Stage names:
Sawamura Tanosuke II
Sawamura Tetsunosuke I
Guild: Kinokuniya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry name: Shozan
Existence: 1788 ~ 28 January 1817
Connections:
Grandfathers: Arashi Hinasuke I, Sawamura Sôjûrô II
Father: Sawamura Sôjûrô III
Half-brother: Sawamura Sôjûrô IV
Career:
1788: born in Kyôto. He is the third son of the Edo star Sawamura Sôjûrô III and his mother is the sister of the Kamigata star Arashi Hinasuke I.
January 1793: he makes his first appearance on stage, at the Nakamuraza, where he receives the name of Sawamura Tetsunosuke I a plays a little role in the drama "Saikai Soga Nakamura".
March 1801: his father Sawamura Sôjûrô III dies; Tetsunosuke goes back to his native Kamigata.
November 1801: Sawamura Tetsunosuke I takes the name of Sawamura Tanosuke II in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai, playing in the drama "Furuki Omotte Aratama no Kaomise".
1802 ~ 1806: He spends most of his early years performing in Kamigata koshibai.
May 1806: tour in Nagoya; Tanosuke plays at the Tachibana Shibai the role of Princess Yuki in the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki".
July 1806: Tanosuke achieves a great success in Ôsaka at the Horie Ichigawa no Shibai, playing the roles of Princess Toki and the koshimoto Sumie in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata", which is produced by Arashi Gonnosuke.
Fall 1808: Tanosuke goes to Edo.
November 1808: Tanosuke plays at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Irosoyuru Nidai Genji".
September 1813: Tanosuke plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami".
Fall 1813: Tanosuke goes back to Kamigata.
November 1813: Tanosuke plays in Kyôto at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the drama "Ono no Tôfû Aoyagi Suzuri". He also performs all the roles of a 7-role hengemono "Sawamurasaki Hatsunanatan". He finally plays the role of Yûshide in the drama "Karukaya Dôshin Tsukushi no Iezuto"; the role of Tatara Shindô Saemon is played by Asao Kuzaemon I.
January 1814: Tanosuke plays the roles of Miyuki and Princess Harusame in the drama "Keisei Tsukushi no Tsumagoto", which is staged in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai. This is the first performance in Kabuki history of a play based on the "Asagao Nikki" world [casting].
April 1814: "Keisei Tsukushi no Tsumagoto" is staged with the same casting in Kyôto at the Minamigawa no Shibai.
Fall 1815: Tanosuke goes back to Edo.
November 1815: Tanosuke plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Shitennô Oedo no Kaburaya". His yearly salary is 900 ryô.
November 1816: Tanosuke appears on stage for the last time, at the Nakamuraza, playing in the drama "Fuwa Nagoya Yuki no Tategasa".
January 1817: Tanosuke's posthumous rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
Comments:
Sawamura Tanosuke II was a talented onnagata actor, endowed with delicate features and a beautiful voice, who achieved fame for himself in both Edo and Kamigata. He was able to play any role, excelling in keisei roles, but unfortunately died too young.
Sawamura Tanosuke II playing the role of Oshichi in the drama "Fûji Bumi Sono Na mo Gozonji", which was staged in May 1813 at the Nakamuraza (print made by Utagawa Toyokuni I)
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1798
Print made by Utagawa Kunisada (1811~1813)
Print made by Shunkôsai Hokushû in January 1815
Print made by Shunkôsai Hokushû in September 1815
The Sawamura Tanosuke line of actors