Stage names:
Asao Tamejûrô I
Asao Tamezô
Asao Tôkichi
Asao Mankichi
Others names:
Sugimoto Tamejûrô
Asao Okuyama I
Guild: Zeniya
Poetry name: Okuyama (1)
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Existence: 1735 ~ 7 April 1804
Connection:
Masters: Asao Jûjirô, Asao Motogorô
Son: Asao Tamejûrô II
Disciples : Kataoka Nizaemon VII, Asao Tamejûrô III, Asao Kuzaemon I, Asao Yoroku I, Asao Monzô, Asao Manzô, Asao Otogorô, Asao Torakichi, Asao Kunigorô I, Asao Tamenosuke, Asao Tameemon, Asao Nakazô I
Career:
1735 ~ 1756: born in Kyôto. His father Sugimoto Tamesaburô, who is a renowned shamisen, gives him the name of Tamejûrô. Sugimoto Tamejûrô becomes disciple of the wakaonnagata actor Asao Jûjirô, who gives him the name of Asao Mankichi and teaches him his art. The Sugimoto family settles in Ôsaka and Asao Mankichi takes the names of Asao Tôkichi and Asao Tamezô at unknown dates, performing with travelling troupes. Later on, he becomes disciple of the actor Asao Motogorô at an unknown date.
November 1756: Asao Tamezô takes the name of Asao Tamejûrô I in Ôsaka, playing the role of Sôma Tarô in the drama "Sakiwake Shôhon Kagami", which is produced by the zamoto Tsutsuki Kikumatsu.
January 1757: Tamejûrô plays in Ôsaka the role of Yokogumo Daizen in the drama "Yamato no Kuni Ide no Shitahimo", which is produced by the same zamoto.
February 1758: Tamejûrô plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Hotei Ichiemon and Kajikawa Heizô the drama "Okina Gusa Goshiki no Hanabusa", which is produced by the zamoto Arashi Kumematsu.
November 1760: Tamejûrô becomes katakiyaku and plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Ôba Saburô in the drama "Miura no Ôsuke Toshitoku Môde", which is produced by Anegawa Shinshirô II.
November 1761: Tamejûrô achieves a great success at the Kado no Shibai by playing the role of Kajiwara Heiji in the drama "Sôtsui Hoshi Kamakura Kagami", which is produced by Nakayama Bunshichi I.
July 1763: Tamejûrô plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Haji no Hyôe and Shundô Genba in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" , which is produced by Nakayama Bunshichi I; his stage partners are Nakayama Bunshichi I (Matsuômaru, Terukuni), Nakayama Shinkurô I (Kakuju, Shihei), Arashi Hinasuke I (Haru), Anegawa Daikichi (Tonami, Yae), Nakayama Raisuke I (Umeômaru), Bandô Toyosaburô I (Shiratayû), Fujikawa Hachizô I (Genzô, Sukune Tarô), Ichinokawa Hikoshirô II (Sakuramaru), Yoshizawa Sakinosuke II (Chiyo, Tatsuta) and Nakamura Kichiemon I (Kan Shôjô).
November 1763: Tamejûrô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Nagasaki Shirôzaemon, in reality Suruga no Kami Norisada, in the drama "Kachidoki Aun no Ishizue".
November 1765: Tamejûrô plays in Ôsaka in the kaomise drama "Hanayagura Kikigaki Taiheiki", which is produced by Anegawa Kikuhachi.
November 1766: Tamejûrô plays in Kyôto at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the drama "Yuki no Asa Daimonjitsu Miyako no Fuku", which is produced by Yamashita Kyônosuke and Ichiyama Sukegorô and celebrates the return of Onoe Kikugorô I in Kyôto.
November 1768: Tamejûrô plays in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Shin-yakata Banzei no Kotobuki", which is produced by Yamashita Yaozô I.
June 1770: Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Yadonashi Danshichi Shigure no Karakasa" is staged for the first time in Ôsaka ôshibai, at the Kado no Shibai; Tamejûrô plays the role of Iwai-buro Jisuke [casting].
