Nickname: Daijicchô (the grand Jicchô)
Guild: Maruya
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Jicchô
Existence: 1699 ~ 25 May 1747
Connections:
Father: Ôtani Hiroemon I
Son: Ôtani Saizô
Son-in-laws: Onoe Kikugorô I, Ogino Izaburô I
Disciples: Ôtani Hiroji II, Ôtani Hikosaburô, Ôtani Masugorô, Ôtani Hirohachi I
Career:
Winter 1702: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Moritaza, where he receives the name of Ôtani Hiroji I.
November 1710: Hiroji becomes katakiyaku and plays at the Yamamuraza the role of Yokogumo Ôji in the drama "Jinriki Teika Azuma Asobi".
November 1711: Hiroji plays at the Yamamuraza the role of Ukijima Kanzô in the drama "Shida Konjiki no Uroko".
November 1713: Hiroji becomes jitsuaku, like his father Ôtani Hiroemon I, and plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Tsukamakiya Goroshichi in the drama "Onna Kusunoki Taiheiki".
November 1715: Hiroji plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Motoi no Hayata in the drama "Kin no Kanmuri Konrei Yorimasa".
November 1716: Hiroji moves to the Ichimuraza and achieves a great success by playing the role of Toriumi Yasaburô in the kaomise drama "Yoroi Kurabe Ôshû Gane".
November 1719: Hiroji plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Katagiri Yashichi in the kaomise drama "Nyohitsu Taiheiki".
February 1720: Hiroji's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
February 1721: his father Ôtani Hiroemon I dies.
September 1723: the Nakamuraza produces a special program to celebrate the departure of Hiroji to Kamigata; he plays the role of Osaragi Saburobei in the drama "Wakaura Osana Komachi".
November 1723: great kaomise program at the Kado no Shibai in Ôsaka to celebrate the arrival of Hiroji in this city; the zamoto Arashi San'emon III produces the drama "Kogane no Hanagata", in which Hiroji plays the role of Fujikata Manzô.
January 1724: Hiroji's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). Arashi San'emon III produces a great new year program at the Kado no Shibai, which is made up of 4 dramas in which Hiroji plays the roles of Kobayashi no Asaina and Osaragi Sabu [casting].
November 1724: Hiroji settles in Kyôto and plays the role of Fujikata Manzô in the kaomise drama "Ôjigawa Kogane no Mizu Guruma", which is produced by the zamoto Segawa Kikunojô I for the nadai Miyako Mandayû.
November 1725: Hiroji plays in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Senzai Gura Sangai Matsu", which is produced by the zamoto Arashi Jûjirô for the nadai Kameya Kumenojô. His stage partners are Bandô Hikosaburô I (Hakozaki Namiemon) and Segawa Kikunojô I (Komatsu).
January 1726: Hiroji's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1726: Hiroji takes part in the kaomise program produced by Sanogawa Mangiku for the nadai Hayagumo Chôdayû; he plays the role of Kumagai in the drama "Shinzô Kishi no Himematsu".
Fall 1727: Sanogawa Mangiku produces in the same theater the play "Onna Tosa Nikki", which celebrates the departure of Hiroji, who plans to go back to Edo.
November 1727: Hiroji is back in Edo; he plays the role of Ômori Hikoshichi in the kaomise drama "Yatsumune Taiheiki", which is staged at the Nakamuraza [casting].
November 1729: great kaomise at the Nakamuraza. The 4 tachiyaku Bandô Hikosaburô I, Sawamura Sôjûrô I, Ichikawa Danjûrô II and Hiroji perform together in the drama "Ume Goyomi Konrei Nagoya". Hiroji achieves a great success by playing the role of Fuwa Banzaemon, confronting Ichikawa Danjûrô II in the role of Nagoya Sanza.
Fall 1730: The actors Sawamura Sôjûrô I, Ogino Izaburô I, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Ichikawa Danjûrô II and Hiroji perform together in the play "Meigetsu Gonin Otoko" ("Five men under the August moon"), which is staged in the same theater [casting].
