Stage names:

Jitsukawa Gakujûrô I
Asao Gakujûrô
Asao Yûjirô I
Nakamura Yaozô
Asao Yaozô 0.1 [1]

Guild: Izutsuya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Enjaku

Existence: 1782 ~ 4th day of the 11th lunar month of 1835 ^[2]

Connections:

Masters: Asao Kuzaemon I, Nakamura Nakazô I

Adopted sons: Jitsukawa Yûjirô I, Jitsukawa Gakujûrô II

Disciples: Jitsukawa Yaozô, Asao Kuzaemon III

Family map: the Jitsukawa Clan

Career:

1795: he started his career in Ôsaka as a disciple of Asao Kuzaemon I, who gave him the name of Asao Yaozô ^[1].

1796: he became disciple of Nakamura Nakazô I, a popular tachiyaku in hama shibai, and he received the name of Nakamura Yaozô.

1809: Yaozô went back to his first master and he took the name of Asao Yûjirô I.

1st lunar month of 1810: Yûjirô went to Edo and played at the Moritaza 2 roles in the drama "Hachijin Shugo no Honjô".

1st lunar month of 1816: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's new year sogamono drama "Nazoraete Fujigane Soga"; Yûjirô played the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1817: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô"; Yûjirô played the role of the yakko Gunsuke [casting].

1818: Yûjirô went back to Kamigata.

6th lunar month of 1821: Katsu Hyôzô I's drama "Kachi Zumô Ukina no Hanabure", commonly called "Shirafuji Genta", was revived for the first time, 11 years and 3 months after its premiere in Edo, in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai; Yûjirô played the role of Tsugawa Mondo [casting].

1st lunar month of 1822: he received the patronage of the star Nakamura Utaemon III; Asao Yûjirô I took the name of Asao Gakujûrô, playing in the drama "Keisei Somewake Tazuna", which was produced at the Naka no Shibai by the zamoto Asao Yosaburô.

22nd day of the 8th lunar month of 1824 ^[3]: his first master Asao Kuzaemon I died in Kyôto.

1st lunar month of 1827: Gakujûrô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

1st lunar month of 1830: Gakujûrô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was itaru-jô-jô-kichi (unique - superior - superior - excellent) [Visual]. He was also the kanjiku for tachiyaku actors.

1st lunar month of 1833: Asao Gakujûrô and Asao Enzaburô respectively took the names of Jitsukawa Gakujûrô I and Jitsukawa Enzaburô I. This was the foundation of the Jitsukawa clan. Gakujûrô played at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Yokoyama Tarô, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, Yorozuya Chôbê and Hosokawa Masamoto in the drama "Hime Kurabe Futabae Zôshi", which was produced by Arashi Takejirô. Gakujûrô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was (shiro)ô-jô-jô-kichi (almost grand - superior - superior - excellent).

3rd lunar month of 1835: Gakujûrô achieved a great success by playing at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Kan Shôjô and Takebe Genzô in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

7th lunar month of 1835: Gakujûrô played at the Kado no Shibai 4 roles in the drama "Genpei Nunobiki no Taki".

10th lunar month of 1835: Gakujûrô suddenly fell ill.

4th day of the 11th lunar month of 1835 ^[2]: Gakujûrô died in Ôsaka ^[4].

Comments:

Jitsukawa Gakujûrô I was a talented tachiyaku, who started his career in Ôsaka minor theaters (hama shibai), spent 8 years in Edo and became one of the best zagashira in Kamigata. He excelled in wagotoshi, jitsugotoshi and budôgoto roles. He was also able to play wakaonnagata roles.

Jitsukawa Gakujûrô I was the founder of the Jitsukawa clan.

[1] Two actors held the name of Asao Yaozô, Jitsukawa Gakujûrô I and his disciple Jitsukawa Yaozô, but it did not constitute an official line of actors.

[2] The 4th day of the 11th lunar month of the 6th year of the Tenpô era was the 23rd of December 1835 in the western calendar.

[3] The 22nd day of the 8th lunar month of the 7th year of the Bunsei era was the 14th of September 1824 in the western calendar.

[4] Jitsukawa Gakujûrô I's tombstone was located in the cemetery of the Honshôji Temple in the district of Tanimachi.

Jitsukawa Gakujûrô I playing the role of Tsuji Yôsuke in the drama "Keisei Hanabusa Zôshi", which was staged in the 1st lunar month of 1835 at the Naka no Shibai (print made by Hokuei)

Prints & Illustrations

The Asao Yûjirô line of actors

The Jitsukawa Gakujûrô line of actors