Stage names:

Asao Monzô
Asao Toyozô I [1]
Asao Monzô
Asao Toyozô I [1]
Mimasu Uhachi

Guild: Ôzakaya

Poetry name: Rôzan

Existence: ??? ~ ???

Connection:

Masters: Asao Tamejûrô I, Mimasu Daigorô I

Career:

Second half of the 1760s: dates of birth and death unknown. Disciple of Mimasu Daigorô I, he received the name of Mimasu Uhachi and made his apprenticeship with his master in Kamigata. He was recorded for the first time in an Ôsaka hyôbanki, which was published in the 3rd lunar month of 1768.

1769: Uhachi performed as a tachiyaku at the Takeda no Shibai.

1770: Uhachi performed as a tachiyaku in Ôsaka in miyaji shibai at the Zama no Shibai.

1771: Uhachi worked as a zamoto in Ôsaka ^[3].

11th lunar month of 1772: he became katakiyaku and played at the Kado no Shibai the role of the yakko Namihei, in reality Yakushiji Jirozaemon, in the kaomise drama "Hi-no-Moto Banzei no Hôrai".

1774: he was against the adoption of Fujikawa Tokizô by his master Mimasu Daigorô I (jealousy?). As a consequence, he was expelled from the Mimasu clan.

Fall 1774: he settled in Kyôto and became a disciple of Asao Tamejûrô I.

11th lunar month of 1774: he took the name of Asao Toyozô ^[1] and played the role of Sakurai Shinbê in the kaomise drama "Akanesasu Kogane no Maruyama", which was produced by Fujikawa Sango at Hayagumo Chôdayû and Hoteiya Umenojô theater; his main stage partners were Onoe Kikugorô I, Arashi Hinasuke I, Sawamura Sôjûrô III, Onoe Matsusuke I (who arrived from Edo), Onoe Shinshichi I and Yoshizawa Iroha I.

11th lunar month of 1775: Toyozô played in Kyôto the role of Akita Jônosuke in the kaomise drama "Kono Hana Sakae Hachinoki", which celebrated celebrated the shûmei of Arashi Koroku II, Somematsu Shichisaburô II, Matsuyama Kogenji and Nakamura Shôgorô.

11th lunar month of 1776: Toyozô played in Kyôto the role of the yakko Makenai (in reality Sakurai Shingo) in the kaomise drama "Oso Uji Yodo no Irifune", which was produced in Kyôto by Matsuyama Kogenji.

1st lunar month of 1777: premiere at the Kitagawa no Shibai of the drama "Keisei Tonoi Zakura", whose plot was very close to Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa"; Toyozô played the roles of Ishidome Busuke, Uesugi Unai Akisada and Daihachi [casting].

11th lunar month of 1777: Toyozô played in Kyôto at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of the taiko mochi Uhachi ^[4] and the yakko Kujihei (in reality I-no-Sôta) in the kaomise drama "Yunzei Nanshi no Sakigake", which was produced by Mimasu Jirokichi.

1st lunar month of 1778: premiere of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Keisei Hakata Ori", which was produced at the Minamigawa no Shibai by Mimasu Jirokichi; Toyozô played the role of Kurusuke [casting | picture and details].

11th lunar month of 1778: Toyozô played in Kyôto at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of the yakko Yukihei in the kaomise drama "Etari Kashikoshi Hangan Biiki", which was produced by Mimasu Jirokichi.

11th lunar month of 1779: Toyozô played in Kyôto the role of Daizaifuya Zôhachi in the kaomise drama "Miyako Han'ei Nanshi no Hiraki Hajime", which was produced by Nakayama Ihachi I at the theater of Kameya Kumenojô and Hayagumo Chôdayû.

1st lunar month of 1780: Toyozô played in the same theater the role of Yoshikawa Kagetô in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Ôuchi no Hinagata".

25th day of the 9th lunar month of 1780 ^[2]: his first master Mimasu Daigorô I died.

11th lunar month of 1780: Toyozô performed at the Kitagawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Sono Uwasa Kiku no Hataage", which was produced by Yamashita Yaozô I.

11th lunar month of 1781: he took the name of Asao Monzô in Kyôto, playing the roles of Takebe Genzô and Shiratayû in the kaomise drama "Tenmangû Natane no Gokû".

1st lunar month of 1782: he played in the same theater the role of Tamamizu Chôemon in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Chigo-ga-Fuchi".

3rd lunar month of 1782: he played the roles of Hayano Kanpei and Ishidô Umanojô in the same theater in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

3rd lunar month of 1783: he took back the name of Asao Toyozô when he performed in Nagoya at the Ôsu no Shibai.

End of 1783: he took back the name of Asao Monzô.

1st lunar month of 1784: Monzô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual]. No record afterwards.

Comments:

Asao Monzô was a promising Kamigata actor, who performed as a katakiyaku or a tachiyaku. He was active from the second half of the 1760s to the first half of the 1780s. He was said to be more at ease in sewamono than in jidaimono.

[1] He was the first actor to hold the name of Asao Toyozô. A second actor held it at the beginning of the 1800s, a koyaku actor who quickly disappeared from the record.

[2] The 25th day of the 9th lunar month of the 9th year of the An'ei era was the 22nd of October 1780 in the western calendar.

[3] Not in ôshibai.

[4] This role was indeed the first name of his first stage name!

Asao Monzô portraying Hayano Kanpei ("Kanadehon Chûshingura") in a drawing made by Suifutei in the book "Suifutei Gigafu" (1782)

Prints & Illustrations