Stage names:

Miyazaki Denkichi
Miyazaki Denzaburô

Existence: ???

Poetry name: Hachô

Connections:

Son: Miyazaki Seikichi (Sakakiyama Kansuke I)

Disicples: Miyazaki Giheita, Miyazaki Jûshirô I, Miyazaki Someemon, Miyazaki Dengorô

Career:

??? ~ 1669: born in Kamigata. He starts his career at an unknown date, performing under the name of Miyazaki Denzaburô. Later on, he takes the name of Miyazaki Denkichi.

1669: Denkichi goes to Edo and performs as a wakashugata at the Ichimuraza.

1673 ~ 1680: Denkichi performs in Kyôto as a wakashugata.

1680: Denkichi settles in Edo.

3rd lunar month of 1683: Denkichi achieves a great success at the Moritaza by playing the role of Umezu Kamon in the drama "Nyojaku Nigabyakudô". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danjûrô I (Fuwa Banzaemon), Ichikawa Shinkurô (Nagoya Sanza) and Takenaka Shôdayû (the courtesan Katsuragi).

3rd lunar month of 1688: Denkichi plays the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the drama "Jidai Kyôdai Soga", which is staged at the Yamamuraza. His stage partner in the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune is Ichikawa Danjûrô I. The two actors move the 21st of the month at the Nakamuraza to play the same roles in the drama "Yakko Asahina Ôiso Gayoi". Their stage partners in the roles of the courtesan Ôiso no Tora (Jûrô's lover) and Asahina are Takenaka Shôdayû and Nakamura Denkurô I. This is the first Kabuki play with both the character of Asahina and a kamisuki scene between Jûrô and Tora.

5th lunar month of 1691: nunnery scandal involving actors and the abbess of the Kan'ôji Temple, located in the district of Yanaka. Denkichi is put in jail for one month.

1st lunar month of 1695: Denkichi's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1695: Denkichi plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Suma no Saemon in the kaomise drama "Shiki Gosho Zakura", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of the actor Mizuki Tatsunosuke I.

11th lunar month of 1699: Denkichi plays at the Moritaza the role of Yamana Saemon in Mimasuya Hyôgô's drama "Tôsei Okuni Kabuki". His stage partners are Ogino Sawanojô, Ichikawa Danjûrô I, Ôtani Hiroemon I and Uemura Kichisaburô (who arrives from Kamigata).

5th lunar month of 1700: Denkichi plays in the same theater the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the drama "Dainihon Tekkai Sennin".

2nd lunar month of 1701: Denkichi becomes playwright and writes the drama "Ichinoya Jirobei", which is staged at the Moritaza.

7th lunar month of 1701: Denkichi writes and plays in the drama "Sanze Dôjôji", which is staged at the Moritaza and stars Ôtani Hiroemon I, Uemura Kichisaburô, Murayama Heiemon III, Utamura Jûjirô, Nakajima Kanzaemon I, Saigoku Hyôsuke and Sodesaki Iroha I.

2nd lunar month of 1702: Denkichi plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the drama "Akebono Soga Yoichi"; the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari is played by Nakamura Shichisaburô I. This drama, which mixes elements of the akô rôshi events with the Soga brothers sekai, is forbidden for "political" reasons by the authorities after 3 days of performances.

1st lunar month of 1703: Denkichi plays at the Yamamuraza the role of Oniô Shinzaemon in the new year drama "Keisei Asama Soga".

1st lunar month of 1704: Denkichi plays at the Yamamuraza the role of Tôkurô Morinaga in the new year drama "Genji Aioi Jûnidan".

7th lunar month of 1705: Denkichi writes and plays in the drama "Jûnidan Himitsu no Maki", which is staged at the Moritaza.

1st lunar month of 1706: Denkichi writes and plays in the drama "Terutehime Eitaigura", which is staged in the same theater.

Fall 1710: Denkichi goes to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1710: Denkichi plays the role of Tomoenojô in the kaomise drama "Sasaki Uji Ôshimadai", which is produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I for the nadai Matsumoto Nazaemon. Denkichi's stage partners are Sakakiyama Koshirô I, Sakakiyama Shirotarô I, Otowa Jirosaburô I, Bandô Matajûrô I and Sodeshima Genji.

3rd lunar month of 1711: Denkichi's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1711: Denkichi becomes zamoto and coproduces with Ogino Yaegiri I in Ôsaka the drama "Futabashira Aioi Chôja".

Fall 1712: Denkichi and Ogino Yaegiri I coproduce in Ôsaka the dramas "Aburaya Osome" and "Musume Koroshi". Then, Denkichi goes back to Edo.

2nd lunar month of 1713: Denkichi plays at the Moritaza the role of Nishikiyama Ôuchinosuke in the drama "Isshin Oyako Zakura".

Spring 1715: Denkichi goes to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1715: Denkichi goes to Ôsaka and plays in the kaomise drama "Saiwai Mochimaru Chôja", which celebrates the shûmei of Iwai Hanshirô III.

1st lunar month of 1721: Denkichi plays in Kyôto in the drama "Bankoku Kin no Fukujusô", which is produced by Ogino Yaegiri I.

Spring 1721: Denkichi plays in the same theater in the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Mirume no Seki". This is most likely his last performance on stage.

Comments:

Miyazaki Denkichi was an Edo stage giant during the Genroku period, sharing almost the same level of fame as the actors Ichikawa Danjûrô I, Nakamura Shichisaburô I or Nakamura Denkurô I. He was at his best in yatsushi, jitsugotoshi or budôgoto roles. His best role was Soga Jûrô Sukenari (sogamono), which he played in 17 new year dramas.

"He was put in prison with other actors in connection with a scandal in a nunnery. The abbess of the institution was a favourite at the Shôgun's Court, and in consequence of her high position, and because the entrance of the despised playfolks within her female fold was regarded as a laxity of moral practice that deserved high punishment, she was sentenced to death and the actors were imprisoned. Miyazaki Denkichi played on the stages of the three towns, but died in obscurity, very likely as a result of his irregular life." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")

Miyazaki Denkichi