November 1730: Hiroji performs at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Irifune Hiru-ga-Kojima".
January 1731: Hiroji plays the role of Nagoya Saburozaemon in the drama "Keisei Fukubiki Nagoya" ("The courtesan, the tombola drawing and Nagoya Sanza"), which is performed in the same theater [casting].
November 1732: Hiroji plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Miura Daisuke and Matano Gorô in the kaomise drama "Tsuwamono Kongen Hiru-ga-Kojima".
November 1735: Hiroji plays the role of Ôtomo Onohachi in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Kongen Nana Komachi".
November 1736: Hiroji and the Segawa brothers, Kikunojô and Kikujirô, move to the Nakamuraza and perform in the kaomise program "Kuni no Tomi Sesshôseki".
September 1737: the Nakamuraza produces a special program to celebrate the departure of Hiroji, Segawa Kikunojô I and Segawa Kikujirô I to Kamigata; The three actors play the leading roles of the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami".
November 1737: great kaomise produced by Miyako Mandayû in Kyôto to celebrate the arrival of Hiroji; he plays the role of Sano Genzaemon in the drama "Kuni no Tomi Sakae no Hachinoki".
November 1738: Hiroji plays in Kyoto the role of Ikoma Hideemon in the drama "Ichi no Tomi Hôrai Yakata", which is produced by Nakamura Tomijûrô I for the nadai Kameya Kumenojô.
January 1739: Hiroji plays in the same theater the roles of Imagawa Ryôshun, Hatakeyama Masanaga and Edohei in the play "Keisei Arashiyama".
November 1739: Hiroji plays the role of Ise no Saburô in the drama "Muromachi Dono Chôhô Denki", which is produced by Sanogawa Ichimatsu I for the nadai Miyako Mandayû. His stage partners are Yamanaka Heijûrô II (Nikki Danjô), Onoe Kikugorô I (Enju) and Sawamura Otoemon I (Ôuchi Kamon).
November 1740: Hiroji settles in Ôsaka and plays the role of Takasaka Danjô in the kaomise drama "Shinra Genji Shimada Gumpô", which is produced by Sanogawa Hanazuma II at the Naka no Shibai.
November 1741: Hiroji is back in Edo; he plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Ôe no Iwato Saemon in the kaomise drama "Sugatae Onna Narihira".
July 1742: the play "Keisei Hangonkô" is staged for the first time in Edo, at the Nakamuraza. Hiroji plays the role of Matahei [casting].
November 1743: Hiroji plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Ashikaga Takauji in the kaomise drama "Funa Yosooi Mitsugi Taiheiki".
January 1744: Hiroji's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent).
February 1744: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the Nagauta-based dôjôjimono "Momo Chidori Musume Dôjôji". The leading female role is played by Segawa Kikunojô I and his two stage partners are Ichikawa Ebizô II and Hiroji.
November 1744: Hiroji is expected to play at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Kachô Taiheiki" but he suddenly falls ill and has to retire.
May 1747: Hiroji dies. His tombstone is located in the precinct of the Taisenji Temple in the district of Asakusa.
Comments:
Ôtani Hiroji I was an outstanding tachiyaku, who made a very successful career during the first half of the eighteenth century. He was one of the 4 stars called Shitennô ("the big four", this expression comes from the four Deva kings in Buddhism) by the Edo audience (the three others were Sawamura Sôjûrô I, Bandô Hikosaburô I and Ichikawa Danjûrô II).
His fame was not limited to Edo and he made 2 successful tours in the Kamigata cities of Ôsaka and Edo.
Ôtani Hiroji I playing the role of Matsuômaru in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni III (1862~1863)
Print made by Torii Kiyonobu in 1719
Print made by Torii Kiyonobu in 1723
The Ôtani Hiroji line of actors