November 1770: Tamejûrô moves to Kyôto and plays the role of Ôe Saburô in the drama "Sakae Genji Gojin no Kachidoki", which is produced by Mimasu Tokujirô I at the Kitagawa no Shibai, the theater of the nadai Hoteiya Umenojô and Hayagumo Chôdayû.
March ~ May 1771: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", produced by Mimasu Tokujirô I at the Kitagawa no Shibai; Tamejûrô plays the roles of Soga no Emiji and Fukashichi [casting].
November 1773: Tamejûrô plays in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai in the drama "Medetai Uchimashô", which is produced by Ogawa Kichitarô I.
January 1775: Tamejûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
July 1776: premiere of Iso Isosuke's drama "Yamato Kotoba Suikoden", which is produced at the Kado no Shibai by Ogawa Kichitarô I; Tamejûrô plays the role of the smuggler Kezori Kuemon [casting].
November 1776: Tamejûrô plays in Ôsaka in the drama "Genji Saikô Uchide no Kozuchi", which is produced by Arashi Shichisaburô II.
December 1776: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa"; Tamejûrô plays the roles of Sawai Matagorô, Matagorô's mother Narumi and the doctor Sanai [casting]. The play is a successful long run. Tamejûrô uses on stage a new hayagawari technique.
January 1778: premiere of Namiki Gohei's drama "Keisei Hakataori", which is produced at the Minamigawa no Shibai by Mimasu Jirôkichi; Tamejûrô plays the role of the smuggler Kezori Kuemon [casting].
November 1778: Tamejûrô settles in Kyôto and plays 2 roles in the drama "Etari Kashikoshi Hangan Biiki", which is produced by Mimasu Jirôkichi at the Minamigawa no Shibai.
January 1779: Tamejûrô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
Summer 1780: Tamejûrô plays in the same theater the role of Gambei in the drama "Gokusaishiki Musume Ôgi". The role of the blind man Hyôsuke is played by Arashi Sangorô II.
November 1780: Tamejûrô plays in the kaomise drama "Hoshi Matsuri Fukki no Kurairi", which is produced in Kyôto by Nakayama Ihachi I.
1781: Tamejûrô plays the role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane in the epic drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki", which is produced in Kyôto by Nakayama Ihachi I.
Spring ~ Summer 1781: tour in Nagoya, Matsuzaka and Ise.
November 1781: Tamejûrô goes back to Ôsaka and achieves a great success at the Kado no Shibai by playing the role of Hayasaki Horanosuke, in reality Suzuki no Saburô, in Namiki Gohei I's drama "Tensha Yorozu Yoshitsune Biiki", which is produced by Fujikawa Sango.
December 1781: premiere in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai of Nagawa Kamesuke's drama "Tengajaya-Mura"; Tamejûrô plays the roles of Tôma Saburôemon and Yasuke [casting]. A similar play is staged a few days later under a different title, "Renga Chaya Homare no Bundai", at the Naka no Shibai [casting]. The competition for the best performance and the best line-up is open between the 2 theaters.
April ~ June 1782: Tamejûrô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of the king of thieves Ishikawa Goemon in the drama "Niômon Hauta no Rakugaki", which is produced by Fujikawa Sango. This play is similar to Namiki Gohei I's "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri".
January 1784: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Namiki Gohei's drama "Keisei Yamato Zôshi"; Tamejûrô plays the roles of Kondô Gunjibei and Wada Raihachi [casting].
June 1784: tour in Nagoya.
March 1785: Tamejûrô goes to Kyôto and plays at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater.
Summer 1785: tour in Miyajima.
Fall 1785: tour in the province of Wakayama.
November 1785: Tamejûrô goes back to Ôsaka and plays the role of Yoshitsune in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which is produced for the shûmei of Onoe Kikugorô II.
March 1787: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Namiki Gohei's drama "Taikô Shinkenki", a play similar to "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; Tamejûrô plays the role of Kyôgoku no Takumi [casting].
November 1787: Tamejûrô achieves a great success at the Naka no Shibai by playing in the drama "Masaru Medetaki Toshi no Kaomise", which is produced by Nakayama Fukuzô.
