Stage names:
Yoshizawa Ayame V
Yoshizawa Iroha I
Guild: Tachibanaya
Line number: GODAIME (V)
Poetry name: Kôho, Hakô, Ippô
Existence: 1754 ~ 26 August 1810
Connections:
Grandfather: Yoshizawa Ayame I
Father: Yoshizawa Ayame III
Uncles: Yoshizawa Ayame II, Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Yamashita Matatarô I
Son: Yoshizawa Iroha II
Adopted son: Yoshizawa Sakinosuke IV
Career:
November 1773: Iroha produces in Kyôto the kaomise drama "Etari ya Etari Tsuwamono Majiwari".
September 1781: Iroha produces in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", in which he plays the roles of Koganosuke and Princess Tachibana; his stage partners are Nakamura Tomijûrô I (Omiwa, Sadaka), Nakamura Utaemon I (Soga no Iruka), Nakayama Bunshichi I (Daihanji no Kiyosumi, Shibaroku) and Nakamura Noshio II (Hinadori).
January 1782: the play "Tengajaya-Mura" is staged for the first time in Kyôto, at the Kitagawa no Shibai; Iroha plays the role of Somenoi [casting]
November 1784: Iroha plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Yae and Tonami in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", which is produced by Onoe Ushinosuke I.
January 1794: Iroha's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
January 1795: Iroha's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1794: Iroha plays the role of Princess Miyuki in the drama "Kana Utsushi Azuchi Mondô", which is produced by Nakayama Yosaburô II at the Naka no Shibai.
August 1795: Iroha plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Okaru and Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
February 1796: Suga Sensuke's puppet theater drama "Keisei Koi no Hikyaku" is adapted to Kabuki for the first time and staged at the Kado no Shibai; Iroha plays the role of Umegawa [casting].
July 1796: premiere in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai of the drama "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba"; Iroha plays the role of the courtesan Okon [casting].
May 1798: Iroha plays the role of Otatsu in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami", which is produced by Nakayama Yosaburô II at the Kado no Shibai; his stage partners are Kataoka Nizaemon VII (Danshichi Kurobei), Nakayama Bunzô (Issun Tokubei), Yamashita Kinsaku II (Okaji) and Seki Sanjûrô I (Tsuribune Sabu).
November 1800: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Yanagi's puppet theater drama "Ehon Taikôki", which is produced by Nakayama Tokujirô in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai; Iroha plays the role of Misao [casting].
January 1801: Iroha is the kanjiku for the onnagata actors in the Ôsaka hyôbanki.
October 1801: Iroha plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Karaki Masaemon's wife Otane and Sasaki Tan'emon's wife Sasao in the drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa", which is produced by Yamashita Tokujirô; the roles of Karaki Masaemon and Sasaki Tan'emon are played by Kataoka Nizaemon VII and Arashi Kichisaburô II.
November 1801: the troupe which was at the Naka no Shibai moves to Kyôto to perform the same drama, which is produced by Arashi Kumanosuke at the Minamigawa no Shibai.
January 1802: Iroha's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is hakudai-jô-jô-kichi (almost grand - superior - superior - excellent).
Summer 1802: the drama "Ehon Taikôki" is staged for the first time in Kyôto, at the Kitagawa no Shibai; it is produced by Arashi Sangorô III and Iroha plays the role of Misao [casting].
November 1802: Iroha takes part in the kaomise drama "Fûryû Kokusen'ya", which is produced by Azuma Tomijirô at the Kitagawa no Shibai and celebrates the shûmei of Nakayama Shinkurô III. His stage partners are Ichikawa Danzô IV, Arashi Sangorô III, Arashi Kichisaburô II, Sawamura Kunitarô I, Nakayama Bungorô I and Kanô Minshi I.
