Guild: Shôgatsuya
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Sankyô
Existence: 1683 ~ 23 April 1735
Connection:
Master: Sakata Tôjûrô II
Disciples: Sakata Hangorô II, Sakata Sajûrô I, Sakata Raizô
Career:
1683 ~ 1712: born in Kamigata. He starts his career as a disciple of Sakata Tôjûrô II, who gives him the name of Sakata Hangorô I. He mainly performs in countryside village theaters.
January 1713: Hangorô settles in Edo and plays as a tachiyaku at the Nakamuraza in the new year drama "Ôkazari Kanô Soga".
November 1714: Hangorô becomes katakiyaku and plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Tori-no-Umi Yagorô in the kaomise drama "Banmin Daifukuchô".
January 1718: Hangorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô (superior - superior).
January 1719: Hangorô achieves a great success at the Nakamuraza by playing the role of Kobayashi no Asaina in the new year drama "Kaibyaku Sakayaki Soga".
November 1719: Hangorô becomes tachiyaku and plays at the Moritaza the role of Ôtô-no-Miya in the kaomise drama "Banmin Taiheiki".
February 1720: Hangorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).
November 1724: Hangorô becomes jitsuaku and plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Higashiyama Onnanosuke in the kaomise drama "Taiheiki Okuni Kabuki".
January 1725: Hangorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent).
November 1725 ~ Fall 1727: Hangorô performs in Edo as a tachiyaku.
November 1727: Hangorô becomes jitsuaku again and plays at the Moritaza the role of Nagasaki Kageyu Saemon in the kaomise drama "Hônen Taiheiki".
January 1730: Hangorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, falls to jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).
January 1731: Hangorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is back to jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent).
January 1733: Hangorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, falls to jô-jô-shi (superior - superior - half excellent).
November 1734: Hangorô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Kiyohara no Iehira in the kaomise drama "Michi-no-Ku Yunzei Genji".
23 April 1735: Hangorô dies at the Ichimuraza; a chronicler writes that "from the stage of the Ichimuraza, he enters the backstage of heaven".
Comments:
Sakata Hangorô I was a good tachiyaku and jitsuaku actor, who was able to perform in the aragoto style. His most notable role was Kobayashi no Asaina in the new year sogamono. His popularity started to decline in the 1730s.
The actors Sakata Hangorô I (top) and Ichimura Takenojô IV in a print made by Okumura Toshinobu