Stage names:
Asao Tamejûrô III
Asao Okuyama II
Asao Tomozô I
Guild: Zeniya, Kawachiya
Poetry names: Okuyama (3), Kuchiyama, Sandô
Line number: SANDAIME (III)
Existence: 1780 ~ January 1836
Connection:
Master: Asao Tamejûrô I
Sons: Asao Tamejûrô IV, Asao Okuyama III
Career:
1780 ~ 1802: he starts his career as a disciple of Asao Tamejûrô I, who gives him the name of Asao Tomozô I at an unknown date.
April 1804: his master Asao Tamejûrô I dies.
1807: Asao Tomozô I takes the name of Asao Okuyama II in order to honour the memory of his late master. Okuyama was an haimyô used by his master, who did not officially held the name of Asao Okuyama I but received it posthumously.
November 1809: Okuyama plays at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Keishoku Yuki-miru Yama", which is produced by Mimasu Kumesaburô and stars Nakayama Hyakka, Yoshizawa Ayame V, Arashi Kichisaburô II, Asao Kuzaemon I, Nakayama Shinkurô III, Nakamura Daikichi I and Kanô Minshi I.
1818: Asao Okuyama II takes the name of Asao Tamejûrô III.
May 1818: Tamejûrô goes to Edo and plays at the Miyakoza in the drama "Shôchikubai Azuma Kagami".
September 1820: Tamejûrô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Midaroku and the yakko Tagohei in the epic drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".
Fall 1820: Tamejûrô goes back to Kamigata and takes back the name of Asao Okuyama II.
December 1820: Okuyama plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Nadaemon in the drama "Hachijin Shugo no Honjô".
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; Okuyama plays the role of Ôba Saburô [casting].
November 1822: premiere at the Kitagawa no Shibai of the drama "Kajiwara Heizô Kidai no Ishikiri", a new version of the third act of "Miura no Ôsuke Ôbai Tazuna", revised by Kanazawa Ryûgoku; Okuyama plays the role of Ôba Saburô [casting].
February 1826: Okuyama plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Kyôgoku no Takumi in the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; the roles of Osono and Rokusuke are played by Nakamura Utaemon III and Ichikawa Ebijûrô II.
November 1828: Okuyama plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai 5 roles, including Sakae Gozen, in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi".
Spring 1829: short stay in Edo; Asao Okuyama II takes one more time the name of Asao Tamejûrô III and plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of the yakko Namihei and Onigadake Dôemon in the dramas "Sugata no Hana Yayoi no Nishikie" and "Sekitori Nidai no Shôbuzuke".
Winter 1829 ~ 1830: he goes back to Kamigata and takes back the name of Asao Okuyama II.
March 1830: Okuyama plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Gonshirô and Yokosuga Gunnai in the epic drama "Hirakana Seisuiki". He moves to Ôsaka in the middle of the month and plays at the Naka no Shibai in the dramas "Kagamiyama Gonichi no Omokage" and "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba", which are produced by Nakamura Tomisuke.
April 1830: tour in Ise.
November 1830: Okuyama plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the dramas "Ehon Utô Monogatari" and "Zôho Hôjô Jiraiki".
January 1831: Asao Okuyama II takes one more time the name of Asao Tamejûrô III, playing at the Kado no Shibai in the drama "Keisei Sato no Odamaki". His stage partners are Onoe Kikugorô III, Kataoka Nizaemon VII, Arashi Rikan II, Asao Gakujûrô and Arashi Tokusaburô III.
March 1832: Tamejûrô plays in Ôsaka at the Takeda no Shibai the roles of Sagisaka Bannai and Ono no Kudayû in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
June 1833: tour in Okazaki with Iwai Shijaku I, Arashi Sangorô IV and Sawamura Sawaemon.
January 1834: Tamejûrô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
March 1835: Tamejûrô plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Fujiwara no Shihei and Haji no Hyôe in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
July 1835: Tamejûrô appears on stage for the last time, playing the roles of Takemura Sadanoshin, Washizuka Yaheiji and Date no Yosaku in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna", which is staged at the Minamigawa no Shibai. He falls ill and dies in January 1836.
Comments:
Asao Tamejûrô III was a katakiyaku and a jitsuaku of the first half of the nineteenth century, who spent most of his career in Kamigata (only 2 seasons (1818~1820) and a few months in 1829 spent in Edo). Handôgataki roles were his forte.
Asao Tamejûrô III portraying the bantô Gihei in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni III (1862~1863)