Stage names:
Sakata Hangorô II
Sengoku Sajûrô
Sengoku Saroku
Guild: Shôgatsuya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry name: Sankyô
Existence: 1724 ~ 17 May 1782
Connection:
Father: Sengoku Hikosuke I's disciple Sengoku Hikojûrô
Brother: Sakata Hangorô I's disciple Sakata Sajûrô I
Brother-in-law: Mimasuya Sukejûrô II
Disciples: Sakata Hangorô III, Sengoku Hikosuke II
Career:
1730s: he starts his career in Edo in koshibai. His first stage name is Sengoku Saroku.
23 April 1735: Sakata Hangorô I dies in Edo.
November 1742: he makes his debut in ôshibai, becoming katakiyaku and taking the name of Sengoku Sajûrô at the Ichimuraza, where he performs in the kaomise program "Furisode Shinoda no Zuma".
January 1748: Sajûrô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Iwanaga Saemon in the drama "Kazari Ebi Yoroi Soga".
November 1749: Sengoku Sajûrô takes the name of Sakata Hangorô II at the Nakamuraza, playing the role of Urabe Iga-no-Kami in the kaomise program "Onnô Taiheiki".
November 1756: Hangorô becomes jitsuaku.
25 October 1761: his father Sengoku Hikojûrô dies.
November 1761: Hangorô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Akai Tôta, in reality Nagata Tarô, in the kaomise drama "Nihongahana Hôgan Biiki", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Raizô I.
January 1762: Hangorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is one black stroke above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi [visual].
November 1762: Hangorô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Yamaki Hachirô and Hacchô-tsubute no Kiheiji in the kaomise drama "Nagi no Ha Izu no Sugatami", which celebrates the shûmei of Ôtani Hiroemon III and Ichikawa Somegorô I.
January 1763: Hangorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is one black stroke below jô-jô-kichi [visual].
November 1763: Hangorô moves to the Ichimuraza and plays the role of Ômori Hikoshichi in the kaomise drama "Shikai Nami Yawaragi Taiheiki".
January 1764: Hangorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-kichi. He shares the same rank with Sawamura Sôjûrô II.
May 1764: Hangorô plays in the same theater the roles of Kajiwara Heiji Kagetaka and Gonshirô in the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki".
July 1764: Hangorô plays in the same theater the roles of Edohei and Ippei's mother in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".
November 1764: Hangorô plays at the the Ichimuraza the role of Benkei in the kaomise drama "Wakaki no Hana Suma no Hatsuyuki".
November 1765: Hangorô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays in the kaomise drama "Kagura Uta Amagoi Komachi", which celebrates the shûmei of Iwai Hanshirô IV.
November 1766: Hangorô moves to the Ichimuraza and plays the roles of Takechi Hyûganosuke and Ukiyo Matahei in the kaomise drama "Higashiyama Dono Kabuki no Tsuitachi".
January 1767: Hangorô plays in the same theater the role of Kudô Saemon Suketsune (this is the first time he can perform this prestigious role) in the new year drama "Soga Yawaragi Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari are played by Ichikawa Yaozô II and Ichimura Uzaemon IX.
July 1767: Hangorô plays in the same theater the roles of Igami no Gonta and Kawatsura Hôgen in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
November 1767: Hangorô moves to the Moritaza and plays in the kaomise drama "Sanada no Yoichi Banjaku no Iezuto", which welcomes in Edo the Kamigata actors Yamashita Kyônosuke.
November 1768: Hangorô plays at the Moritaza the role of the rebel Abe no Sadatô in the kaomise drama "Mutsuchidori Meika no Yumitori"; the roles of Sadatô's brother Munetô and Sadatô's enemy Minamoto no Yoshiie are played by Sakata Sajûrô I and Bandô Mitsugorô I.
April 1769: Hangorô plays in the same theater the roles of Kô no Moronô, Okaru's mother, Amakawaya Gihei and Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". This production is a huge success and a long run (up to June).
November 1769: Hangorô moves to the Ichimuraza, where he becomes the new zagashira, playing the roles of Bizen Heishirô, Date no Jirô and Kan'emon in the in the kaomise program "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.
January 1770: Hangorô plays in the same theater the role of Kudô Saemon Suketsune in the new year drama "Fuji no Yuki Kaikei Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari are played by Sanogawa Ichimatsu II and Ichimura Uzaemon IX.
November 1770: Hangorô moves to the Moritaza and plays in the kaomise drama "Miyako Zome Giô Katsugi", which welcomes in Edo the Kamigata actors Nakamura Tomijûrô I and Nakamura Noshio I.
May 1771: Hangorô plays in the same theater the roles of Tokaiya Gimpei, Taira no Tomomori and Igami no Gonta in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
Fall 1771: Hangorô goes to Kyôto.
November 1771: Hangorô becomes tachiyaku and plays the role of Goshikigumi Kurohei, in reality Kuryû Saemon, in the kaomise drama "Miyako Yoshino Mikado no Takadono", which is produced by Mimasu Tokujirô I in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai and celebrates the shûmei of Sawamura Sôjûrô III, Anegawa Minato II and Yamatoyama Rinzaemon II. Hangorô's others stage partners are Onoe Shinshichi I, Sawamura Kunitarô I, Ichikawa Tomozô I, Arashi Tôjûrô, Arashi Shichigorô II, Bandô Manzô, Yamashita Shungorô and Fujikawa Sango.
