Stage names:
| Ôtani Hirohachi I |  |
Guild: Kyôya
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Kiban
Existence: ???
Connections:
Master: Ôtani Hiroji I
Son: Ôtani Imasaburô
Disciples: Ôtani Tomoemon I, Ôtani Hikojûrô
Career:
1727: he becomes disciple of the actor Ôtani Hiroji I in Ôsaka and follows him to Edo.
May 1732: tour in Nagoya; Hirohachi plays katakiyaku roles.
November 1733: Hirohachi goes back to Ôsaka and plays as a tachiyaku in the kaomise drama "Funa Zukuri Mannen Goyomi", produced at the Kita-Shinchi no Shibai by Kirinoya Tôkurô.
November 1735: Hirohachi goes to Kyôto, becomes katakiyaku and plays in the kaomise drama "Shin-yakata Banzei no Ishizue", which is produced by Arashi Koroku I.
December 1740: Hirohachi plays the roles of Kikuchi Jûrô and Katsura Ippeiji in the drama "Miura Danjô Sugata no Yoroi", which is produced by Nakamura Tomijûrô I in Ôsaka at the Ônishi no Shibai.
May 1747: his master Ôtani Hiroji I dies.
November 1748: Hirohachi plays the role of Matsuura Gorô in the kaomise drama "Mitsu Uroko Asahi no Ume", which is produced in Kyôto at the nadai Miyako Handayû's theater by the zamoto Somematsu Shichisaburô I. His stage partners are Fujioka Daikichi, Ichikawa Danzô III, Iwata Somematsu, Yamanaka Heijûrô II and Mihogi Shichitarô.
January 1749: Hirohachi's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).
November 1749: Hirohachi plays at Miyako Handayû's theater the role of Kawachi Kambei in the kaomise drama "Imosegura Kogane no Ishizue". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danzô III, Yamatoya Jimbei IV, Fujikawa Heikurô, Asao Motogorô, Anegawa Daikichi and Arashi San'emon IV.
November 1750: Hirohachi plays in the same theater the roles of Oni no Kurobei and Kajima Hyôgô in the kaomise drama "Kaikei Wagô Hanayakata".
January 1751: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Tamamo-no-Mae Asahi no Tamoto", which is produced in Kyôto by Miyako Handayû at his theater; Hirohachi plays the role of Agata Kenmotsu Gemba [casting].
November 1751: Hirohachi plays the role of Gunta in the kaomise drama "En no Gyôja Ômine Zakura", which is produced in Kyôto at the nadai Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater by the zamoto Nakayama Bunshichi I.
November 1752: Hirohachi moves to Ôsaka and plays the role of Maeda Sadaemon in the kaomise drama "Kyô Miyage Matsuri Zoroe", which is produced at the Ônishi no Shibai by the zamoto Sanjô Sadasuke. His stage partners are Wakayama Shinkurô, Wakayama Bunshichi, Yamamoto Kyôshirô I, Iwata Somematsu and Nakamura Shirogorô III.
November 1753: Hirohachi plays in the same theater the role of Ecchû Jirobei in the kaomise drama "Taihei Kiso Monogatari".
November 1754: Hirohachi plays in the same theater in the kaomise drama "Uda Genji Asahi no Menbako", which is produced by Wakayama Bunshichi. His stage partners are Ichikawa Danzô III, Wakayama Shinkurô, Nakamura Utaemon I, Wakayama Bunshichi, Arashi Sangorô II, Yoshizawa Sakinosuke II, Anegawa Daikichi and Someyama Sôjûrô.
January 1755: Hirohachi's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1756: Hirohachi plays the role of Kajiwara Heizô Kagetoki in the kaomise drama "Taihei Yamato Monogatari", which is produced by Anegawa Daikichi in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai.
November 1757: Hirohachi plays the role of Taira no Tomomori in the kaomise drama "Sakiwake Musha Kôbai no Tazuna", which is produced by Anegawa Shinshirô II at the Naka no Shibai.
December 1759: Hirohachi plays the role of Daimonji Shibaemon in the kaomise drama "Bandai Fueki Hôrai Yakata", which is produced in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai by Arashi Hinasuke I.
January 1760: Hirohachi's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1760: Hirohachi plays in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Kiku Nagashi Kokka Taiheiki", which is produced by Nakamura Senzô.
Fall 1761: the actors Ichikawa Danzô III, Nakamura Matsue I and Hirohachi go together to Edo to perform at the Moritaza.
November 1761: Hirohachi plays the roles of Gappô Tarô and Terukuni in the Moritaza kaomise drama "Misonô Banzei no Hachinoki".
January 1762: Hirohachi's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-jû (superior - superior - "ten"), below his Kamigata rank. "jû" is in fact the first 2 strokes of the ideogram "kichi" and means "ten". Hirohachi plays in the same theater the role of Hachiman no Saburô in the new year drama "Koi Zakura Umewaka Soga".
November 1763: Hirohachi is back in Kyôto and plays the role of Kurozuka Heima in the kaomise drama "Shôchikubai Ôshimadai".
January 1764: Hirohachi's ranking is back to the "superior - superior - excellent" level in the Kyôto hyôbanki.
November 1764 ~ 1770: Hirohachi's name does not appear anymore in licensed theaters banzuke.
Spring 1771: Hirohachi plays in Ôsaka at the Horie Ichinogawa Shibai. This performance is likely to be his final stage appearance.
Comments:
Ôtani Hirohachi I was a talented old-fashioned katakiyaku, who spent almost all his career in the Kamigata theaters but unfortunately did not achieve the fame he deserved.
Ôtani Hirohachi I (left, standing) and Matsuyama Sanjûrô (right) playing the roles of Ecchû Jirobei and Kisô Yoshinaka in the kaomise drama "Taihei Kiso Monogatari", which was staged in November 1753 at the Ônishi no Shibai
The Ôtani Hirohachi line of actors
