Stage names:

Sawamura Kunitarô II
Ogino Kinshi I
Ogino Yaegiri III
Ogino Kinshi
Ogino Kamekichi
Izumikawa Kamekichi

Guilds: Tennôjiya, Oginoya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Kinshi, Kitô

Existence: ??? ~ 1836

Connection:

Masters: Sawamura Kunitarô I (?), Ogino Itarô

Career:

1798 ~ 1814: he starts his career during his childhood in Ôsaka in kodomo shibai, performing under the name of Izumikawa Kamekichi. Later on, he becomes disciple of Ogino Itarô, who gives him the name of Ogino Kamekichi. His next stage names are Ogino Kinshi and Ogino Yaegiri III, a prestigious name unheld since June 1763. He takes back the name of Ogino Kinshi, using a different writing:

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November 1814: Kinshi plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Umenoi and Yûsuke's wife in the drama "Hôjô Jiraiki".

January 1815: Kinshi's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).

2 July 1818: the actor Sawamura Kunitarô I dies.

November 1819: Ogino Kinshi I takes the name of Sawamura Kunitarô II at the Minamigawa no Shibai, playing the roles of Chôroku's wife and Osai in the drama "Zôho Koi no Shiranami".

June 1822: tour in Miyajima with Ichikawa Ebijûrô I.

January 1827: Kunitarô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He is with Nakamura Matsue III the kanjiku for the onnagata actors.

August 1828: Kunitarô plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Hanazono, Otake and Onna Narukami (the female Narukami) in the dramas "Ôtô-no-Miya Asahi no Yoroi", "Kewai Mizu Kinugawa Zutsumi" and "Otoko Narikeri Onna Narukami", which are produced by Sawamura Otomatsu, commemorate the 6th anniversary (7th memorial service) of late Arashi Rikan I and celebrate the shûmei of Arashi Rikan II. Their main stage partners are Bandô Jutarô I, Ôtani Tomoemon II and Asao Okuyama II.

July 1829: Kunitarô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Miyagino in the drama "Go Taiheiki Shiraishi Banashi"; the roles of Sôroku and Shinobu are played by Nakamura Utaemon III and Nakamura Matsue III.

January 1830: Kunitarô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is hakushi-jô-jô-kichi (almost unique - superior - superior - excellent).

November 1830: Kunitarô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Nishiki-no-Mae, Tatsuta and Chiyo in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". He also plays the role of Kosen in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".

May 1831: Kunitarô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Suke-no-Tsubone in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".

January 1832: Kunitarô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is shi-jô-jô-kichi (unique - superior - superior - excellent).

March 1834: Kunitarô commemorates at the Kado no Shibai the 16th anniversary (17th memorial service) of the death of Sawamura Kunitarô I, performing in the drama "Tsuizen Asazawa Murasaki". This is his last stage appearance, for he is very sick and he has to retire from business.

Spring 1836: Kunitarô dies in Ôsaka.

Comments:

Sawamura Kunitarô II was a talented onnagata actor, who achieved fame for himself in Ôsaka and Kyôto from the end of the Bunka era to the beginning of the Tenpô era, reaching the prestigious jô-jô-kichi rank in 1827. He spent 20 years in Kamigata ôshibai, without going on tour to Edo. His fields of excellence were okugata and sewa nyôbô.

Sawamura Kunitarô II playing the role of Hanazono in the drama "Ôtô-no-Miya Asahi no Yoroi", which was staged in August 1828 in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai (print made by Ryûsai Shigeharu)
Print by Courtesy of Theo de Kreijger

Print made by Shunkôsai Hokushû in 1823

Print made by Asayama Ashiyuki in 1827

Print made by Ryûsai Shigeharu in 1828

The Sawamura Kunitarô line of actors