Stage names:

Sengoku Hikosuke I
Sengoku Hikogorô

Guild: Shôgatsuya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Shôgatsuya

Existence: 1684 ~ 26 April 1740

Connection:

Master: Nakamura Shichisaburô I

Son: Nakamura Sukegorô I

Grandson: Nakamura Sukegorô II

Disciple: Sengoku Hikojûrô

Career:

1684 ~ 1691: he starts his career at an early age, as a disciple of Nakamura Shichisaburô I, who gives him the name of Sengoku Hikosuke.

Summer 1691: some trouble in his Edo theater leads him to go to Kyôto.

September 1691: Hikosuke performs as a dôkegata at Miyako Mandayû's theater in Kyôto.

May 1699: Hikosuke goes back to Edo to perform at the Nakamuraza and changes the way to write his first name:

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January 1703: Hikosuke plays at the Yamamuraza the role of Daitônai in the new year drama "Keisei Asama Soga"; he changes the way to write his family name:

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3 February 1708: his master Nakamura Shichisaburô I dies.

January 1713: Hikosuke's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, dôkegata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).

Fall 1721: Hikosuke goes to Ôsaka.

November 1721: he becomes tachiyaku, takes the name of Sengoku Hikogorô and plays at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Kogane no Shachihoko".

January 1722: Hikosuke's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).

Fall 1723: he goes back to Edo.

November 1723: he takes back the name of Sengoku Hikosuke I, playing as a dôkegata at the Moritaza the role of Natorigawa Mikinojô in the kaomise drama "Yorimasa Kaikeizan".

January 1724: Hikosuke's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, dôkegata section, is back to jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).

26 April 1740: Hikosuke dies in Edo; his tombstone is located in the precinct of the Zen'ôin temple, a subtemple of the famous Jôshinji, in the district of Hirano.

Comments:

Sengoku Hikosuke I was a popular 18th century actor, who was considered as the first Edo dôkegata.

Sengoku Hikosuke I climbing a wall in a revenge play (1711)