Guild: Ômiya
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Kinsha
Existence: 1760 ~ 10 September 1819
Connection:
Father: Ichikawa Ikuzô
Master: Nakayama Bunshichi I
Son: Ichikawa Sumizô III
Disciple: Nakayama Kamesaburô
Career:
1760 ~ 1780: born in Kamigata. His father is the katakiyaku actor Ichikawa Ikuzô and his master the tachiyaku actor Nakayama Bunshichi I. He is trained as a wakaonnagata.
Fall 1780: Ichikawa Ikuzô and his son Tomisaburô go together to Edo.
September 1790: the play "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô" is staged for the first time in Edo, at the Ichimuraza; it celebrates the onagori kyôgen of the Kamigata star Asao Tamejûrô I; Tomisaburô plays the role of Gotobei's wife Sekijo [more details].
January 1796: premiere at the Kiriza of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Suda no Haru Geisha Katagi"; Tomisaburô plays the role of Okimi [casting].
January 1798: Tomisaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He shares this rank with Nakamura Noshio II.
15 June 1798: his father Ichikawa Ikuzô dies.
November 1799: Tomisaburô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Tametomo Yumiya no Oyafune", which celebrates the shûmei of Bandô Mitsugorô III.
January 1800: Tomisaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, falls one stroke below jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
May 1800: Tomisaburô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Shizuka Gozen and Suke-no-Tsubone in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
November 1801: Tomisaburô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Date Dôgutsui no Ôtori", which celebrates the shûmei of Bandô Hikozaemon I.
January 1802: Tomisaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is back to jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
March 1802: Tomisaburô plays in the same theater the role of the courtesan Agemaki in the drama "Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura"; the roles of Sukeroku and Ikyû are played by Ichikawa Yaozô III and Onoe Matsusuke I. He also plays the roles of Yae and Tonami in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
August 1802: Tomisaburô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Sasao and Otani in the drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa".
November 1802: Tomisaburô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Koshiji no Hana Oedo no Torideki".
August 1803: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Sakurada Jisuke I's drama "Banzui Chôbei Shôjin Manaita"; Tomisaburô plays the role of Komurasaki [casting].
November 1803: Tomisaburô moves to the Kawarazakiza and plays in the kaomise drama "Yamato Nishiki Yoshino Dairi", which includes the "Onna Shibaraku" scene [print].
January 1804: Tomisaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, falls one stroke below jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
September 1804: Tomisaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Okaru, Rikiya and Tonase in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1804: Tomisaburô plays at the Kawarazakiza in the kaomise drama "Shitennô Momiji no Edoguma", which welcomes in Edo the Kamigata actor Arashi Dampachi.
January 1805: Tomisaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is back to jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
March 1805: Tomisaburô plays in the same theater the role of Ohatsu in the drama "Kagamiyama Kokyô no Nishikie"; the roles of Onoe and Iwafuji are played by Osagawa Tsuneyo II and Onoe Matsusuke I. Tomisaburô also plays the role of the courtesan Agemaki in the drama "Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura", which is staged to commemorate the the 6th anniversary (7th memorial service) of late Ichikawa Danjûrô VI; the roles of Sukeroku and Ikyû are played by Ichikawa Omezô I and Onoe Matsusuke I.
November 1805: Tomisaburô moves to the Ichimuraza and plays in the kaomise drama "Keisei Yoshino no Kane".
April 1806: Tomisaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Tonase and Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
Winter 1807: Tomisaburô goes to Kyôto.
March 1807: Tomisaburô plays in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Miyako and Oseki in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki".
May 1807: Tomisaburô plays in the same theater the role of Enju in the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki".
July 1807: Tomisaburô plays in the same theater the role of Shizuka Gozen in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
November 1807: Tomisaburô goes to Ôsaka and plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Omino in the drama "Hikeyahike Nishikiguruma".
January 1808: Tomisaburô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
June 1808: tour in Nagoya with Kataoka Nizaemon VII, Ichikawa Yaozô IV, Ogino Izaburô II and Nakayama Bungorô I.
August 1808: Tomisaburô is back in Ôsaka to perform at the Kado no Shibai.
November 1808: Tomisaburô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Sanai's wife in the kaomise drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna". He also plays the role of Akoya in "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki"; his stage partners are Nakayama Bunshichi III (Shigetada) and Kataoka Nizaemon VII (Iwanaga Saemon).
October 1809: Tomisaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of the courtesan Yûgiri in the drama "Awa no Naruto".
Fall 1810: Tomisaburô goes to Edo, with Onoe Shinshichi II and Nakayama Kamesaburô.
November 1810: Tomisaburô plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Monomi Guruma Yuki no Takadono".
April 1811: Tomisaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Kaoyo Gozen, Okaru and Tonase in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1813: Tomisaburô plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Gohiiki Tsunagi Uma". This is his last kaomise; Tomisaburô does not retire but his appearances on stage become rare.
February 1818: Tomisaburô appears on stage for the last time, playing at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Kamakura Sandaiki".
10 September 1819: Tomisaburô dies in Edo.
Comments:
Nakayama Tomisaburô I, who was born and trained in Kamigata, achieved fame from himself in Edo from the end of the 1790s to the beginning of the 1810s. He was said to be better in sewamono than in jidaimono, excelling in keisei and sewa nyôbô roles.
Nakayama Tomisaburô I in a print made by Utagawa Kunishige in Utagawa Toyokuni I (1798~1800)
Prints of Nakayama Tomisaburô I
Print made by Tôshûsai Sharaku in 1794