Stage names:

Asao Yoroku I
Yamamura Takumi I
Asao Yoroku I
Asao Takumi I
Asao Tomozô II
Asao Tanpei

Nickname: Asatomo

Guild: Asadaya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Ippo

Existence: 1797 ~ 9th day of the 12th lunar month of 1851 ^[1]

Connection:

Master: Asao Tamejûrô I

Disciples: Asao Yoroku II, Asao Takumi II, Asao Takumi III

Career:

1797 ~ 1804: he started his career as a disciple of the star Asao Tamejûrô I, who gave him the name of Asao Tanpei. He performed in Ôsaka kodomo shibai.

7th day of the 4th lunar month of 1804 ^[2]: his master Asao Tamejûrô I died.

1st lunar month of 1814: he became katakiyaku and took the name of Asao Tomozô II.

Winter 1817/1818: Tomozô went to Edo with the stage giant Nakamura Utaemon III.

2nd lunar month of 1818: Tomozô performed at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Kamakura Sandaiki", which was staged for the first time in Edo [more details].

7th lunar month of 1821: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Tamamo-no-Mae Kumoi no Hareginu", which mixed the sekai of Gion no Nyôgo, the Two Shinbê ("Ninin Shinbê") and Tamamo-no-Mae; Tomozô played the role of Taguma Hôgen Toshitsugu [more details].

Fall 1826: Tomozô went back to Ôsaka.

12th lunar month of 1826: Tomozô played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Kurosuke in the drama "Genpei Nunobiki no Taki".

1828: Asao Tomozô II took the name of Asao Takumi I to perform in hama shibai as a jitsuaku.

11th lunar month of 1830: Asao Takumi I took the name of Asao Yoroku I at the Minamigawa no Shibai, playing the role of Miura Arajirô in the drama "Zôho Hôjô Jiraiki"; his stage partners were Bandô Hikosaburô IV, Ogawa Kichitarô III, Fujikawa Tomokichi II, Bandô Jutarô I, Ichikawa Sukejûrô III, Arashi Kanô and Asao Okuyama III.

1st lunar month of 1840: Yoroku's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Kataoka Ichizô I.

1847: he went on tour in Nagoya, where he temporarily performed under the name of Yamamura Takumi I.

5th lunar month of 1848: Yoroku played at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Kyôgoku no Takumi and Kinugawa Yasozaemon in the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; the role of Rokusuke was played by Ichikawa Ebizô V.

8th lunar month of 1848: Yoroku played at the Chikugo no Shibai the role of Tetsuzan in the drama "Sarayashiki"; the role of Okiku was played by Arashi Rikaku II.

1st lunar month of 1849: Yoroku's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku section, was (shiro)ô-jô-jô-kichi (almost grand - superior - superior - excellent).

8th lunar month of 1849: Yoroku played at the Chikugo no Shibai the role of Matsunaga Daizen in the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki"; the roles of Tôkichi and Princess Yuki were played by Kataoka Gadô II and Sawamura Kitô II.

9th lunar month of 1849: Yoroku played at the Wakadayû no Shibai (Ôsaka) the role of Rokusuke in the "Keya-mura" scene of the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; the role of Osono was played by Yamashita Kinsaku IV.

3rd lunar month of 1851: Yoroku played the role of Shôgen in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Hangonkô", which was performed in Ôsaka at the Wakadayû no Shibai. His stage partners were Kataoka Gadô II (Matahei) and Nakamura Karoku I (Otoku).

Summer ~ Fall 1851: Yoroku went on a long tour.

9th day of the 12th lunar month of 1851 ^[1]: Yoroku died in the city of Yoshida in the province of Mikawa.

Comments:

Asao Yoroku I was a talented and popular 19th century Kamigata actor, which was specialized in jitsuaku/katakiyaku roles. On the positive side, he was an expert in turning a somersault on stage (tonbo). On the negative side, he was a heavy drinker and was quite a troublemaker once he was drunk.

[1] The 9th day of the 12th lunar month of the 4th year of the Kaei era was the 31st of December 1851 in the western calendar.

[2] The 7th day of the 4th lunar month of the 1st year of the Bunka era was the 17th of May 1804 in the western calendar.

Asao Yoroku I playing the role of Ogata Rikimaru
in a print made in 1848 by Utagawa Hirosada

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1819

Print made by Shumbaisai Hokuei in 1835

Print made by Hasegawa Sadanobu in 1849

The Asao Tomozô line of actors

The Yamamura Takumi line of actors

The Asao Yoroku line of actors