Stage names:
| Agemaki Rin'ya |  |
| Ikushima Daikichi II | |
| Azuma Tôzô II | |
| Bandô Kissaku | |
| Nakamura Seinosuke | |
Nickname: Kobu Tôzô
Guild: Azumaya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry name: Enshi
Existence: 1724 ~ 11 April 1776
Connection:
Father: Nakamura Seishichi
Uncle: Azuma Tôzô I
Master: Ichimura Uzaemon VIII
Disciples: Azuma Tôzô III, Ikushima Daikichi III
Career:
1724: born in Edo. His father is Nakamura Seishichi, the brother of late Azuma Tôzô I. His first name is Nakamura Seinosuke. He takes the name of Bandô Kissaku, when he becomes disciple of Ichimura Uzaemon VIII.
November 1730: he receives the name of Azuma Tôzô II and starts his career as a koyaku at the Ichimuraza.
November 1738: Tôzô becomes wakashugata.
November 1741: Tôzô becomes wakaonnagata.
March 1747: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" is performed for the first time in Edo, at the Ichimuraza; Tôzô plays the roles of Yae and Midaidokoro [casting].
November 1747: Azuma Tôzô II takes the name of Ikushima Daikichi II at the Ichimuraza, playing the role of Ayame-no-Mae in the kaomise drama "Shusse Momijigari".
January 1748: Daikichi plays in the same theater the role of the courtesan Kewaizaka no Shôshô in the new year drama "Mon-zukushi Nagoya Soga"; the role of Shôshô's lover Soga Gorô Tokimune is played by Sanogawa Ichimatsu I.
November 1748: Ikushima Daikichi II takes back the name of Azuma Tôzô II at the Moritaza, playing the role of Chitose in the kaomise drama "Fuyu Botan Yoshino Dairi".
February 1749: the play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" is staged for the first time in Edo, at the Moritaza; Tôzô plays the roles of Osono and Okaru.
November 1749: Tôzô plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Bijo Kurabe Kiso no Kakehashi", which celebrates the shûmei of Sawamura Sôjûrô II.
April 1750: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" is produced at the Moritaza for the first time; Tôzô plays the role of Sakuramaru [casting].
November 1750: Tôzô plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Hatsuyuki Reijin no Sode".
November 1751: Tôzô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays the role of Yaehata in the kaomise drama "Honryô Hachinoki Zome", which welcomes in Edo the Kamigata actors Fujikawa Heikurô and Sanogawa Hanazuma II.
January 1752: Tôzô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô (superior - superior). He plays in the same theater the role of the courtesan Ôiso no Tora in the new year drama "Kuruwa Kuruwa Akinai Soga"; the role of Tora's lover Soga Jûrô Sukenari is played by Sawamura Sôjûrô II.
April 1752: Tôzô plays in the same theater the roles of Kiku-no-Mae and Princess Tamaori in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".
November 1752: Tôzô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Akazawayama Sumô Nikki".
November 1753: Tôzô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Kôtô-no-Naishi in the kaomise drama "Hyakumanki Tsuwamono Taiheiki", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Masuzô I.
January 1754: Tôzô plays in the same theater the role of the courtesan Ôiso no Tora in the new year drama "Momo Chidori Kuruwa Soga"; the role of Tora's lover Soga Jûrô Sukenari is played by Nakamura Shichisaburô II.
November 1754: Tôzô goes to the Moritaza and plays the roles of Katsura-no-Mae and the keisei Michinoku in the kaomise drama "Kiichi Hôgen Shinan-guruma", which welcomes in Edo the actor Matsuyama Sanjûrô.
January 1755: Tôzô plays in the same theater the role of the courtesan Ôiso no Tora in the new year drama "Sono Sugata Ariake Soga"; the role of Tora's lover Soga Jûrô Sukenari is played by Matsuyama Sanjûrô.
May 1755: Tôzô plays in the same theater the roles of Okaru and Oishi in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1755: Tôzô plays at the Moritaza the role of Komachi in the kaomise drama "Ôtomo no Kuronushi Sokutai Kagami".
November 1756: Azuma Tôzô II takes the name of Agemaki Rin'ya at the Moritaza, playing in the kaomise drama "Manazuru Heike Monogatari".
November 1757: Rin'ya plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Ikioi Wada Gassen".
May 1758: the play "Gion Sairei Shinkôki" is staged for the first time in Edo, at the Moritaza; Rin'ya plays the role of Princess Yuki [casting].
November 1758: Rin'ya plays at the Moritaza the role of Shigarami in the kaomise program "Akazawa Genjiyama".
January 1759: Rin'ya's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent).
May 1759: Rin'ya plays in the same theater the role of Okaji in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami".
November 1759: Rin'ya plays at the Moritaza the role of Yuya Gozen in the kaomise drama "Toki Tsukaze Heike Monogatari".
November 1760: Agemaki Rin'ya takes back the name of Azuma Tôzô II at the Ichimuraza, playing the role of Asaka-no-Mae in the kaomise drama "Ume Momiji Date no Ôkido".
November 1761: Tôzô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Fude Tsubana Yaoya Oshichi".
January 1762: Tôzô plays in the same theater the role of the courtesan Ôiso no Tora in the new year drama "Nokon no Yuki Katsuiro Soga"; the role of Tora's lover Soga Jûrô Sukenari is played by Ichimura Kamezô I.
