Stage names:
Asao Kuzaemon I
Asai Kuzaemon
Nakayama Tashirô II
Takeda Nisaburô
Other name: Ichikawa Kigan I
Guild: Kanedaya
Poetry names: Kigan (1), Kigyoku
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Existence: 1758 ~ 22 August 1824
Connection:
Brother: Takeda Tashirô
Masters: Asao Tamejûrô I, Nakayama Tatezô I
Son: Asao Kichisaburô
Disciple: Jitsukawa Gakujûrô I
Career:
1758 ~ 1782: he starts his career in a troupe of children-actors performing in Ôsaka at the Takeda no Shibai. He and his brother play under the respective names of Takeda Nisaburô and Takeda Tashirô. He joins the actor Nakayama Tatezô I at an unknown date, receives the name of Nakayama Tashirô II and plays in minor theaters.
September 1782: he plays as a musician in the isse ichidai performance of the actor Nakayama Bunshichi I, which is staged at the Kado no Shibai.
November 1793: Nakayama Tatezô I and Nakayama Tashirô II respectively take the names of Izumikawa Okezô and Asai Kuzaemon.
Fall 1794: Kuzaemon becomes disciple of the actor Asao Tamejûrô I.
November 1794: Asai Kuzaemon takes the name of Asao Kuzaemon I in Kyôto.
September 1801: premiere at the Kitagawa no Shibai of Shiba Shisô's drama "Hakone Reigen Izari no Adauchi"; Kuzaemon plays the roles of Satô Gôsuke and Takiguchi Kôzuke [casting].
October 1803: Kuzaemon celebrates his coming tour to Edo by playing at the Naka no Shibai 7 roles using some hayagawari techniques in the drama "Keisei Koi no Hikyaku".
November 1803: Kuzaemon goes to Edo and plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Mutsu no Hana Monomi no Matsu".
April 1804: his master Asao Tamejûrô I dies.
September 1804: Kuzaemon celebrates his coming departure from Edo, achieving a great success at the Ichimuraza by playing the role of Gotobei in the drama "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô".
November 1804: Kuzaemon is back in Ôsaka and plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of the boatman Kochiemon in Tatsuoka Mansaku's kaomise drama "Minoriyoshi Kane no Naruki".
August 1807: Kuzaemon plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of the smuggler Kezori and Gohei in the drama "Yamato Kotoba Suikoden", which is produced by Asao Okujirô II.
June 1808: Kuzaemon goes to Edo (for a religiuos pilgrimage) and plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Senoo Jûrô Kaneyasu in the drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki".
July 1808: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Segawa Jokô II's drama "Zôho Izari no Adauchi"; Kuzaemon plays the roles of Satô Gôsuke and Shôya Tokuemon [casting].
August 1808: Kuzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Fujiwara no Shihei and Shiratayû in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
September 1808: Kuzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of the yakko Edohei in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".
Fall 1808: Kuzaemon goes back to Ôsaka.
September 1809: Kuzaemon plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Jinroku and Utaemon in the drama "Oriawase Tsuzure no Nishiki".
November 1809: Kuzaemon plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Ikegami Shichikurô in the kaomise drama "Keishoku Yuki-miru Yama", which is produced by Mimasu Kumesaburô and stars Nakayama Hyakka, Yoshizawa Ayame V, Arashi Kichisaburô II, Nakayama Shinkurô III, Nakamura Daikichi I, Kanô Minshi I and Asao Okuyama II.
March 1810: tour in Ise with Nakayama Raisuke IV.
June 1810: tour in Nagoya with Kataoka Nizaemon VII and Nakayama Hyakka.
September 1810: Kuzaemon plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Kyôgoku no Takumi in the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; the roles of Rokusuke and Osono are played by Arashi Kichisaburô II and Nakamura Daikichi I.
January 1811: Kuzaemon plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Sawai Matagorô, Narumi and Heisaku in the drama "Keisei Ekiro no Ume", whose plot and characters belong to the "Igagoe" world.
