Stage names:
Yamashita Matashirô II
Yamashita Kinsaku I
Other name: Yamashita Bungorô
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry names: Rikô, Kikô
Existence: ??? ~ 2 July 1750
Connections:
Master: Yamashita Matashirô I
Father-in-law: Iwai Hanshirô I
Adopted sons: Yamashita Kinsaku II, Yamashita Matatarô I
Son-in-law: Nakamura Tomijûrô I
Disciples: Yamashita Ugenta II, Yamashita Rokusaburô
Career:
November 1709: he makes his first stage appearance, as a wakaonnagata disciple of the actor Yamashita Matashirô I, playing the role of Shirayuki in the kaomise drama "Chigo Daimyô Kyô Miyage", which is produced in Ôsaka by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.
Fall 1712: Kinsaku temporarily becomes wakashugata, achieving a great success by playing the role of Hisamatsu in the drama "Aburaya Osome", which is produced in Ôsaka by the zamoto Arashi San'emon III.
November 1712: Kinsaku becomes again wakaonnagata, playing the role of Imose in the kaomise drama "Onna Imagawa Seishi no Jôjô", which is produced in Ôsaka by Shinozuka Shômatsu.
November 1713: Kinsaku plays in Ôsaka the role of Oraku in the kaomise drama "Yoyo Meoto Tsuru no Mago" [more details], which was staged in November 1713 at Shioya Kuroemon's theater.
January 1719: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's puppet theater drama "Keisei Hangonkô", staged in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai; Kinsaku plays the role of Katsuragi [casting].
November 1723: Kinsaku goes to Edo in the company of Sanogawa Senzô; he plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Naniwazu [print] in the kaomise drama "Sono Enpô Onna Migyôsho".
January 1724: Kinsaku's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1724: Kinsaku plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Taiheiki Okuni Kabuki". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danjûrô II, Sawamura Sôjûrô I, Matsumoto Kôshirô I and Ichikawa Monnosuke I.
November 1725: Kinsaku plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Oguri Chôseiden" ("Oguri in the palace of long life").
November 1726: Kinsaku plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise program "Kaomise Jûnidan".
November 1727: Kinsaku plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Yatsumune Taiheiki" [casting]. This program celebrates the return of Ôtani Hiroji I in Edo after 5 years spent in Kyôto. This is also the first stage appearance for Ichikawa Masugorô, the adopted son of Ichikawa Danjûrô II.
November 1728: Kinsaku moves to the Ichimuraza, playing the role of Kikusui in the in the kaomise drama "Kikusui Yoshino no Dairi". His stage partners are Bandô Hikosaburô I, Matsumoto Kôshirô I, Ichikawa Danzô I, Ogino Isaburô I, Nakajima Mihoemon I, Hayakawa Hatsue, Narumi Goroshirô I and Sodesaki Miwano I.
August 1729: Kinsaku celebrates his coming departure from Edo, achieving a great success at the Ichimuraza by playing the leading role of Kuzu-no-Ha (a female fox disguised as a woman who has to depart from his human child).
Fall 1729: Kinsaku goes back to Ôsaka.
November 1729: Kinsaku plays the role of the Kyôgen dancer Wakamatsu in the kaomise drama "Banzai Kogane Tsukuri", which is produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II at the Kado no Shibai. His stage partners are Nakayama Shinkurô I, Yoshizawa Ayame II, Kirinoya Gonjûrô I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô I, Nakamura Sôjûrô and Fujii Hanamatsu.
January 1730: Kinsaku's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1730: Kinsaku moves to the Naka no Shibai, playing the roles of Otami and Otsuya in the kaomise drama "Meotogura Wagô no Nakatomi", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô III. His stage partners are Nakayama Shinkurô I, Anegawa Shinshirô I, Kirinoya Gonjûrô I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô I, Sanogawa Hanazuma I, Arashi Sanjûrô II, Hanagiri Toyomatsu I and Izumikawa Sennosuke.
December 1731: Kinsaku plays the role of Toyora in the kaomise drama "Ôyamato Wagô no Tsuchi", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô III at the Naka no Shibai and celebrates the arrival in the new line-up of Fujikawa Heikurô, Fujikawa Hanzaburô II and Arashi Sangorô I.
November 1732: Kinsaku plays the role of Gengo's wife Oishi in the kaomise drama "Shikishima Wakô no Tsuzumi", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô III at the Naka no Shibai. The role of Gengo is played by Sawamura Chôjûrô I.
