Stage names:

Sawamura Tosshi VIII
Sawamura Denjirô
Sawamura Daisuke

Real name: Suzuki Daikichi

Guild: Kinokuniya

Line number: HACHIDAIME (VIII)

Poetry name: Tosshi (8)

Existence: 2 November 1887 ~ 28 March 1963

Connections:

Master: Suketakaya Kodenji I

Father-in-law: Sawamura Tosshi VII

Disciple: Sawamura Tokiya

Career:

2 November 1887: born in Tôkyô in the district of Asakusa. His father was a fish dealer.

January 1894: first stage appearance as a disciple of Suketakaya Kodenji I; he received the name of Sawamura Daisuke.

January 1897: Sawamura Daisuke took the name of Sawamura Denjirô at the Asakusaza.

24 August 1899: his master Suketakaya Kodenji I died.

26 March 1926: his father-in-law Sawamura Tosshi VII died.

July 1927: Sawamura Denjirô took the name of Sawamura Tosshi VIII.

September 1930: revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", produced under the title "Tôryû Azuma Bunshô"; Tosshi played the roles of the priest Seigen and the ghost of Seigen [casting].

October 1933: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of Yoshida Genjirô's drama "Nijô-jô no Kiyomasa"; Tosshi played the role of Tôdô Takatora [more details].

February 1934: premiere at the Kabukiza of "Ôishi Saigo no Ichinichi", the tenth and last play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Tosshi played the role of Horiuchi Den'emon [casting].

January 1935: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of "Edo-jô no Ninjô" and "Daini no Shisha", the first and second plays of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Tosshi played the role of Kajikawa Yosobê in the former drama and the role of Hara Sôemon in the latter drama [more details].

April 1935: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of "Saigo no Daihyôjô", the third play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Tosshi played the role of Okajima Yasoemon [casting].

April 1938: premiere at the Meijiza of "Kira Yashiki Uramon" and the first act of "Sengoku Yashiki" [casting], the seventh and ninth plays of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Tosshi played the role of Kuwana Buemon in "Sengoku Yashiki".

May 1938: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of Mayama Seika's drama "Katsu Awa no Chichi"; Tosshi played the role of Ôkubo Kôzukenosuke [more details].

June 1938: Tosshi played the role of the evil Yashio in the "Take-no-Ma" and "Goten" scenes of the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi", which was staged in Kôbe, Nagasaki and Nagoya; the role of Masaoka was played by Nakamura Kaisha.

February 1939: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of the second act of "Sengoku Yashiki", the ninth play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Tosshi played the roles of Okano Kin'emon and Horibe Yasubê [casting].

April 1939: premiere at the Kabukiza of "Fushimi Shumokumachi", the fourth play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Tosshi played the role of Horibe Yasubê [casting].

July 1951: premiere at the Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Jiisan Baasan"; Tosshi played the role of Shimojima Jin'emon [casting].

1953: Tosshi settled in Ôsaka.

January 1960: Tosshi played at the Nakaza the roles of Hashiba no Ushizô, Tsuchiya Jiemon and Izumiya Seibê in the dramas "Onoe Idahachi", "Fûin Giri" and "Bunshichi Mottoi".

March 1960: Tosshi played at the Nakaza the roles of Sagamiya Masagorô and the daimyô in the drama "Arakawa no Sakichi" and the dance-drama "Takatsuki".

April 1960: Tosshi played in Nagoya at the Misonoza the roles of Saruta Hikodayû and Senoo Jûrô in the dramas "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba" and "Sanemori Monogatari".

June 1960: Tosshi appeared on stage for the last time, in Kyôto at the Minamiza, where he played the role of Tachibanaya Chôbê in the drama "Kagotsurube Sato no Eizame"; his two main stage partners were Ichikawa Jukai III (Sano Jirôzaemon) and Ôtani Tomoemon VII (Yatsuhashi).

28 March 1963: Tosshi died.

Comments:

Sawamura Tosshi VIII was a talented supporting tachiyaku actor. In his prime, he was a popular koshibai actor, excelling in nimaime roles and performing in venues in Asakusa like the Miyatoza. His most notable performances were roles like Kôchiyama Sôshun ("Kôchiyama") or Kataoka Naojirô ("Naozamurai"). He joined the Grand Kabuki world when he took the name of Sawamura Tosshi VIII and became a supporting actor in the troupes led by Ichikawa Sadanji II or Ichimura Uzaemon XV and the Onoe Kikugorô Gekidan. He also spent quite a long time in Kamigata.

Sawamura Tosshi VIII's best roles: Rokurôdayû ("Ishikiri Kajiwara"), Senoo Tarô ("Shunkan"), Senoo Jûrô ("Sanemori Monogatari") and Yazaemon ("Sushiya").

Sawamura Tosshi VIII playing the role of Teraoka Heiemon in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which was staged in November 1928 at the Hongôza

The Sawamura Tosshi line of actors