January 1813: Kuzaemon's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He plays 3 roles at the Kado no Shibai in the drama "Ane Imôto Date no Ôkido", which is produced by Ichikawa Zentarô.
April 1813: Kuzaemon plays in the same theater in the drama "Ono no Tôfû Aoyagi Suzuri".
July 1813: Kuzaemon plays in Sakai the role of Senoo Jûrô Kaneyasu in the drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki", which is staged at the Shukuin no Shibai.
November 1813: Kuzaemon plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the drama "Ono no Tôfû Aoyagi Suzuri". He also plays the role of Tatara Shindôzaemon in the drama "Karukaya Dôshin Tsukushi no Iezuto".
January 1814: Kuzaemon's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, sôkanjiku sampukutsui section ("a trio of global kanjiku") section, is shi-jô-jô-kichi (unique - superior - superior - excellent). The two others actors in this trio are Kataoka Nizaemon VII and Nakayama Shinkurô III. Kuzaemon plays the roles of the old woman Otama, Yuminosuke and Tokuemon in the drama "Keisei Tsukushi no Tsumagoto", which is staged in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai. This is the first performance in Kabuki history of a play based on the "Asagao Nikki" world [casting].
April 1814: "Keisei Tsukushi no Tsumagoto" is staged with the same casting in Kyôto at the Minamigawa no Shibai.
November 1814: Kuzaemon plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Sawai Matagorô and Narumi in the drama "Tsugi Awase Ekiji no Ume", whose plot and characters belong to the "Igagoe" world.
January 1815: Kuzaemon plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Gohei in the drama "Akiba Gongen Kaisen Banashi", which is produced by Kataoka Ichimatsu.
March 1815: Kuzaemon moves to the Kado no Shibai and plays the roles of Tatara Shindôzaemon, Kurofune and Gyôbuzaemon in the dramas "Karukaya Dôshin Tsukushi no Iezuto", "Kurofune Deiri Minato" and "Komochi Yamamba".
April 1815: Kuzaemon moves back to the Naka no Shibai and plays the roles of Tachibana Kazue and Shôya Shôbei in the drama "Furiwakegami Matori Jikki", which is produced by Kataoka Ichimatsu.
August 1815: Kuzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Kakuju, Takebe Genzô and Shiratayû in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
September 1815: Kuzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Sasaya Hanbei and the gatekeeper Shôbei in the drama "Katakiuchi Ura no Asagiri".
August 1816: Kuzaemon goes to Edo and plays at the Kiriza in the drama "Katakiuchi Tengajaya-Mura".
September 1816: Kuzaemon celebrates his coming departure from Edo by playing at the Kiriza 7 roles using some hayagawari techniques in the drama "Michiyuki Koi no Hikyaku".
July 1817: Kuzaemon plays at the Naka no Shibai in the dramas "Meisaku Kiri no Akebono" and "Senjin Fujito no Homare".
January 1818: Kuzaemon plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Sukune Tarô, Shundô Gemba and Shiratayû in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". He also plays the roles of Jinroku and Utaemon in the drama "Oriawase Tsuzure no Nishiki".
May 1818: Kuzaemon plays at the Takeda no Shibai (Ôsaka) the role of Saitô Tarozaemon Toshiyuki in the drama "Ôtô-no-Miya Asahi no Yoroi".
August 1818: Kuzaemon plays the roles of Mataroku and Sajidayû in the drama "Musume Kagekiyo Yashima Nikki", which is produced at the Naka no Shibai by Asao Tokusaburô. His stage partners are Arashi Koroku IV (Oito) and Arashi Kichisaburô II (Yoshitoki, Kagekiyo).
Fall 1818: Kuzaemon plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Midaroku in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".
November 1818: Kuzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Usami Goemon, Heisaku and Kôhei in the drama "Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku". The roles of Oyone and Jûbei are played by Arashi Koroku IV and Arashi Kichisaburô II.
January 1819: Kuzaemon plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Iwanaga Saemon in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki". His stage partners in the roles of Akoya and Shigetada are Nakamura Matsue III and Ichikawa Ebijûrô I.
