Stage names:

Matsumoto Yonesaburô I
Yoshizawa Kichijûrô I

Other name: Matsumoto Yonesa I

Guild: Shôkakuya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Bunsha

Existence: 1774 ~ 11th day of the 3rd lunar month of 1805

Connection:

Father: Yoshizawa Ayame IV

Master: Matsumoto Kôshirô IV

Adoptive father: Matsumoto Kojirô II

Brother: Nakayama Kojûrô VII

Sons: Matsumoto Goroichi, Matsumoto Yonesaburô II

Family map: the Yoshizawa Clan

Career:

1774: born in Edo. He receives the name of Yoshizawa Kichijûrô I.

Fall 1775: his father Yoshizawa Sakinosuke III goes back to his native Kamigata. He leaves his boy in the care of the Matsumoto clan.

1775~1779: he becomes the disciple of Matsumoto Kôshirô IV, then the adopted son of Matsumoto Kôshirô IV's disciple Matsumoto Kojirô II. His new name is Matsumoto Yonesaburô I.

11th lunar month of 1779: Yonesaburô makes his debut at the Ichimuraza, performing as a koyaku in the kaomise drama "Azuma no Mori Sakae Kusunoki", which celebrates the shûmei of Azuma Tôzô III and Segawa Otome.

11th lunar month of 1788: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Modori Kago Iro ni Aikata" (commonly called "Modori Kago"), which is staged within Sakurada Jisuke I's kaomise program "Tôzumô Hana no Edokata", which celebrates the return in Edo of the actor Nakamura Nakazô I; Yonesaburô plays the role of the kamuro [casting].

1791: Yonesaburô becomes wakaonnagata.

11th lunar month of 1791: Yonesaburô achieves a great success at the Nakamuraza by playing the role of Komurasaki in the kaomise drama "Nidai Genji Oshi no Gôkyû".

28th day of the 9th lunar month of 1792: his father Yoshizawa Ayame IV dies.

5th lunar month of 1794: premiere at the Kiriza of Sakurada Jisuke I's drama "Katakiuchi Noriai Banashi"; Yonesaburô plays the role of Mikinoshin's daughter Shinobu [more details].

1st lunar month of 1796: premiere at the Kiriza of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Suda no Haru Geisha Katagi"; Yonesaburô plays the role of Kosan [casting].

9th lunar month of 1796: the play "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi" is staged for the first time in Edo, simultaneously at the Kiriza and the Miyakoza; Yonesaburô plays the role of Ichimisai's younger daughter Okiku in the former theater [casting].

1st lunar month of 1800: Yonesaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

3rd lunar month of 1800: tour in Ise with Ichikawa Omezô I.

4th lunar month of 1800: Yonesaburô goes to Kyôto and plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Okumi in the drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku".

8th lunar month of 1800: Yonesaburô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami"; the role of Yasuna is played by Arashi Sangorô III.

Fall 1800: Yonesaburô goes to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1800: Yonesaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Ohatsu in the drama "Kagamiyama Kokyô no Nishikie"; the roles of Iwafuji and Onoe are played by Kataoka Nizaemon VII and Sawamura Kunitarô I.

1st lunar month of 1801: Yonesaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is only one little white stroke above jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent).

2nd lunar month of 1801: Yonesaburô goes to Kyôto and plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Katsura in the drama "Keisei Kakehashi Monogatari".

9th lunar month of 1801: premiere at the Kitagawa no Shibai of Shiba Shisô's drama "Hakone Reigen Izari no Adauchi"; Yonesaburô plays the roles of Mandokoro, Fudesuke's wife and Osada [casting].

11th lunar month of 1801: Yonesaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Furuki o Motte Aratama no Kaomise", which is produced by the zamoto Arashi Sankichi and celebrates the shûmei of Kanô Minshi I.

1st lunar month of 1802: Yonesaburô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is slightly above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).

10th lunar month of 1803: Yonesaburô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Tatsuta-no-Mae, Haru and Tonami in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". He also plays the role of Yaegiri in the drama "Komochi Yamanba".

Fall 1803: Yonesaburô and Asao Kuzaemon I go together to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1803: Yonesaburô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Mutsu no Hana Monomi no Matsu".

1st lunar month of 1804: Yonesaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is only one stroke below jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He is the kanjiku for wakaonnagata actors.

9th lunar month of 1804: Namiki Gohei I's drama "Kanjin Kanmon Tekuda no Hajimari" was staged for the first time in Edo, produced by Ichimura Uzaemon XI at the Ichimuraza; Yonesaburô plays the role of Teruha-no-Mae [more details].

11th lunar month of 1804: Yonesaburô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Mishi Tamadare Yuki no Furusato", which celebrates the shûmei of Suketakaya Takasuke II, Ichikawa Takinosuke and Kiriyama Monji III.

3rd lunar month of 1805: Yonesaburô appears on stage for the last time, performing at the Ichimuraza. He suddenly dies the 11th of the 3rd lunar month of 1805.

Comments:

Matsumoto Yonesaburô I was a promising and popular onnagata. He was the heir of a Kamigata actor but was in fact trained in Edo, where he spent most of his short but successful career. He was outstanding in the roles of keisei in sewamono.

Prints & Illustrations

Matsumoto Yonesaburô I in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni I

Print made by Utagawa Kunimasa in 1799

The Matsumoto Yonesaburô line of actors