November 1803: Iroha takes part in the kaomise drama "Sôzoku Ishibashiyama", which is staged at the Naka no Shibai and celebrates the shûmei of Asao Tamejûrô II. His stage partners are Ichikawa Danzô IV, Bandô Hikosaburô III, Nakamura Daikichi I and Nakayama Shinkurô III.
December 1803: Iroha plays in the same theater the role of Chiyo in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
January 1804: the troupe which was at the Naka no Shibai moves to Kyôto to perform again "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
February 1804: the troupe goes back to Ôsaka; Iroha plays the roles of Sadaka and Princess Tachibana in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin"; the role of Daihanji no Kiyosumi is played by the Edo star Bandô Hikosaburô III.
October 1804: Iroha plays at the Kita-Shinchi no Shibai (Ósaka) the role of Osono in the drama "Akiba Gongen Kaisen Banashi"; the roles of Rokusuke and Kyôgoku no Takumi are played by Ichikawa Danzô IV and Ôtani Tomoemon II.
November 1804: Iroha takes part at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise "Minoriyoshi Kane no Naruki", which is produced by his son Yoshizawa Enjirô. His stage partners are Kataoka Nizaemon VII, Ichikawa Danzô IV, Arashi Sangorô III and Asao Kuzaemon I.
December 1804: Iroha plays in the same theater the role of Osono in the drama "Akiba Gongen Kaisen Banashi"; the role of Rokusuke is played by Ichikawa Danzô IV.
March 1805: Iroha plays in the same theater the roles of Okaru and Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1805: Iroha plays plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Shizuka Gozen in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura"; the role of Tadanobu is played by Nakamura Utaemon III.
December 1805: the troupe which was at the Minamigawa no Shibai moves to Ôsaka to perform the same drama, which is produced by Yamashita Tokujirô at the Naka no Shibai.
December 1806: Iroha takes part in the kaomise drama "Ôsakazuki Asahi no Hôrai", which is produced at the Kado no Shibai by Yoshizawa Minosuke and stars Ichikawa Danzô IV, Nakamura Utaemon III, Kataoka Nizaemon VII, Nakamura Daikichi I, Nakamura Noshio III and Ogino Izaburô II.
Spring 1807: tour in Ise with Ichikawa Danzô IV.
November 1807: Yoshizawa Iroha I takes the name of Yoshizawa Ayame V in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai, playing the role of Sekijo in the drama "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô"; his stage partners are Seki Sanjûrô II, Asao Kuzaemon I, Nakamura Karoku I, Nakayama Shinkurô III, Nakayama Bungorô I, Nakamura Kumetarô II and Kiriyama Monji II; his disciple Yoshizawa Minosuke takes the name of Yoshizawa Sakinosuke IV.
January 1808: Ayame's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is shin-jô-jô-kichi (truly - superior - superior - excellent).
November 1808: Ayame takes part at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Shima Meguri Tsuki no Yumihari".
May 1809: Ayame plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Owasa in the drama "Gosho Zakura Horikawa no Youchi"; the role of Benkei is played by Kataoka Nizaemon VII. He also plays the role of Tonami in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
November 1809: Ayame plays at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Keishoku Yuki-miru Yama", which is produced by Mimasu Kumesaburô and stars Nakayama Hyakka, Arashi Kichisaburô II, Asao Kuzaemon I, Nakayama Shinkurô III, Nakamura Daikichi I, Kanô Minshi I and Asao Okuyama II.
January 1810: Ayame appears on stage for the last time, in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai, playing the roles of Mayumi, Ofuji and Osawa in the new year drama "Keisei Sato no Funauta".
Comments:
Yoshizawa Ayame V was a talented onnagata actor, endowed with a great appearance and excelling in keisei roles. His vocal projection was perfect and he was more at ease in sewamono than in jidaimono.
Yoshizawa Ayame V portraying the courtesan Tamagawa in a print made by Shôkôsai in 1808
Print made by Shôkôsai in 1799
The Yoshizawa Ayame line of actors