July 1819: Kuzaemon plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Gonshirô in the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki".
September 1819: Kuzaemon plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Tamashima Ittô and Akaganeya Kôbei [print] in the drama "Tôtômigata Koi no Shiranami".
November 1819: Kuzaemon plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Tamashima Ittô and Akaganeya Kôbei in the drama "Zôho Koi no Shiranami" (an extension of the drama "Tôtômigata Koi no Shiranami").
January 1820: Kuzaemon's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, sôkanjiku section ("global kanjiku") section, is kô-jô-jô-kichi (meritorious - superior - superior - excellent).
March 1820: Kuzaemon plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Kawagoe Tarô and Yazaemon ("Sushiya" scene) in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
May 1820: Kuzaemon plays at the Ichinogawa Shibai (Ôsaka) the role of Tatara Shindôzaemon in the drama "Karukaya Dôshin Tsukushi no Iezuto".
November 1820: tour in Nagoya; Kuzaemon plays the role of Yazaemon ("Sushiya" scene) in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which is staged in the precinct of the Seijuin Temple.
January 1821: Kuzaemon plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Magoemon in the drama "Shinjû Ten no Amijima".
March 1821: premiere at the Kado no Shibai of the drama "Kajiwara Heizô Kôbai Tazuna", a new version of the third act of "Miura no Ôsuke Ôbai Tazuna", revised by Kanazawa Ryûgoku; Kuzaemon plays the role of Rokurôdayû [casting].
May 1821: Kuzaemon plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Katô Gôsuke and Iwaki Chûtayû in the drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku", which is produced by Nakamura Matsuyo.
July 1821: Kuzaemon plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Watanabe Mimbu in the drama "Hagi ha Sendai Na ha Matsumoto", whose plot and characters belong to the "Meiboku Sendai Hagi" world.
November 1821: Kuzaemon plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Ono no Kudayû, Yazama Kinai and Shikama no Takubei in the drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku".
January 1822: Kuzaemon plays at the Naka no Shibai 3 roles in the drama "Keisei Somewake no Tazuna".
February 1822: Kuzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Daibutsumochi Sôemon and Konomura Ôinosuke in the drama "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri". He also plays the role of Kaminari Shôkurô in the drama "Otokodate Itsutsu Karigane".
March 1822: Kuzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Sakaya Giemon in the drama "Ôishizuri Sakura Tanzaku", a play based on the Chûshingura world.
24th April 1822: his son Asao Kichisaburô dies.
May 1822: Kuzaemon plays the role of Tsuge Shinzaemon in the drama "Keisei Sano no Funabashi", which is staged within the precinct of the Goryô Shrine in the district of Semba (Ôsaka). He also plays the roles of Heizaemon and Yaoya Oshichi'mother in the drama "Yaoya no Kondate".
August 1822: Kuzaemon plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Date no Yosabei and Hachizô in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna", which is produced by Onoe Umanosuke.
September 1822: Kuzaemon plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Iwaki Hyôbu in the drama "Kamagafuchi Futatsu Domoe".
November 1822: Kuzaemon appears on stage for the last time, playing the roles of the old man Rokurôdayû and Date no Yosabei in the dramas "Kajiwara Heizô Kidai no Ishikiri" [casting] and "Iroage Somewake Tazuna", which are staged in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai.
1823 ~ 1824: he falls ill and doesn't appear on stage anymore until his death in Kyôto in August 1824.
Comments:
Asao Kuzaemon I was a talented and popular actor specialized in katakiyaku, jitsuaku and oyajigata roles, excelling in thieves roles in sewamono dramas and mastering some hayagawari techniques, who made a fame for himself in Kamigata during the Bunka and Bunsei eras. He did also a few successful stays in Edo.
Asao Kuzaemon I playing the role of Sawai Matagorô in the drama "Keisei Ekiro no Ume", which was performed in January 1811 in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai (print made by Rankôsai)
Asao Kuzaemon I's prints and illustrations