Stage names:

Sawamura Shozan V
Sawamura Tanosuke V
Sawamura Yoshijirô III

Real name: Yamanaka Sôjirô

Guild: Kinokuniya

Line number: GODAIME (V)

Poetry name: Shozan (5)

Existence: 11 October 1902 ~ 3 December 1968

Connection:

Father: Sawamura Sôjûrô VII

Brothers: Suketakaya Takasuke V, Sawamura Sôjûrô VIII

Sons: Sawamura Tanosuke VI, Sawamura Yoshijirô V

Career:

11 October 1902: Born in Tôkyô. He is the second son of Sawamura Sôjûrô VII.

September 1908: he makes his first stage appearance, at the Kabukiza, where he receives the name of Sawamura Yoshijirô III.

January 1920: he becomes nadai and takes the name of Sawamura Tanosuke V at the Imperial Theater.

1931: he spends most of this year abroad, studying Western theatre arts in Europe and the USA.

November 1939: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of Kimura Tomiko's dance-drama "Kurozuka"; Tanosuke plays the role of the yamabushi Priest Sanukibô [casting].

March 1947: he achieves a great success at the Mitsukoshi Gekijô by playing the role of Nuregami Chôgorô in the drama "Hikimado".

September 1947: premiere at the Imperial Theater of Atsumi Seitarô's version of "Nansô Satomi Hakkenden"; Tanosuke plays the roles of Inukai Gempachi and Aboshi Samojirô [casting].

2 March 1949: his father Sawamura Sôjûrô VII dies.

30 August 1962: his eldest brother Suketakaya Takasuke V dies.

April 1964: because of serious health problems, he decides to retire, taking the name of Sawamura Shozan V and giving his previous stage name to his son Sawamura Yoshijirô IV, who became Sawamura Tanosuke VI.

3 December 1968: he dies in Tôkyô.

Comments:

Sawamura Shozan V was a nimaime and a wagotoshi. His most notable performance was the role of Sonobe Saemon in the classic "Shin Usuyuki Monogatari". In some books, he is referenced as Sawamura Shozan I.

Sawamura Tanosuke V playing the role of Miyazaki Kazuma in the drama "Kôchiyama", which was staged in November 1926 at the Imperial Theater

The Sawamura Tanosuke line of actors

The Sawamura Shozan line of actors