Stage names:

Ogawa Zengorô I	|
Ogawa Sajiemon

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Unjû ^[1]

Existence: 1682 ~ 6th day of the 11th lunar month of 1737 ^[2]

Connection:

Master: Osagawa Jûemon

Disciples: Ogawa Zengorô II, Ogawa Goroshirô (the father of Ogawa Kichitarô I)

Career:

Before 1695: born in Kamigata. He started his career at an early age as a disciple of Osagawa Jûemon, who gave him the name of Ogawa Sajiemon (The sa in Sajiemon was the same ideogram as the sa of Osagawa).

Fall 1695: he went to Edo with Okada Samanosuke.

11th lunar month of 1695: he took the name of Ogawa Zengorô I at the Yamamuraza and performed in the kaomise drama "Kaomise Jûnidan".

1st lunar month of 1715: Zengorô replaced the star Yamanaka Heikurô I to play at the Nakamuraza the role of Kudô Saemon Suketsune in the new year sogamono drama "Bandô Ichi Kotobuki Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô II and Katsuyama Matagorô.

5th lunar month of 1717: Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Kokusen'ya Gassen" was produced simultaneously in the 3 Edo Kabuki theaters. This was the first Kabuki adaptation of a puppet theater play in Edo. It was produced at the Moritaza under the title "Kokusen'ya Gojitsu Gassen"; Zengorô played the role of Kanki [more details].

11th lunar month of 1717: Zengorô played at the Moritaza the role of Hata Rokurozaemon in Murase Genzaburô's kaomise drama "Hônô Taiheiki".

11th lunar month of 1718: Zengorô became tachiyaku and zagashira at the Ichimuraza, where he played the role of Akaboshi Tarô in the kaomise drama "Gozen Nô Mitsu Uroko", which celebrated the arrival in Edo of the Kamigata actor Onoe Samon; Zengorô's others stage partners were Mimasuya Sukejûrô I, Sodeoka Masanosuke II, Sanjô Kantarô II, Ôtani Hiroji I, Ichimura Takenojô IV, Ôkuma Utaemon, Nakajima Mihoemon I and Onogawa Orie.

1st lunar month of 1719: Zengorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1721: Zengorô became jitsuaku and played at the Moritaza the role of Senju Tarô in the kaomise drama "Semimaru Yôrô no Taki".

1st lunar month of 1722: Zengorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1722: Zengorô became tachiyaku and played at the Nakamuraza the role of the nyûdô Sagami in the kaomise drama "Hônen Taiheiki".

1st lunar month of 1723: Zengorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He played in the same theater the role of Kudô Saemon Suketsune, a jitsuaku role, in the new year sogamono drama "Soga Koyomi Biraki"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô II and Mimasuya Sukejûrô I.

11th lunar month of 1723: Zengorô became jitsuaku and played at the Nakamuraza the role of Akaboshi Tarô in the kaomise drama "Sono Enpô Onna Migyôsho", which celebrated the arrival at the Nakamuraza of the Kamigata actors Yamashita Kinsaku I and Sanogawa Senzô.

1st lunar month of 1724: Zengorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1727: Zengorô played at the Nakamuraza the role of the nyûdô Takatoki in the kaomise drama "Yatsumune Taiheiki" [more details], which welcomed back in Edo the actor Ôtani Hiroji I (along with the Kamigata actor Kirinami Onoe) and celebrated the first stage appearance of Ichikawa Masugorô.

1st lunar month of 1728: Zengorô played in the same theater the role of Kudô Saemon Suketsune in the new year sogamono drama "Soga Hôraisan"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô II and Sawamura Sôjûrô I.

1731: his master Osagawa Jûemon died; Zengorô retired from stage.

6th day of the 11th lunar month of 1737 ^[2]: Zengorô died in Edo ^[3].

Comments:

Ogawa Zengorô I, the founder of the Ogawa clan, was a talented actor, who was able to perform either as a tachiyaku or a jitsuaku. His most famous role was Kudô Saemon Suketsune in new year sogamono.

[1] Literally Cloud Soup.

[2] The 6th day of the 11th lunar month of the 2nd year of the Genbun era was the 27th of November 1737 in the western calendar.

[3] Ogawa Zengorô I's was tombstone was located in the precincts of the Genjuin Temple, a subtemple of the Zôjôji temple in the district of Shiba.

Ogawa Zengorô I (top) and Ichikawa Danjûrô II (bottom) in a print made by Torii Kiyotomo

Prints & Illustrations