7 May 1762: his master Ichimura Uzaemon VIII dies.
November 1762: Tôzô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Tamaki-no-Mae in the kaomise drama "Kisoe Uta Sakae Komachi", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichimura Uzaemon IX, Ôtani Hiroji III and Nakajima Mihoemon II.
January 1763: Tôzô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent). He shares the same rank with Segawa Kikunojô II, Yoshizawa Goroichi I and Osagawa Tsuneyo I.
November 1763: Tôzô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Takatoki's daughter in the kaomise drama "Shikai Nami Yawaragi Taiheiki".
November 1764: Tôzô moves to the Nakamuraza and performs in the kaomise drama "Azuma no Hana Sôma no Dairi".
May 1765: Tôzô plays in the same theater the roles of Oishi and Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1765: Tôzô plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Kachidoki Sakae Genji".
January 1766: Tôzô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He shares the same rank with Segawa Kikunojô II and Yoshizawa Sakinosuke III.
March 1766: Tôzô plays in the same theater the roles of Suke-no-Tsubone and Tadanobu in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura"; the roles of Yoshitsune and Tomomori are played by Morita Kan'ya VI and Ichikawa Raizô I.
November 1766: Tôzô moves to the Ichimuraza and plays in the kaomise drama "Higashiyama Dono Kabuki no Tsuitachi".
February 1767: first Kabuki adaptation, at the Ichimuraza, of Chikamatsu Hanji's puppet theater drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku"; Tôzô plays the roles of Ukihashi and Okiku [casting].
July 1767: Tôzô plays in the same theater the role of Suke-no-Tsubone in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura"; the roles of Yoshitsune and Tomomori are played by Ichikawa Yaozô II and Ichikawa Danzô III.
November 1767: Tôzô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Ayame-no-Mae in the kaomise drama "Nue Shigedô Sakiwake Yûsha".
August 1768: Tôzô plays in the same theater the role of Matsuômaru's wife Chiyo in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; the role of Matsuômaru is played by Sawamura Sôjûrô II.
November 1768: Tôzô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Otokoyama Yunzei Kurabe", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Tomozô I and Tomizawa Hanzaburô II. This is also the premiere of the dance "Oshiegusa Yoshiwara Suzume", the first version of "Yoshiwara Suzume", in which Tôzô plays the role of the spirit of a falcon disuised as a female bird seller [more details].
May 1769: Tôzô plays in the same theater the roles of Tonase and Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; the roles of Tonase's husband Honzô and Osono's husband Gihei are played by Ichikawa Danzô III and Ôtani Hiroji III.
November 1769: Tôzô plays at the Ichimuraza in the in the kaomise drama "Mutsu no Hana Ume no Kaomise", which welcomes in Edo the actors Onoe Kikugorô I, Ôtani Tomoemon I, Nakamura Kiyosaburô I and Onoe Tamizô I.
June 1770: Tôzô plays in the same theater the roles of Kiku-no-Mae and Shizuka Gozen in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki"; the role of Rokuyata is played by Ichimura Uzaemon IX.
November 1770: Tôzô performs at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Meoto Giku Izu no Kisewata", which welcomes in Edo the Kamigata star Arashi Sangorô II and celebrates the shûmei of Bandô Hikosaburô III, Bandô Sampachi II and Segawa Kichiji III.
November 1771: Tôzô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Shiratae in the kaomise drama "Kono Hana Yotsugi no Hachinoki".
January 1772: Tôzô plays in the same theater the roles of Tatsuta-no-Mae and Chiyo in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; the role of Chiyo's husband Matsuômaru is played by Ôtani Hiroji III.
November 1772: Tôzô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Edo Katagi Hikeya Tsunazaka", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Danzaburô III.
March 1773: Tôzô plays in the same theater the role of Akoya in the new year drama "Edo no Haru Meisho Soga"; the role of Akoya's lover Kagekiyo is played by Ichimura Uzaemon IX.
September 1773: Tôzô plays in the same theater the role of Oishi in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1773: Tôzô does not take part in any kaomise.
January 1774: Tôzô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Onna Ômi, in reality Danzaburô's wife, in the new year drama "Yuiganoko Datezome Soga".
August 1774: Tôzô plays in the same theater the role of Suke-no-Tsubone in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
November 1774: Tôzô does not take part in any kaomise.
January 1775: Tôzô is back on stage, playing the roles of Tsukisayo, Shigetada's wife Kinugasa and Suketarô's wife in the new year drama "Shida Yuzuriha Hôrai Soga", which is staged at the Moritaza.
May 1775: Tôzô plays in the same theater the role of Tatsuta-no-Mae in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
November 1775: Tôzô plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Kikujidô Shuen no Iwaya", which welcomes in Edo the actor Yoshizawa Iroha I.
January 1776: Tôzô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He is the kanjiku for the onnagata actors. Tôzô appears on stage for the last time, at the Moritaza, where he performs in the new year drama "Sono Kyôdai Fuji no Sugatami".
11 April 1776: Tôzô dies in Edo.
Comments:
Azuma Tôzô II was a great Edo onnagata, who was active in his native city from 1730 to the beginning of 1776. He was outstanding in budôgoto roles and was an excellent dancer. As a master of dance, he was the founder of the Azuma-ryû, the Azuma school of dance, which still exists nowadays.
Azuma Tôzô II in a print made in 1770 by Ippitsusai Bunchô
for the Ehon Butai Ôgi series of prints
Print made by Okumura Masanobu
The Azuma Tôzô line of actors