November 1733: Kinsaku plays the role of Shigaragi Jônosuke's wife Oasa in the kaomise drama "Genji Rokujûjô", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô III at the Naka no Shibai and celebrates the arrival in the new line-up of Sawamura Otoemon I (who plays the role of Shigaragi Jônosuke).
November 1734: Kinsaku plays the role of Miyaji in the kaomise drama "Honchô Bugaku no Hajimari", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô III at the Naka no Shibai.
November 1735: Kinsaku plays the role of the widow Toyora in the kaomise drama "Toyo no Asahi Eitaigura", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô III at the Naka no Shibai and celebrates the arrival in Ôsaka of the Edo actor Bandô Hikosaburô I.
August 1736: his master Yamashita Matashirô I dies.
November 1736: Kinsaku goes to Kyôto, after seven seasons in Ôsaka, and plays the role of Naniwa no Oteru in the kaomise drama "Tomi no Ichi Kogane no Aratama", which is produced by Nakamura Tomijûrô I. His stage partners are Ichiyama Sukegorô I, Nakamura Shingorô I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô II, Yamanaka Heijûrô II, Sanogawa Mangiku, Arashi Shichigorô I, Tatsuoka Hisagiku and Tatsuoka Someemon.
January 1737: Kinsaku's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1737: Kinsaku goes back to Ôsaka, becomes tachiyaku and takes the name of Yamashita Matashirô II at the Kado no Shibai. He plays the role of Kanaoka Uranojô in the kaomise drama "Iwatogura Kogane Masugata". The audience does not welcome his performance very well.
January 1738: Matashirô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).
November 1739: Yamashita Matashirô II takes back the name of Yamashita Kinsaku I.
November 1740: Kinsaku plays the role of Princess Matsugae in the kaomise drama "Hanaikusa Nishiki no Manmaku", which is produced by Nakamura Jûzô I at the Kado no Shibai.
January 1741: Kinsaku's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is kô-jô-jô-kichi (meritorious - superior - superior - excellent). He is also the kanjiku for onnagata actors.
November 1741: Kinsaku moves to the Ônishi no Shibai, playing in the kaomise drama "Bankoku Taiheiki", which is produced by Sadoshima Chôgorô I and celebrates the arrival in Ôsaka of the Edo actors Ichikawa Ebizô II and Ichikawa Danjûrô III.
January 1742: premiere at the Ônishi no Shibai of the play "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura"; Kinsaku plays the role of Takino [casting].
November 1742: Kinsaku moves to the Kado no Shibai and plays the role of Matsugane Sagoemon's wife Okane in the kaomise drama "Sangoku Denrai no Ishi", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô III. His stage partners are Mimasu Daigorô I, Segawa Kikujirô I, Miogi Gizaemon I (who plays the role of Matsugane Sagoemon), Somenoi Hanshirô and Ichiyama Sukegorô I.
November 1744: Kinsaku plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Okatsu in the kaomise drama "Yamazaki Yojibei Imayô Sugata", which is produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II.
December 1744: Kinsaku plays in the same theater the role of Shirotae in the drama "Shin Usuyuki Monogatari".
November 1745: Kinsaku plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Okaji in the kaomise drama "Murakami Genji Kogane no Niiyakata", which is produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II.
February 1746: Kinsaku achieves a great success in the same theater, playing the roles of the maiden Onami and the warrior Tamon Gorô Hidekage (in the unusual aragoto style) in the drama "Tsu no Kuni Ikutagafuchi"
1746 ~ 1747: Kinsaku is ill and does not appear on stage anymore.
1748: Kinsaku goes into retirement.
1749: he gaves his stage name to his adopted son Nakamura Handayû, a disciple of his son-in-law Nakamura Tomijûrô I, who becomes Yamashita Kinsaku II.
Comments:
Yamashita Kinsaku I was a talented onnagata actor who made a successful career mainly in the Kamigata theaters during the first half of the eighteenth century, excelling in budôgoto, nuregoto or old women roles. He was particularly appreciated by the audience in the roles of spouses in sewamono drama.
Yamashita Kinsaku I playing the role Naniwazu in the drama "Sono Enpô Onna Migyôsho", which was staged at the Nakamuraza in November 1723 (print made by Torii Kiyomasu II)
Print made by Torii Kiyomasu in 1723
The Yamashita Kinsaku line of actors