October 1788: Tamejûrô ccelebrates his coming departure to Edo, achieving a great success at the Kado no Shibai by playing the spectacular role of the yakko Rampei in the drama "Saiwai Ariwara Keizu", which is produced by the zamoto Nakayama Hisayoshi.
November 1788: Tamejûrô settles in Edo and plays at the Ichimuraza as a jitsuaku in the drama "Genji Saikô Kogane no Tachibana".
January 1789: Tamejûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent).
September 1790: the play "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô" is staged for the first time in Edo, at the Ichimuraza; it celebrates Tamejûrô's onagori kyôgen, who plays the role of Gotobei [more details].
Fall 1790: Tamejûrô goes back to Ôsaka.
November 1790: Tamejûrô achieves a great success at the Kado no Shibai by playing in Namiki Gohei I's kaomise drama "Ittai Bunshin Nishiki no Okuyama", which is produced by Asao Yatarô.
January 1791: Tamejûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent).
November 1792: Tamejûrô shares the stage with the Edo star Ichikawa Danzô IV in the drama "Hito no Kokoro ni Kanau Kaomise", which is produced by Asao Yatarô at the Kado no Shibai.
Hiver 1792: Tamejûrô goes to Kyôto and plays the role of the yakko Rampei in the drama "Rampei Monogurui".
November 1794: Tamejûrô plays 4 roles in the drama "Kana Utsushi Azuchi Mondô", which is produced by Nakayama Yosaburô II at the Naka no Shibai.
January 1796: Tamejûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is hakugoku-jô-jô-kichi (almost extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
November 1797: Tamejûrô goes to Kyôto and plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai 5 roles in the drama "Namboku Yuki no Miyako", which is produced by Arashi Kumanosuke.
March 1798: Tamejûrô plays in the same theater the role of Gotobei in the drama "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô".
Summer 1798: tour in Ise.
November 1798: Tamejûrô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Midaroku in the epic drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki"; then he goes to Ôsaka and plays the role of Suzuki no Saburô in Namiki Gohei I's drama "Kogane Bana Genji no Sakigake", which is produced by Yamashita Kamematsu at the Naka no Shibai.
January 1800: Tamejûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
November 1800: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Yanagi's puppet theater drama "Ehon Taikôki", which was written in July 1799. The play is produced by Nakayama Tokujirô in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai and Tamejûrô plays the role of Takechi Mitsuhide [casting].
January 1801: Tamejûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki is shigoku-jô-jô-kichi (exceedingly - extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
August 1801: Tamejûrô plays for the last time the role of the smuggler Kezori in the drama "Yamato Kotoba Suikoden", which is produced by Yamashita Tokujirô at the Naka no Shibai.
November 1801: Tamejûrô plays for the last time the role of Sawai Matagorô in the drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa", which is produced by Arashi Kumanosuke at the Minamigawa no Shibai.
November 1802: Tamejûrô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai 2 roles in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki".
Summer 1803: Tamejûrô is supposed to do his isse ichidai performance at the Naka no Shibai but he suddenly falls ill.
September 1803: Tamejûrô delivers his final speech during a kôjô at the Naka no Shibai.
November 1803: his son Asao Okujirô takes the name of Asao Tamejûrô II at the Naka no Shibai.
April 1804: he dies in Ôsaka.
Comments:
Asao Tamejûrô I was an outstanding katakiyaku actor, excelling also in handôgataki and jitsugotoshi roles, who won fame for himself in the Kamigata theaters. He made a short but very successful stay in Edo (2 seasons from November 1788 to September 1790). He was also a talented dancer.
Asao Tamejûrô I's best roles: the smuggler Kezori ("Yamato Kotoba Suikoden"), Gotobei ("Yoshitsune Koshigoejô"), Sawai Matagorô ("Igagoe Norikake Gappa") and Rampei ("Rampei Monogurui").
Asao Tamejûrô as depicted in the book "Santo Yakusha Omokage Zukushi" published in Ôsaka in 1784 by Yamatoya Kaemon