Stage names:

Iwata Somematsu I
Segawa Somematsu
Iwata Somematsu I

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Senro

Existence: 1717 ~ 9th day of the 8th lunar month of 1763

Connection:

Masters: Segawa Kikunojô I, Segawa Kikujirô I, Iwata Seizaemon

Disciple: Iwata Somematsu II

Career:

Before 1738: disciple of Iwata Seizaemon, his stage name is Iwata Somematsu I.

1738: Somematsu performs in Ôsaka at the Ônishi no Shibai as an iroko.

1740: he becomes disciple of Segawa Kikunojô I and Segawa Kikujirô I, who give him the name of Segawa Somematsu.

Fall 1743: Somematsu and his master Segawa Kikujirô I go together to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1743: Somematsu performs at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Ishizue Taiheiki", which also celebrates the arrival in Edo of the actor Tamiya Jûzaburô I.

Fall 1745: Somematsu goes back to Ôsaka without his master.

11th lunar month of 1745: Somematsu becomes wakaonnagata and plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Shigure in the kaomise drama "Onna Musha Ukisu Gassen", which is produced by Ichiyama Sukegorô I.

12th lunar month of 1745: Somematsu is adopted by his former master Iwata Seizaemon and takes back the name of Iwata Somematsu I. The drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" is performed for the first time in Ôsaka, simultaneously in the three major theaters of the city, which starts a competition for the best performance; Somematsu plays the role of Otatsu at the Naka no Shibai [casting].

1st lunar month of 1746: Somematsu's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual]. He shares the same rank with Shibazaki Taminosuke and Matsushima Kiyosaki.

11th lunar month of 1746: Somematsu performs at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Genji Musha Hinode Ôgi", which is produced by Ichikawa Ryûzô.

11th lunar month of 1747: Somematsu plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Okuni in the kaomise drama "Kogane-bana Michinoku Jikki", which is produced by Ichikawa Ryûzô and celebrates the shûmei of Yamatoya Jinbê IV.

1st lunar month of 1748: Somematsu's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, falls to jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent).

Fall 1748: Somematsu goes to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1748: Somematsu plays the roles of the keisei Naniwazu and Shôji's daughter Otsuya in the kaomise drama "Mitsu Uroko Asahi no Ume", which is produced in Kyôto at the nadai Miyako Handayû's theater by the zamoto Somematsu Shichisaburô I; Somematsu's stage partners are Fujioka Daikichi, Ichikawa Danzô III, Ôtani Hirohachi I, Yamanaka Heijûrô I and Mihogi Shichitarô.

1st lunar month of 1749: Somematsu's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, falls to jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent).

Fall 1749: Somematsu goes back to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1749: Somematsu performs at the Ônishi no Shibai in Izumiya Shôzô's kaomise drama "Kotobuki Kogane no Kachi Ikusa", which is produced by the zamoto Mimasu Daigorô I and celebrates the shûmei of Murayama Heijûrô IV; Somematsu's stage partners are Bandô Toyosaburô I, Arashi Sanjûrô II, Iwai Hanshirô III, Sanjô Namie I and Nakamura Utaemon I.

11th lunar month of 1750: Somematsu produces at the Kado no Shibai the kaomise drama "Tachibana Gojûyongun"; his main stage partners are Ichikawa Danzô III, Bandô Toyosaburô I, Yoshizawa Sakinosuke II, Arashi Shichigorô I and Kirishima Gizaemon I.

1st lunar month of 1751: Somematsu's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, falls to jô-jô-jû (superior - superior - "ten") [visual].

Fall 1751: Somematsu goes to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1751: Somematsu performs in the kaomise drama "En no Gyôja Ômine Zakura", which is produced in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater by the zamoto Nakayama Bunshichi I.

1st lunar month of 1752: Somematsu's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is back to jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent).

Fall 1752: Somematsu goes back to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1752: Somematsu performs at the Ônishi no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Kyô Miyage Matsuri Zoroe"; his stage partners are Wakayama Shinkurô, Wakayama Bunshichi, Yamamoto Kyôshirô I, Ôtani Hirohachi I, Matsushima Kiyosaki, Ichimura Sanohachi, Kirishima Gizaemon I, Kiriyama Monji I, Matsushima Moheiji, Takenaka Heikichi, Murayama Heijûrô IV and Nakamura Shirogorô III.

1st lunar month of 1753: Somematsu's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is one black stroke above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi [visual].

11th lunar month of 1753: Somematsu plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of the keisei Tsukasa in the kaomise drama "Kashû Narihira Ishi".

1st lunar month of 1754: Somematsu's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi [visual].

11th lunar month of 1755: Somematsu performs at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Jidai Sewa Kogane no Hanazoroe", which is produced by Bandô Toyosaburô I.

11th lunar month of 1757: Somematsu plays at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of the keisei Utamachi in the kaomise drama "Shiki Sanban Okina Kagami".

11th lunar month of 1759: Somematsu plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Maizuru in the kaomise drama "Mibae Soga Azuma Tanzen", which is produced by Arashi Kichisaburô I.

7th lunar month of 1760: Somematsu plays in the same theater the role of Ofude in the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki".

11th lunar month of 1760: Somematsu plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Gihei's wife in the kaomise drama "Miura no Ôsuke Toshitoku Môde", which is produced by Anegawa Shinshirô II.

11th lunar month of 1761: Somematsu performs at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Miyo no Hana Yunzei Kagami", which is produced by Mimasu Daigorô I.

1st lunar month of 1762: Somematsu's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is two black strokes above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi [visual]. He shares the same rank with Nakamura Kumetarô I.

2nd lunar month of 1763: Somematsu plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Otoku in the drama "Keisei Hangonkô"; his stage partners are Mimasu Daigorô I (Matahei), Arashi Sangorô II (Shirojirô) and Nakamura Tomijûrô I (the courtesan Tôyama).

7th lunar month of 1763: Somematsu appears on stage for the last time, in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai, where he plays the role of Tonami in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

9th day of the 8th lunar month of 1763: Somematsu dies in Ôsaka.

Comments:

Iwata Somematsu I was a talented Ôsaka wakaonnagata actor, who was active from the end of the 1730s to the beginning of the 1760s. He was said to have a close resemblance at all level, artistic or physical, with his 1740s master Segawa Kikujirô I.

Iwata Somematsu I playing the role of Tajiemon's spouse Oriki in the ni-no-kawari drama "Ide no Tamagawa Shôhei Ori", which was staged in the 12th lunar month of 1762 at the Naka no Shibai