Stage names:
Sakata Tôjûrô III
Sakata Sadashirô
Tomizawa Sadashirô
Sanjô Han'ya
Guild: Hiiragiya
Line number: SANDAIME (III)
Poetry name: Sharen
Existence: 1701 ~ 24 August 1774
Connection:
Masters: Tomizawa Chiyonosuke, Sanjô Kantarô II
Father: Sakata Tôjûrô I's nephew Sakata Heishirô
Adoptive father: Sakata Tôjûrô II
Son: Sakata Kônosuke
Disciple: Sakata Sanzaburô
Career:
1701~1730: born in Kamigata. He starts his career as a wakashugata and a disciple of Sanjô Kantarô II, who gives him the name of Sanjô Han'ya. He stops acting for a while. He goes back on stage as disciple of Tomizawa Chiyonosuke and receives the name of Tomizawa Sadashirô. Later on, he is adopted by Sakata Tôjûrô II.
27 September 1724: his adoptive father Sakata Tôjûrô II dies.
Fall 1730: he goes to Edo.
November 1730: he becomes tachiyaku and takes the name of Sakata Sadashirô at the Nakamuraza, performing in the kaomise drama "Irifune Hiru-ga-Kojima".
November 1737: the play "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki" is staged for the first time in Edo, at the Kawarazakiza, as a kaomise drama titled "Uruoizuki Ninin Kagekiyo"; Sadashirô plays the role of Iba-no-Jûzô Kazuyoshi [casting].
March 1738: Sadashirô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).
November 1739: Sakata Sadashirô takes the name of Sakata Tôjûrô III at the Kawarazakiza, playing the role of Tsumaga Magosaburô in the kaomise drama "Irifune Taiheiki"; his stage partners are Ogino Izaburô I, Sanjô Kantarô II, Ichikawa Sôzaburô I, Bandô Toyosaburô I and Yamamoto Kyôzô.
November 1744: Tôjûrô plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Higashiyama Bandai no Watamashi".
November 1746: Tôjûrô becomes jitsuaku and plays at the Moritaza the role of Toriumi Yasaburô in the kaomise drama "Ôtorii Gojûshigun".
January 1747: Tôjûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).
November 1750: Tôjûrô switches back to tachiyaku and plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Onchi Sakon in the kaomise drama "Gaijin Taiheiki".
Fall 1752: Tôjûrô goes to Ôsaka after 21 seasons spent in Edo.
November 1752: Tôjûrô plays at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Nagoya Ori Hinatsuru no Nishiki", which is produced by Mimasu Daigorô I.
Fall 1753: Tôjûrô goes to Kyôto.
November 1753: Tôjûrô plays at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater in the kaomise drama "Futaba no Nishiki Midori no Onikage"; his stage partners are Somematsu Shichisaburô I, Fujioka Daikichi, Imamura Shichisaburô II, Sawamura Kunitarô I, Arashi Tominosuke I, Onoe Montarô and Bandô Sukesaburô.
January 1754: Tôjûrô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
February 1755: first Kabuki adaptation of the 5 acts puppet theater drama "Ono no Tôfû Aoyagi Suzuri", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I and staged at the Minamigawa no Shibai as a kaomise drama; Tôjûrô plays the role of Deba Jirô Yoshizane [casting].
November 1756: Tôjûrô plays the role of a moxa peddler ("Uirô Uri"), in reality Oniô, in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Bimandai Kuniiri Kamakura Kagami", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I for the nadai Hayagumo Chôdayû.
Winter 1758: Tôjûrô goes to Edo; he has to rest a little and does not take part in the kaomise program at the Nakamuraza.
January 1759: Tôjûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is one stroke below jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). Tôjûrô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Sukenobu and Yaoya Kyûbei in the new year drama in the new year drama "Hatsugai Wada Zakamori".
Winter 1763: Tôjûrô is back in Kyôto after a long tour in the countryside; he plays in February at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Funaoka Shikibudayû in the kaomise drama "Otowayama Renbo no Taki", which is produced by Nakamura Senzô.
November 1764: Tôjûrô becomes jitsuaku for one season.
Fall 1767: Tôjûrô goes to Edo.
November 1767: Tôjûrô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Sasaki Genzô in the kaomise drama "Nue Shigedô Sakiwake Yûsha".
November 1770: Tôjûrô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Nue no Mori Ichiyô no Mato", which celebrates the shûmei of Matsumoto Kôshirô II, Ichikawa Danjûrô V, Nakamura Shôchô, Ichikawa Monnosuke II, Nakamura Shichisaburô III and Bandô Sampachi II.
November 1771: Tôjûrô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Sano no Gentôta in the kaomise drama "Kono Hana Yotsugi no Hachinoki".
January 1772: Tôjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Terukuni in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
February 1772: Tôjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Oniô in the drama "Furisode Kisaragi Soga"; this is most likely his last performance in Edo. He joins a travelling troupe and goes on tour in the countryside.
24 August 1774: Tôjûrô dies while on tour in Sendai.
Comments:
Sakata Tôjûrô III was a talented 18th century tachiyaku actor. Unlike Sakata Tôjûrô I or Sakata Tôjûrô II, his field of excellence was not wagoto but jitsugoto.
Sakata Tôjûrô III playing the role of Danjô Saemon in the kaomise drama "Gempei Tsûrikimaru", which was staged in November 1764 in Kyôto
The Sakata Tôjûrô line of actors