Existence: 1649 ~ September 1728

Career:

1691: his name appears for the first time in Kyôto theater playbills.

November 1697: premiere at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater of the drama "Keisei Asamagadake", which is produced by Yamashita Hanzaemon; Jimpachi plays the role of Yotarô [casting].

March 1699: Jimpachi's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, dôkegata section, is jô-jô (superior - superior).

January 1702: Jimpachi plays in Kyôto at Ebisuya Shôdayû's theater in the drama "Ôtô no Miya Kumano Ochi", which is produced by Yamatoya Tôkichi. His others stage partners are Sakurayama Shirosaburô I, Fujikawa Buzaemon I and Kanazawa Goheiji.

November 1710: Buzaemon plays in Kyôto at Ebisuya Shôdayû's theater in the kaomise drama "Inari Chôja Yotsugimaru", which is produced by Yamashita Karumo. His stage partners are Yamashita Kyôemon I, Yoshizawa Ayame I, Fujikawa Buzaemon I and Sawamura Chôjûrô I.

March 1711: Jimpachi's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, dôkegata section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).

November 1711: Jimpachi plays in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Kikenjô", which is produced at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I and celebrates the shûmei of Takioka Saburoshirô.

March 1712: Jimpachi's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, dôkegata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).

November 1721: Jimpachi plays in Kyôto at Ebisuya Kichirôbei's theater the role of Kingorô in the kaomise drama "Yamato Uta Denju no Tomikura".

1722: Jimpachi falls ill; he retires from the Kabuki world.

September 1728: Jimpachi dies in Kyôto.

Comments:

Yamada Jimpachi was one of the most important dôkegata in Kabuki history, excelling in fool (ahô) roles like Kaneko Kichizaemon. He was considered as the very first ahô actor in Kabuki. This actor, who had no master and did not train any disciple, was able to make the audience laugh in sad passages of a drama, without spoiling the tragedy and without any form of vulgarity. Unlike Kaneko Kichizaemon, he did not travel and spent all his career in Kyôto. Both actors died the same month the same year.

The actors Yamada Jimpachi and Yamamoto Koshikibu playing the roles of Sangobei and Kumagai Tsunajirô in the new year drama "Keisei Ôhara Sanemori", which was staged in Kyôto at Ebisuya Kichirôbei's theater in january 1721