Stage names:

Sawamura Tosshi VIII
Sawamura Denjirô
Sawamura Daisuke

Real name: Suzuki Daikichi

Guild: Kinokuniya

Line number: HACHIDAIME (VIII)

Poetry name: Tosshi (8)

Existence: 2 November 1887 ~ 28 March 1963

Connections:

Master: Suketakaya Kodenji I

Father-in-law: Sawamura Tosshi VII

Disciple: Sawamura Tokiya

Career:

January 1894: first stage appearance as a disciple of Suketakaya Kodenji I; he receives the name of Sawamura Daisuke.

January 1897: Sawamura Daisuke takes the name of Sawamura Denjirô.

26 March 1926: his father-in-law Sawamura Tosshi VII dies.

July 1927: Sawamura Denjirô takes the name of Sawamura Tosshi VIII.

September 1930: revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", produced under the title "Tôryû Azuma Bunshô"; Tosshi plays the roles of the priest Seigen and the ghost of Seigen [casting].

June 1938: Tosshi plays the role of the evil Yashio in the "Take-no-Ma" and "Goten" scenes of the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi", which is staged in Kôbe, Nagasaki and Nagoya; the role of Masaoka is played by Nakamura Kaisha.

July 1951: premiere at the Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Jiisan Baasan"; Tosshi plays the role of Shimojima Jin'emon [casting].

Comments:

Sawamura Tosshi VIII was a talented supporting tachiyaku actor. In his prime, he was a popular koshibai actor, excelling in nimaime roles and performing in venues in Asakusa like the Miyatoza. His most notable performances were roles like Kôchiyama Sôshun ("Kôchiyama") or Kataoka Naojirô ("Naozamurai"). He joined the Grand Kabuki world when he took the name of Sawamura Tosshi VIII and became a supporting actor in the troupes led by Ichikawa Sadanji II or Ichimura Uzaemon XV and the Onoe Kikugorô Gekidan. He also spent quite a long time in Kamigata.

Sawamura Tosshi VIII's best roles: Rokurôdayû ("Ishikiri Kajiwara"), Senoo Tarô ("Shunkan"), Senoo Jûrô ("Sanemori Monogatari") and Yazaemon ("Sushiya").

Sawamura Tosshi VIII playing the role of Teraoka Heiemon in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which was staged in November 1928 at the Hongôza