Stage names:

Shibazaki Rinzaemon I
Shibazaki Rinnosuke I
Yamamoto Shinanojô

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: ??? ~ 1722

Connection:

Son: Shibazaki Rinnosuke II

Disciples: Shibazaki Rinnosuke III, Shibazaki Jûzaemon, Shibazaki Kikuemon, Shibazaki Momotarô, Shibazaki Tamijûrô, Shibazaki Wadanosuke

Career:

1660s/1670s: he started his career as a koyaku performing under the name of Yamamoto Shinanojô. Later on, he became wakashugata and took the name of Shibazaki Rinnosuke I.

1681: he became tachiyaku and took the name of Shibazaki Rinzaemon I.

1st lunar month of 1695: Rinzaemon played the role of Ôtomo Ikazuchimaru in the drama "Jingû Kôgô", which was produced in Ôsaka by Arashi San'emon II.

1st lunar month of 1696: Rinzaemon played the role of Onogawa in Tominaga Heibê's drama "Kumano Sankaichô", which was produced in Ôsaka by Arashi San'emon II; his stage partners were Asao Jûjirô I, Nishikawa Okanosuke, Dekishima Kozaburô, Otowa Saizaburô, Sakata Tôkurô, Takaoka Muraemon, Ichiya Gembei, Kamogawa Noshio I, Tashiro Seizaemon, Miyazaki Hachirozaemon, Mizuki Asanojô and Hayama Okaemon.

7th lunar month of 1696: Rinzaemon played the role of Soga Gorô in the drama "Kamakura Ominaeshi" which was produced in Ôsaka by Arashi San'emon II; his stage partners were Arashi San'emon II (Soga Jûrô), Asao Jûjirô I (Kewaizaka no Shôshô) and Nishikawa Okanosuke (Ôiso no Tora).

1st lunar month of 1700: Rinzaemon played the role of Shigetada in the new year drama "Kamakura Shôgatsu Tsukai", which was produced in Ôsaka by Arashi San'emon II.

1st lunar month of 1701: Rinzaemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1706: Rinzaemon played the role of Shishidô Kuranosuke in the kaomise drama "Ebisu Otoko Onna Daigoku Hashira Gatame", which was produced in Ôsaka by Kataoka Nizaemon I and celebrated the first stage appearance of his son Shibazaki Rinnosuke II as a wakaonnagata.

Fall 1707: Rinzaemon went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1707: Rinzaemon played at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of Kikuchi Hachirôzaemon ^[1] in the kaomise drama "Ohiyaki Sannin Musume".

Fall 1709: Rinzaemon went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1709: Rinzaemon played the role of Higaki Jûzaemon the kaomise drama "Chigo Daimyô Kyô Miyage", which was produced in Ôsaka by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

1st lunar month of 1710: Rinzaemon's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

Fall 1711: Rinzaemon went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1711: Rinzaemon performed in the kaomise drama "Mannen Gura", which was produced by Sawamura Chôjûrô I and Sodesaki Karyû at Kameya Kumenojô's theater.

3rd lunar month of 1712: Rinzaemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1713: Rinzaemon played in Kyôto the role of Ikuchise Gontazaemon in the kaomise drama "Eitai Kogane no Ichigura", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I at Kameya Kumenojô's theater.

11th lunar month of 1714: Rinzaemon played in Kyôto the role of the rônin Takahashi Hikozaemon in Sadoshima Saburôzaemon's kaomise drama "Yorozuyo Saiwai Gura", which was staged at Miyako Mandayû's theater.

Fall 1716: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Kokusen'ya Gassen", which was produced by the zamoto Sakakiyama Shirotarô I in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater; Rinzaemon played the role of Kanki [casting]. Around the same time, his disciple Shibazaki Kodenji took the name of Shibazaki Rinnosuke III in Edo at the Ichimuraza.

11th lunar month of 1716: Rinzaemon played in Kyôto at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater the role of Takara Jûrozaemon in the kaomise drama "Daikoku Tenjin Fukuju Musume", which was produced by Yamatoya Jinbê III.

11th lunar month of 1717: Rinzaemon played the role of Kikuchi Hachirôzaemon ^[1] in Sakakiyama Kansuke I's kaomise drama "Ômu Gaeshi Momotose Gitsune", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater; his stage partners were Kirinami Takie, Yamada Jinpachi, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Sawamura Otoemon I, Sakakiyama Koshirô I, Katayama Kozaemon, Matsushima Moheiji, Bandô Matajûrô I and Onoe Samon.

2nd lunar month of 1718: First Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Nihon Furisode Hajime", which was produced by the zamoto Sakakiyama Shirotarô I in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater; Rinzaemon played the role of Amatsu Koyane-no-Shin [casting].

11th lunar month of 1718: Rinzaemon played in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of Kikuchi Sadaemon in the kaomise drama "Chôseiden Kogane no Ishizue", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

11th lunar month of 1719: Rinzaemon played in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater the role of Ichimaru Sôemon in Sadoshima Saburôzaemon's kaomise drama "Shôjô Zakaya Mannen-gura".

11th lunar month of 1721: Rinzaemon was supposed to perform in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Yamato Uta Denju no Tomikura" but he suddenly fell ill and had to stop acting. He most likely dies the following year.

Comments:

"Shibazaki Rinzaemon, who was quick to recognise the art of the doll-actors. His specialty consisted in imitating them. He was well fitted in personal appearance, character, and voice to be a leading actor. He began his stage study in Ôsaka, where the dolls were beginning to rival the real actors, and it is easy to see how the movements of the puppets, their airs and graces, postures and gestures, as created by the dollhandlers, who were artists in every respect, introduced the Kabuki actors to a whole new world of expression, of style and taste, which they were eager to command." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")

[1] Hachirozaemon also possible.

Shibazaki Rinzaemon I in the hyôbanki "Ogakuzu" (1699)

Prints & Illustrations

The Shibazaki Rinnosuke line of actors

The Shibazaki Rinzaemon line of actors