Stage names:
| Sawamura Gennosuke IV |  |
| Sawamura Seijûrô II | |
| Sawamura Seizaburô | |
| Sawamura Seishi II | |
Real name: Sawamura Seizaburô
Nickname: Tanbo no Tayû (literally "the paddy field master") - Tanbo was the name of his neighbourhood in Asakusa
Guild: Kinokuniya
Line number: YODAIME (IV)
Poetry names: Shûkô, Seigaku
Existence: 14th day of the 3rd lunar month of 1859 ~ 20 April 1936
Connections:
Adoptive father: Sawamura Gennosuke III
Son-in-law: Sawamura Gennosuke V
Career:
1859 ~ 1870: born in Ôsaka. His family moves to Edo when he is a child. He is adopted by the actor Sawamura Gennosuke III, who gives him the name of Sawamura Seishi II.
15th day of the 9th lunar month of 1863: his adoptive father Sawamura Gennosuke III dies.
11th lunar month of 1870: he makes his first stage appearance, at the Moritaza, where he receives the name of Sawamura Seizaburô and plays the role of Okiyo in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô".
October 1873: Sawamura Seizaburô takes the name of Sawamura Seijûrô II at the Sawamuraza, playing the role of the kamuro Midori in the drama "Akegarasu Neya no Akatsuki".
June 1876: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Hototogisu Date no Kikigaki"; Seijûrô plays the roles of Omura and the koshimoto Wakaba [casting].
October 1878: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Jitsugetsusei Kyôwa Seidan"; Seijûrô plays the role of the okujochû Miyuki [casting].
November 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's zangirimono drama "Shima Chidori Tsuki no Shiranami"; Seijûrô plays the role of the Mochizuki gejo Osei [casting].
November 1882: Sawamura Seijûrô II takes the name of Sawamura Gennosuke IV.
February 1885: Gennosuke takes part in the opening ceremony of the Chitoseza [more details]. Premiere at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Suitengû Megumi no Fukagawa"; Gennosuke plays the role of the courtesan Kohina [casting].
May 1888: première at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's drama "Kagotsurube Sato no Eizame"; Gennosuke plays the role of Okitsu [casting].
March 1890: premiere at the Kiriza of Takeshiba Kisui's drama "Kami no Megumi Wagô no Torikumi"; Gennosuke plays the role of Tatsugorô's nyôbô Onaka [more details].
November 1893: the puppet drama "Kamiko Jitate Ryômen Kagami" is adapted for Kabuki for the first time, in Ôsaka at the Naniwaza; Gennosuke plays the role of Omatsu [casting].
April 1897: premiere at the Kabukiza of Fukuchi Ochi's drama "Otokodate Harusame Gasa"; Gennosuke played the role of the keisei Hinotoyama [more details].
October 1898: premiere at the Meijiza of Takeshiba Kisui's dance-drama "Sannin Katawa"; Gennosuke plays the role of the deaf and mute girl [casting].
March 1899: premiere at the Meijiza of the drama "Kurotegumi Kuruwa no Tatehiki", which gathers the main scenes from the sukerokumono part of Kawatake Shinshichi II's 1858 drama "Edo Zakura Kiyomizu Seigen"; Gennosuke plays the roles of Miuraya Agemaki and Omaki [casting].
June 1907: the dance-drama "Kyô Ningyô" is staged for the first time under the title "Meisaku Hidari Kogatana" at the Miyatoza; Gennosuke plays the role of the spirit of the doll [more details].
October 1911: premiere at the Meijiza of the Okamoto Kidô's drama "Minowa no Shinjû"; Gennosuke plays the role of Ayaginu [casting].
January 1912: revival at the Meijiza of the drama "Fudô", which belongs to the Kabuki Jûhachiban; Gennosuke plays the role of Chitoseya Miyoshino [more details].
August 1917: the play "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" is produced at the Kabukiza for the first time; Gennosuke plays the role of Otatsu [casting].
February 1925: Katsu Hyôzô I's drama "Kachi Zumô Ukina no Hanabure", commonly called "Shirafuji Genta", is revived at the Hongôza, under the supervision of the writer Nagai Kafû; Gennosuke plays the roles of Gonsuke's wife Otsuta and Sakama Denbê [casting].
April 1926: Gennosuke plays at the Hongôza the role of Ichimonjiya Osai in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1935: Gennosuke appears on stage for the last time, at the Meijiza, playing in the drama "Suzuki Mondo".
20 April 1936: Gennosuke dies.
Comments:
Sawamura Gennosuke IV was an outstanding onnagata actor, who was also able to play a wide range of male roles. Akuba roles were his field of excellence, like Otomi ("Kirare Otomi") or Dakki no Ohyaku ("Hyaku Monogatari"). He moved at the beginning of the 20th century from ôshibai, where he was supporting the stars Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Onoe Kikugorô V, to koshibai, performing as a leading actor in venues like the Asakusaza or the Miyatoza. He joined back the ôshibai in his latter years. He was considered as the last true Edo onnagata.
Sawamura Gennosuke IV playing the role of Okoi in the drama "Izu Miyage Keiô Kibun", which was staged in September 1900 at the Meijiza (print made by Kôchôrô Hôsai)
Print made by Kôchôrô Hôsai in 1900
Print made by Kôchôrô Hôsai in 1901
The Sawamura Gennosuke line of actors