Stage names:
Tamazawa Kôjûrô
Tamazawa Rin'ya
Existence: ???
Connection:
Master: Tamazawa Oginosuke
Disciple: Tamazawa Saijirô
Career:
March 1707: first recorded performance, in Edo at the Nakamuraza. He is a disciple of Tamazawa Oginosuke and his stage name is Tamazawa Rin'ya.
November 1710: he becomes wakaonnagata at the Yamamuraza.
March 1713: premiere at the Yamamuraza of the play "Hana Yakata Aigo Zakura", which is the first "Sukeroku" drama (kabuki jûhachiban) in Kabuki history. Rin'ya plays the role of the courtesan Agemaki [casting].
January 1717: Rin'ya's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).
November 1718: Rin'ya plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Zenkunen Yoroi Kurabe"; his stage partners are Matsumoto Kôshirô, Sawamura Sôjûrô, Ôtani Hiroemon I, Mizuki Takejûrô, Tomizawa Hanzaburô I, Ichikawa Monnosuke I and Asao Jûjirô.
Fall 1719: Rin'ya moves to the Nakamuraza.
November 1719: Tamazawa Rin'ya takes the name of Tamazawa Kôjûrô and becomes tachiyaku at the Nakamuraza, playing the role of Kusunoki Masayuki in the kaomise drama "Nyohitsu Taiheiki".
January 1720: Kôjûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent). He plays in the same theater the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the new year drama "Ichi Fuji Raihai Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Kudô Saemon Suketsune are played by Ichikawa Kuzô and Nakajima Mihoemon I.
November 1721: Tamazawa Kôjûrô takes back the name of Tamazawa Rin'ya and becomes wakaonnagata at the Moritaza, playing in the kaomise drama "Semimaru Yôrô no Taki".
January 1723: Rin'ya's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He shares the same rank with Fujimura Handayû II and Sanjô Kantarô II.
November 1727: Tamazawa Rin'ya takes back the name of Tamazawa Kôjûrô and becomes tachiyaku at the Moritaza, playing the role of Nitta Yoshisada in the kaomise program "Hônen Taiheiki". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danzô I (Hata Rokurô Saemon), Tomizawa Hanzaburô I (Moronô), Sakata Hangorô I (Nagasaki Kageyu Saemon), Ichikawa Monnosuke I (Kusunoki Masayuki), Fujimura Handayû II (Kusunoki Kikusui), Sodesaki Miwano I (Manjû no Mae), Tsuruya Namboku I (Shinozuka Iga no Kami) and Yamamoto Hanazato (Kôtô-no-Naishi).
January 1728: last recorded performance of Kôjûrô, who plays in the same theater the roles of Komurasaki no Kamon (a tachiyaku role) and the courtesan Ôiso no Tora (an onnagata role) in the new year drama "Hatsu Midori Aioi Soga".
March 1728: Kôjûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, falls to jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).
Comments:
Tamazawa Kôjûrô was a talented Edo actor, who achieved fame for himself during the first quarter of the 18th century. He was either an onnagata performing under the name of Tamazawa Rin'ya or a tachiyaku performing under the name of Tamazawa Kôjûrô. This ability to switch roles was quite unusual at that time. As an onnagata, he succeeded in reaching the prestigious jô-jô-kichi rank. He was specialized in keiseigoto or onna budô. His field of excellence was nuregoto, a field in which he was considered as a pioneer in the city of Edo. He was also a very good musician. According to some Kabuki experts, he ended his career as a choreographer at the Moritaza.
The actors Narumi Goroshirô I (left) and Tamazawa Kôjûrô (right) playing in the kaomise drama "Nyohitsu Taiheiki", which was staged in November 1719 at the Nakamuraza