Stage names:
Yamamoto Kyôshirô I
Yamamoto Kôshirô
Yamamoto Hachiroemon
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Kajû (?)
Existence: 1700 ~ 20 October 1764
Connection:
Adopted father: Yamamoto Hikogorô
Son: Yamamoto Iwanojô
Career:
1700: born in Ôsaka. He get married with the daughter of Yamamoto Hikogorô, originally a kyôgen actor who became a Kabuki actor. He is adopted by his father-in-law and receives the name of Yamamoto Hachiroemon. Later on, he takes the name of Yamamoto Kôshirô.
November 1724: Kôshirô performs in Kyôto as a jitsuaku in the kaomise drama "Ôjigawa Kogane no Mizuguruma".
November 1725: he becomes zamoto in Ôsaka and takes the name of Yamamoto Kyôshirô I, producing at the Naka no Shibai the kaomise drama "Hôraisan Imose no Matsu".
November 1727: Kyôshirô produces at the Naka no Shibai the kaomise drama "Imosegami Aioi no Futabayama".
September 1728: last production as zamoto; Kyôshirô produces at the Naka no Shibai the drama "Aioi Makura Kanae Otoko".
January 1729: Kyôshirô and his father Yamamoto Hikogorô go together to Edo; they play at the Moritaza in the drama "Higashiyama Chôseiden".
November 1729: Kyôshirô plays at the Moritaza the role of Kamei Rokurô in the kaomise drama "Yahagi no Chôja Kogane no Ishizue".
Fall 1730: Kyôshirô goes back to Ôsaka.
November 1730: Kyôshirô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Nakatsugawa Jôsuke in the kaomise drama "Matsukane Fukki no Ishizue".
Fall 1739: Kyôshirô goes to Edo.
November 1739: Kyôshirô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Sano Gentôta in the kaomise drama "Miyakozome Kaoru Hachinoki"; his stage partners are Sawamura Sôjûrô I, Ichikawa Danzô I, Nakamura Shichisaburô II, Segawa Kikujirô I and Nakamura Sukegorô I.
Fall 1740: Kyôshirô goes back to Ôsaka.
November 1740: Kyôshirô plays at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Tachibana Chikaranosuke in the kaomise drama "Yaguruma Yakata no Fuji"; his stage partners are Segawa Kikunojô I, Nakamura Shingorô I, Nakayama Shinkurô I, Sanogawa Mangiku, Onoe Kikugorô I, Nakamura Sôjûrô and Arashi Shichigorô I.
January 1741: Kyôshirô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1741: Kyôshirô plays at the Ônishi no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Bankoku Taiheiki", which welcomes in Ôsaka the Edo actors Ichikawa Ebizô II and Ichikawa Danjûrô III. It includes the "Uirô Uri" scene and is produced by Sadoshima Chôgorô I.
December 1741: Kyôshirô plays in the same theater the role of Kudô Saemon Suketsune in the drama "Yamato Ikioi Soga"; his stage partners are Ichikawa Ebizô II (Soga Gorô Tokimune, Soga Jûrô Sukenari) and Onoe Kikugorô I (the courtesan Kewaizaka no Shôshô).
January 1742: Kyôshirô plays in the same theater the role of Hayashi Dennai in the drama "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura" [casting]. The performance is a triumphant success and is extended up to the beginning of July 1742.
Fall 1746: Kyôshirô goes to Edo.
November 1746: Kyôshirô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Oniô Shôji Saemon in the kaomise drama "Aioi Izu Nikki".
March 1747: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" is performed for the first time in Edo, at the Ichimuraza; Kyôshirô plays the role of Shiratayû [casting].
November 1747: Kyôshirô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Hasebe Chôbei in the kaomise drama "Shusse Momijigari".
November 1748: Kyôshirô moves to the Moritaza, becomes zagashira and plays in the kaomise drama "Fuyu Botan Yoshino Dairi".
February 1749: the play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" is staged for the first time in Edo, at the Moritaza; Kyôshirô plays the role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke.
November 1749: Kyôshirô plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Bijo Kurabe Kiso no Kakehashi", which celebrates the shûmei of Sawamura Sôjûrô II.
April 1750: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" is produced at the Moritaza for the first time; Kyôshirô plays the role of Takebe Genzô [casting].
Fall 1751: Kyôshirô goes to Kyôto.
November 1751: Kyôshirô plays in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Kaeribana Shinohara Gunki".
Fall 1752: Kyôshirô goes back to Ôsaka.
November 1752: Kyôshirô plays at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Wakanoura Ôkura in the kaomise drama "Kyô Miyage Matsuri Zoroe".
January 1756: Kyôshirô is the kanjiku for tachiyaku actors in the Ôsaka hyôbanki.
November 1758: Kyôshirô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Sakata Kintoki in the kaomise drama "Shitennô Chikara Kurabe"; his stage partners are Ichikawa Danzô III, Yamashita Matatarô I, Ichinokawa Hikoshirô II, Yoshizawa Sakinosuke II, Nakamura Kumetarô I and the zamoto Arashi Kichisaburô I.
January 1759: Kyôshirô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, "Kurokichi Shitennô" section ("the big four with the excellent character written in black"), is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). The 3 others actors, who belong to this "big four" section, are Ichikawa Danzô III, Yamashita Matatarô I and Nakayama Shinkurô I.
November 1760: Kyôshirô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Miura no Ôsuke in the kaomise drama "Miura no Ôsuke Toshitoku Môde", which is produced by Anegawa Shinshirô II.
June 1761: Kyôshirô plays in the same theater the role of Tsuribune Sabu in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; the roles of Danshichi Kurobei and Issun Tokubei are played by Fujikawa Heikurô and Fujikawa Hachizô I. The former actor suddenly falls ill and has to replaced by the latter.
Fall 1761: Kyôshirô moves to Kyôto.
November 1761: Kyôshirô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Hasebe Hyôgonoshin in the kaomise drama "Hitomaru Banzei no Utena", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I.
November 1762: Kyôshirô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Tenka Taihei Kogane no Kurairi", which is produced by Onoe Montarô and Sawamura Kunitarô I.
March 1763: Kyôshirô plays in the same theater the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke and Amakawaya Gihei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1763: Kyôshirô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Shôchikubai Ôshimadai".
January 1764: Kyôshirô is the kanjiku for tachiyaku actors in the Kyôto hyôbanki.
Fall 1764: Kyôshirô goes to Edo but he suddenly falls ill and dies the 20th of October. His tombstone is located in the precincts of the Jôshinji temple in Edo in the district of Fukagawa.
Comments:
Yamamoto Kyôshirô I was a leading Ôsaka actor, who achieved fame for himself from the end of the Kyôhô era to the Hôreki era not only in Kamigata but also in Edo where he made several successful stays. He was able to play a wide range of male roles as a tachiyaku, jitsuaku, oyajigata (in his latter years) or aragotoshi. Budôgoto roles in jidaimono dramas were his forte. His most notable performance was Ôboshi Yuranosuke in "Kanadehon Chûshingura". He perfectly delivered his lines with great vocal projection.
Yamamoto Kyôshirô I playing in the kaomise drama "Bankoku Taiheiki", which was staged in November 1741 at the Ônishi no Shibai