Stage names:

Miyazaki Denkichi
Miyazaki Denzaburô

Existence: ??? ~ ???

Poetry name: Hachô

Connections:

Son: Miyazaki Seikichi (Sakakiyama Kansuke I)

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

Career:

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

1669: Denkichi went to Edo and performed as a wakashugata at the Ichimuraza.

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

1680: Denkichi settled in Edo.

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

3rd lunar month of 1688: Denkichi played at the Yamamuraza the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the sogamono drama "Jidai Kyôdai Soga"; his stage partner in the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune was Ichikawa Danjûrô I. The two actors move the 21st day of the month at the Nakamuraza to perform 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 were Takenaka Shôdayû and Nakamura Denkurô I. This was 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 was put in jail for one month.

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

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

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

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

2nd lunar month of 1701: Denkichi became playwright and wrote the drama "Ichinoya Jirobei", which was staged at the Moritaza.

7th lunar month of 1701: Denkichi wrote and performed in the drama "Sanze Dôjôji", which was staged at the Moritaza and starred 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 played at the Nakamuraza the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the new year sogamono drama "Akebono Soga Yoichi"; the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari was played by Nakamura Shichisaburô I. This drama, which mixed elements of the akô rôshi events with the Soga brothers sekai, was forbidden for "political" reasons by the authorities after 3 days of performances.

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

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

7th lunar month of 1705: Denkichi wrote and performed in the drama "Jûnidan Himitsu no Maki", which was staged at the Moritaza.

1st lunar month of 1706: Denkichi wrote and performed in the drama "Terutehime Eitaigura", which was staged in the same theater.

Fall 1710: Denkichi went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1710: Denkichi played the role of Tomoenojô in the kaomise drama "Sasaki Uji Ôshimadai", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I for the nadai Matsumoto Nazaemon; his stage partners were 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, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

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

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

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

Spring 1715: Denkichi went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1715: Denkichi went to Ôsaka and performed at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Saiwai Mochimaru Chôja", which celebrated the shûmei of Iwai Hanshirô III.

20th day of the 11th lunar month of 1719 ^[1]: his disciple Hayakawa Dengorô died in Edo.

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

Spring 1721: Denkichi played in the same theater in the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Mirume no Seki". This was most likely his last performance on stage. No record afterwards.

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")

[1] The 20th day of the 11th lunar month of the 4th year of the Kyôhô era was the 30th of December 1719 in the western calendar.

Miyazaki Denkichi