Shinobu [more details].

1st lunar month of 1796: premiere at the Kiriza of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Suda no Haru Geisha Katagi"; Yonesaburô played the role of Kosan [casting].

9th lunar month of 1796: the play "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi" was staged for the first time in Edo, simultaneously at the Kiriza and the Miyakoza; Yonesaburô played the role of Ichimisai's younger daughter Okiku in the former theater [casting].

29th day of the 9th lunar month of 1798^[4]: his Brother: Nakayama Kojûrô VII died.

1st lunar month of 1800: Yonesaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

3rd lunar month of 1800: tour in Ise with Ichikawa Omezô I.

4th lunar month of 1800: Yonesaburô went to Kyôto and played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Okumi in the drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku".

8th lunar month of 1800: Yonesaburô played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami"; the role of Yasuna was played by Arashi Sangorô III.

Fall 1800: Yonesaburô went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1800: Yonesaburô played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Ohatsu in the drama "Kagamiyama Kokyô no Nishikie"; the roles of Iwafuji and Onoe were played by Kataoka Nizaemon VII and Sawamura Kunitarô I.

1st lunar month of 1801: Yonesaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was only one little white stroke above jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent).

2nd lunar month of 1801: Yonesaburô went to Kyôto and played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Katsura in the drama "Keisei Kakehashi Monogatari".

9th lunar month of 1801: premiere at the Kitagawa no Shibai of Shiba Shisô's drama "Hakone Reigen Izari no Adauchi"; Yonesaburô played the roles of Mandokoro, Fudesuke's wife and Osada [casting].

11th lunar month of 1801: Yonesaburô performed at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Furuki o Motte Aratama no Kaomise", which was produced by the zamoto Arashi Sankichi and celebrated the shûmei of Kanô Minshi I.

1st lunar month of 1802: Yonesaburô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

27th day of the 6th lunar month of 1802^[5]: his master Omegawa Kyôjûrô (Matsumoto Kôshirô IV) died in Edo.

10th lunar month of 1803: Yonesaburô played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Tatsuta-no-Mae, Haru and Tonami in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". He also played the role of Yaegiri in the drama "Komochi Yamanba".

Fall 1803: Yonesaburô and Asao Kuzaemon I went together to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1803: Yonesaburô performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Mutsu no Hana Monomi no Matsu".

1st lunar month of 1804: Yonesaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was three black strokes above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. He was the kanjiku for wakaonnagata actors.

9th lunar month of 1804: Namiki Gohei I's drama "Kanjin Kanmon Tekuda no Hajimari" was staged for the first time in Edo, produced by Ichimura Uzaemon XI at the Ichimuraza; Yonesaburô played the role of Teruha-no-Mae [more details].

11th lunar month of 1804: Yonesaburô performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Mishi Tamadare Yuki no Furusato", which celebrated the shûmei of Suketakaya Takasuke II, Ichikawa Takinosuke and Kiriyama Monji III.

3rd lunar month of 1805: Yonesaburô appeared on stage for the last time, in Edo at the Ichimuraza.

11th day of the 3rd lunar month of 1805^[2]: Yonesaburô suddenly died in Edo.

Comments:

Matsumoto Yonesaburô I was a promising and popular onnagata. He was the heir of a Kamigata actor but was in fact trained in Edo, where he spent most of his short but successful career. He was outstanding in the roles of keisei in sewamono.

[1] Matsumoto Yonesa or Matsumoto Yonezô (another possible reading).

[2] The 11th day of the 3rd lunar month of the 2nd year of the Bunka era was the 10th of April 1805 in the western calendar.

[3] The 28th day of the 9th lunar month of the 4th year of the Kansei era was the 12th of November 1792 in the western calendar.

[4] The 29th day of the 9th lunar month of the 10th year of the Kansei era was the 7th of November 1798 in the western calendar.

[5] The 27th day of the 6th lunar month of the 2nd year of the Kyôwa era was the 26th of July 1802 in the western calendar.

Matsumoto Yonesaburô I in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni I

Prints & Illustrations

The Matsumoto Yonesaburô line of actors