Stage names:
Yamashita Kinsaku II
Nakamura Handayû
Guild: Tennôjiya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry name: Rikô
Existence: 1733 ~ 12 September 1799
Connections:
Master: Nakamura Tomijûrô I
Adopted father: Yamashita Kinsaku I
Brother: Nakamura Shingorô II
Sons: Yamashita Mangiku I, Yamashita Masajirô
Adopted sons: Yamashita Mansaku, Yamashita Kinsaku III
Career:
1733 ~ 1749: born in Ôsaka. He starts his career as a disciple of the onnagata actor Nakamura Tomijûrô I, who gives him the name of Nakamura Handayû.
1749: Nakamura Handayû is adopted by the retired actor Yamashita Kinsaku I, who gives him the name of Yamashita Kinsaku II.
July 1750: his adopted father dies.
Fall 1752: Nakamura Tomijûrô I and Kinsaku go together to Edo.
November 1852: Kinsaku plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Akazawayama Sumô Nikki".
June 1755: Kinsaku achieves a great success at the Nakamuraza, playing the role of Yaoya Oshichi in the drama "Edo Kanoko Shôchikubai".
January 1758: Yamashita Kinsaku plays 3 roles at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Kujûsanki Ôyose Soga";
July 1758: Kinsaku achieves a great success in the same theater, playing the role of Yaoya Oshichi in the drama "Hoshiai Genji Guruma".
November 1758: Kinsaku goes back to Kamigata, playing the role of the courtesan Azumaji in the kaomise drama "Arigatashi Fujiwara Keizu", which is produced by Nakayama Bunshichi I at the Kado no Shibai.
January 1760: Kinsaku's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô (superior - superior).
May 1766: first Kabuki adaptation of the 5 acts puppet theater drama "Honchô Nijûshikô", in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai; Kinsaku plays the roles of Nureginu and Karaori [casting].
November 1766: Kinsaku settles in Kyôto and plays in the kaomise drama "Umayadogimi Shitennôji Kuyô", which is produced at the Kitagawa no Shibai by Edosaka Kyôemon, in collaboration with the playwright Temmaya Kyûshichi.
November 1768: Kinsaku goes back to Ôsaka and plays in the kaomise drama "Kômei Daifukuchô", which is produced by Mimasu Tanin I at the Naka no Shibai.
July 1769: Kinsaku plays in the same theater the role of the courtesan Ohatsu in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Sonezaki Shinjû", staged under a different title. The role of Hiranoya Tokubei is played by Nakayama Bunshichi I.
November 1769: Kinsaku goes to Edo and plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Na ni Takashi Kumoi no Yumihari".
November 1770: Kinsaku plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Nue no Mori Ichiyô no Mato", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Danjûrô V, Matsumoto Kôshirô II, Nakamura Shôchô, Ichikawa Monnosuke II and Nakamura Shichisaburô III.
January 1771: Kinsaku's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
March 1771: Kinsaku plays in the same theater the role of Ochiyo in the Miyakoji-based dance-drama "Oborozuki Tsui no Someginu", which puts in the same michiyuki the couples of lovers Tokubei/Ohatsu ("Sonezaki Shinjû"), Ochiyo/Hanbei ("Shinjû Yoi Kôshin") and Osome/Hisamatsu; the role of Ochiyo's lover Hanbei is played by Ichikawa Komazô II.
November 1773: Kinsaku plays at the the Moritaza the roles of Ran no Kata and Osaku in the kaomise drama "Onna Aruji Hatsuyuki no Sekai".
May 1776: the play "Honchô Nijûshikô" is performed for the first time in Edo, at the Nakamuraza; Kinsaku plays the role of Otane [casting].
January 1778: the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin" is staged for the first time in Edo, at the Moritaza; Kinsaku plays the roles of Omiwa and Sadaka [casting].
1778: tour in Sendai.
June 1780: tour in Echigo.
August 1780: Kinsaku goes back to Edo and plays at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Tsuma Mukae Koshiji no Fumizuki".
Fall 1780: Kinsaku goes to Ôsaka.
November 1780: Kinsaku plays in the kaomise drama "Mô Mô Yokaro Ushi no Tamamono", which is produced by Fujikawa Sango at the Naka no Shibai.
January 1781: Kinsaku's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1781: Kinsaku becomes zamoto for the nadai Shioya Kuroemon and produces the drama "Tenmangû Natane no Gokû" at the Naka no Shibai.
December 1781: premiere in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai of Nagawa Kamesuke's drama "Tengajaya-Mura" [casting]. A similar play is produced at the Naka no Shibai a few days later by Kinsaku under a different title, "Renga Chaya Homare no Bundai". The competition for the best performance and the best line-up is open between the 2 theaters; Kinsaku the roles of Kôemon's wife Osumi and Kataoka Miki-no-Kami's wife Takanoha [casting].
Summer 1782: tour in Miyajima.
July 1783: the play "Kagamiyama Kokyô no Nishikie" is staged for the first time in Ôsaka, at the Kado no Shibai; Kinsaku plays the role of Ohatsu [casting].
1785: tour in Ise, Kuwana, Misaki and the Kasuga Ryôsha Shrine.
January 1786: Kinsaku plays the roles of Minatomachi Gozen and Otane in the drama "Keisei Noi Zakura", which is staged in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater.
November 1786: Kinsaku goes back to Ôsaka.
March 1787: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Taikô Shinkenki", a play similar to "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; Kinsaku plays the role of Ichimisai's elder daughter Osono [casting].
March 1788: premiere at the at the Kado no Shibai of Namiki Gohei I's play "Sewa Ryôri Yaoya Kondate"; Kinsaku plays the role of Ojû [more details].
Fall 1788: Kinsaku is expected in Edo to perform at the Moritaza but some health problems lead him to stay in Ôsaka.
November 1794: Kinsaku goes to Edo and plays at the Kiriza in the kaomise drama "Otokoyama Oedo no Ishizue".
January 1796: Kinsaku goes back to Kamigata.
May 1798: Kinsaku plays the role of Okaji in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami", which is produced by Nakayama Yosaburô II at the Kado no Shibai; his stage partners are Kataoka Nizaemon VII (Danshichi Kurobei), Nakayama Bunzô (Issun Tokubei), Yoshizawa Iroha I (Otatsu) and Seki Sanjûrô I (Tsuribune Sabu).
August 1799: Kinsaku appears on stage for the last time, in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai, playing in Tatsuoka Mansaku's drama "Yuki no Nadokoro Yomeodoshidani", which is produced by Yamashita Kamematsu. He suddenly falls ill and dies in September.
Comments:
Yamashita Kinsaku II was an outstanding onnagata actor, who won fame for himself in both Edo and Kamigata during the second half of the eighteenth century. The role of Yaoya Oshichi was his forte.
Yamashita Kinsaku II playing the role of the courtesan Kewaizaka no Shôshô in the drama "Kurikaesu Soga no Odamaki", which was staged in January 1770 at the Moritaza (print made by Ippitsusai Bunchô)
Prints of Yamashita Kinsaku II
Print made by Ippitsusai Bunchô
The Yamashita Kinsaku line of actors