Stage names:
Araki Yojibei I
Tsuzuki Masuzô
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Existence: 1637 ~ 16 December 1700
Connection:
Father: Saitô Yogorô
Adopted son: Araki Ichinojô
Disciples: Araki Buhei, Araki Yojibei II
Career:
1640s: son of the dôkegata Saitô Yogorô. He starts performing under the name of Tsuzuki Masuzô at an early age as a koyaku.
1648~1651: he takes the name of Araki Yojibei I, opens a theater, the "ancestor" of the Kado no Shibai, in the district of the Dôtombori and becomes zamoto in Ôsaka. Thanks to Yojibei's efforts, this district becomes the theaters quarter in Ôsaka.
1664: Yojibei plays in the first play divided into several acts of Kabuki history, which is staged in Ôsaka. The author of the drama is Fukui Yagozaemon and the title is "Hinin no Adauchi". It narrates the tribulations of a young man who has to disguise himself as a beggar in order to look for the murderer of his father. Yojibei's others stage partners are Nakagawa Kinnojô and Kaneko Rokuemon.
1679: Yojibei produces in Ôsaka the drama "Yûgiri Isshûki", which commemorates the 1st anniversary (2nd memorial service) of Yûgiri, who was the most famous courtesan in the Shinmachi pleasure quarter in Ôsaka and died the 6th of January 1678.
17 May 1683: the courtesan Yamatoya Ichinojô and her lover Goze no Chôemon commit suicide together in Ôsaka. This event causes quite a stir and three Ôsaka theaters decide to capitalize on the situation by simultaneously producing the first shinjûmono of Kabuki history [more details]. Yojibei produces this shinjûmono, starring the actors Yoshikawa Tamon and Nakagawa Kinnojô in the roles of the courtesan and her lover.
November 1686: Yojibei becomes zamoto for the nadai Ôsaka Tazaemon in Ôsaka. His actors are Yamashita Hanzaemon, Iwai Hanshirô I, Yamamura Kanzaburô, Sakurayama Rinnosuke, Sodeoka Masanosuke, Sakata Tôkurô, Takenaka Hanzaburô, Matsushima Han'ya, Kozakura Kodayû, Takigawa Kiyosaburô, Yoshikawa Genzaburô, Mihara Jûdayû I, Wakabayashi Shiroemon and Sadoshima Dempachi.
January 1687: Yojibei's rank in "Yarô Tachiyaku Butai Ôkagami", the first hyôbanki in Kabuki history, is jô (superior). He shares this ranking with Yamashita Hanzaemon, Uemura Kichiya II, Takeshima Kôzaemon I, Suzuki Heizaemon I, Nakamura Kazuma I, Takenaka Kichisaburô, Fujita Koheiji I and Karamatsu Kasen.
1689: Yojibei produces in Ôsaka the drama "Keisei Sayo no Nakayama"; the leading role of the courtesan is played by Tanishima Mondo. It includes the first dance in Kabuki history related to the famous mugen no kane theme.
1690: Yojibei produces in Ôsaka the drama "Yûgiri Jûsankaiki", which commemorates the 12th anniversary (13th memorial service) of the courtesan Yûgiri. The roles of Yûgiri and her lover Fujiya Izaemon are played by Tanishima Mondo and Sakata Tôjûrô I.
1691: Yojibei goes to Kyôto; he plays the role of Kumagai Jirô Naozane in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Sakaotoshi", which is produced by Yamatoya Jimbei II.
1693: Yojibei goes to Edo.
January 1694: Yojibei's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section (budôgoto subsection), is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1697: Yojibei produces in Ôsaka the kaomise drama "Yamato no Kuni Chigo no Monju", which welcomes in Ôsaka the Edo actor Saruwaka Sanzaemon I; Yojibei's others stage partners are Onoyama Ujiemon, Kanazawa Goheiji, Takioka Hikoemon, Kamogawa Noshio I, Hattori Jiroemon, Dekishima Kosaburô and Kawakami Saburozaemon.
March 1698: Yojibei produces in Ôsaka the drama "Taema Chûjôhime Mandara no Yurai", in which he plays the role of Kume no Hachirô.
January 1699: Yojibei coproduces with Kataoka Nizaemon I in Ôsaka the drama "Taema Chûjôhime Nidaiki", in which he plays the role of Kume no Hachirô.
January 1700: Yojibei produces in Ôsaka the new year drama "Onna Chôteki Sangoku Denraiki", in which he plays the role of Hada no Kawakatsu; his stage partners are Sodesaki Karyû, Asao Jûjirô, Sugiyama Heihachi, Murayama Heijûrô I, Sugiyama Kantarô and Bandô Matagorô.
16 December 1700: Yojibei dies in Ôsaka.
Comments:
Araki Yojibei I was an important figure of the Kabuki world during the second half of the 17th century. He was a successful zamoto and a talented tachiyaku actor, excelling in budôgoto and teoigoto.
"Yojibei was versatile; he was praised as clever in stage fighting and excellent when impersonating a wounded man, so that he was an early advocate of realism in acting." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")
Araki Yojibei I