Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: ??? ~ July 1695

Connection:

Son: Namboku Sabu II

Nephew (?): Tsuruya Namboku I

Career:

Before 1674: born in the city of Sakai in the province of Senshû. He is related to the Murayama clan, whose most famous member, Murayama Matasaburô I, founded the Murayamaza in Edo.

June 1674: first recorded performance, in Kyôto at Ebisuya's theater, where he performs as a dôkegata; his stage partners are Akita Hikoshirô I, Fujita Koheiji, Komai Shôzaemon, Imamura Kumenosuke, Fujita Minanojô, Kaneko Rokuemon, Nakajima Yaheita, Itô Kodayû II, Tamagawa San'ya, Dekijima Tanomo and Kumamoto Bun'emon.

November 1683 ~ 1684: Sabu performs in Ôsaka for the zamoto Araki Yojibei I; his yearly salary is 70 ryô.

January 1688: Sabu's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, dôkegata section, is jô (superior).

Spring 1695: Sabu's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, dôkegata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).

July 1695: Sabu dies in Ôsaka.

Comments:

Namboku Sabu I, who made all his career in Kamigata from the 1670s to the 1690s, was considered at the end of his career as an "old style" dôkegata. According to the chronicles, the audience loved his facial appearance, the way he rolled his big eyes and his weird dancing.

Namboku Sabu I performing the role of a yamabushi priest (1693)