January 1772: Hangorô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi.
March 1773: Hangorô goes back to Edo to perform at the Ichimuraza.
November 1773: Hangorô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Nenoi no Ôyata and Wada Yoshimori in the kaomise drama "Kaeri Kiso Kigoto no Hatsumono", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Danzô IV.
January 1774: Hangorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi. He shares the same rank with Ichikawa Danjûrô V.
May 1774: the play "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" is produced for the first time at the Ichimuraza; Hangorô plays the role of Danshichi Kurobei [casting].
November 1774: Hangorô becomes jitsuaku and plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Chigo Sakura Jûsangane".
September 1775: Hangorô plays in the same theater the role of Ashiya Dôman in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami".
November 1775: Hangorô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of the villain Agenanosuke in the kaomise drama "Oyafune Taiheiki"; his stage partners are Ichikawa Ebizô III, Iwai Hanshirô IV, Ichikawa Yaozô II, Matsumoto Kôshirô IV and Nakamura Noshio I; this kaomise is a huge success, starting the 1st of November and ending the 15th December.
March 1776: Hangorô plays in the same theater the role of the villain Ikyû in the drama "Sukeroku Yukari no Hatsuzakura". The roles of Sukeroku, Agemaki and the sake seller Shimbei are played by Ichikawa Yaozô II, Iwai Hanshirô IV and Matsumoto Kôshirô IV; the performance is a huge success and a long run but, in the middle of May, both Ichikawa Yaozô II and Hangorô fall sick and have to be replaced by Ichimura Uzaemon IX and Ichikawa Ebizô III.
July 1776: Hangorô plays in the same theater the roles of Shiratayû and Takebe Genzô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
August 1776: Hangorô plays in the same theater the roles of Kô no Moronô, Okaru's mother, Amakawaya Gihei and Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1776: Hangorô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Sugata no Hana Yuki no Kuronushi".
Summer 1777: the book "Yakusha Sensakuron" ("About actors prying") is published in Edo. It gives some private information on actors. Edo readers learn that Hangorô lives with his spouse Okishi and his two children in the district of Moto-Ôzaka-Chô and his annual salary is 750 ryô.
August 1777: Hangorô plays in the same theater the roles of Kô no Moronô, Okaru's mother and Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1777: Hangorô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Chigo Torii Tobiiri Kitsune".
January 1778: Hangorô is the kanjiku for jitsuaku actors in the Edo hyôbanki.
April 1778: Hangorô plays in the same theater the roles of Yukie and Karaki Masaemon in the drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa".
November 1778: Hangorô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Sakimasuya Ume no Kachidoki", which welcomes in Edo the actor Onoe Kikugorô I.
August 1779: Hangorô plays in the same theater the roles of Dankurô and Saisaki Iga-no-Kami in the drama "Shin Usuyuki Monogatari".
November 1779: Hangorô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays the roles of Tatara Hyôgonosuke, Kuryû Saemon and Matsumoto Sahei in the kaomise program "Kaeri Bane Eiyû Taiheiki". This production is a tremendous success.
February 1780: Hangorô plays in the same theater the role of Hotei Ichiemon in "Gonin Otoko", the second part (nibanme) of the new year program "Hatsumonbi Kuruwa Soga". His stage partners are Ichikawa Monnosuke II (Karigane Bunshichi), Ichikawa Danjûrô V (Gokuin Sen'emon), Bandô Mitsugorô I (An no Heibei) and Nakamura Sukegorô II (Kaminari Shôkurô).
June 1780: tour in the province of Echigo with Matsumoto Kôshirô IV.
September 1780: Hangorô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Teraoka Heiemon, Ono no Sadakurô and Amakawaya Gihei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
January 1781: short tour to Kyôto; Hangorô performs at the Minamigawa no Shibai.
Fall 1781: Hangorô goes back to Edo.
November 1781: Hangorô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Ise no Asama Saemon in the kaomise drama "Mukashi Otoko Yuki no Hinagata", which celebrates the shûmei of Matsumoto Sanjûrô and Ichiyama Sukejûrô; the management of the theater has to struggle hard to find the money to pay the actors. Hangorô's stage partners are Iwai Hanshirô IV, Yoshizawa Ayame IV, Matsumoto Kôshirô IV, Nakamura Sukegorô II, Ichimura Uzaemon IX, Nakayama Tomisaburô I, Sawamura Chôjûrô IV and Onoe Monzaburô I.
January 1782: Hangorô plays in the same theater the roles of Kakuju, Shiratayû and Takebe Genzô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
May 1782: Hangorô appears on stage for the last time, playing in the same theater the role of Ikyû in the drama "Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura"; his stage partners are Ichimura Uzaemon IX (Sukeroku), Iwai Hanshirô IV (Agemaki) and Matsumoto Kôshirô IV (the sake seller Shimbei). He falls ill and quickly dies (the 17th of May 1782).
Comments:
Sakata Hangorô II was one of the top-ranking Edo jitsuaku actor of the second half of the 18th century. He was outstanding in villain roles in the aragoto style but was also excellent in jitsugoto roles, like Ôboshi Yuranosuke in "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
Sakata Hangorô II in a print made in 1770 by Ippitsusai Bunshô for the Ehon Butai Ôgi series of prints