Sakata Tojuro

Japanese: 坂田藤十郎 - さかたとうじゅうろう

A Kabuki actor, he is the fourth generation of the family to survive.

First World

(1647-1709) A great actor representing Kamigata Kabuki from the Genroku period (1688-1704). Son of Kyoto troupe Sakata Ichizaemon (one theory is that he was Touemon). Records of him begin to appear around 1676 (Enpo 4), and he was already expected to be an actor with a bright future. In 1678, he played Izaemon in "Yugiri Nagori no Shogatsu" and received such a positive reception that he played the role four times that year, building the foundation of his later career. In the Genroku era, his skills and popularity gradually increased, and he collaborated with Chikamatsu Monzaemon and performed in a series of plays, including "Butsumomo Maya Sankaicho," "Keisei Awa no Naruto," "Mizuki Tatsunosuke no Tachibura Mai," "Momoyokomachi," and "Daimyo Soga," establishing a solid reputation as a performer of courtesans and actors. From November 1695 (Genroku 8), he also served as the head of the Miyako Mandayuza Theatre in Kyoto. At the height of his career in the 10s and 1600s, he appeared in such masterpieces as "Kyosei Buddha's Plain," "Kyosei Guzei no Fune," and "Kyosei Mibu Dainenbutsu." He excelled in eloquence, and showed outstanding skills in the art of yatsushi, nuregoto, and kudoki, and was praised as "the founder of the acting path" and "a rare master." He is a great actor who is familiar to modern people through Kikuchi Kan's "Tojuro's Love."

[Yukio Hattori May 21, 2018]

II

(1669-1724) A younger brother of the founder. Commonly known as "Fushimi Tojuro."

[Yukio Hattori May 21, 2018]

III

(1701-1774) A disciple of Sakata Hyōshiro (nephew of the first Tojūrō), a singer of Edo Nagauta and the founder of the Sakata school, he took on the name in Edo in 1739 (Genbun 4), but did not achieve great success.

[Yukio Hattori May 21, 2018]

IV

(1931-2020) His real name was Kotaro Hayashi. His stage name was Yamashiroya. He was the eldest son of Nakamura Ganjiro II. After playing the role of Nakamura Senjaku II, he took on the name of Ganjiro III in 1990 (Heisei 2). He started out as a female actor, but he inherited the traditional Kamigata wagoto art of leading roles from his grandfather, the first Nakamura Ganjiro, and showed passionate achievements, such as presiding over the research theater company Chikamatsuza. During his Senjaku period, he participated in Takechi Kabuki with Bando Tsurunosuke (later Nakamura Tomijuro V), and was so popular that his "Senjaku period" was called that. In 1994, he was appointed as a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property, and in the same year, he became a member of the Japan Art Academy. In 2003 (Heisei 15), he was awarded the title of Person of Cultural Merit. He was awarded the Order of Culture in 2009. In 2005, he took on the stage name of Tojuro IV, 231 years after the death of his predecessor. His eldest son is Nakamura Ganjiro IV (1959-), and his second son is Nakamura Senjaku III (1960-).

[Yukio Hattori May 21, 2018]

"Noriko Kameoka's Notes: 'Dream: The Birth of the Heisei Tojuro' (2005, Tankosha)"

Sakata Tojuro (first generation)
©Shogakukan Library ">

Sakata Tojuro (first generation)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

歌舞伎(かぶき)俳優。現世まで4世を数える。

初世

（1647―1709）元禄(げんろく)時代（1688～1704）の上方歌舞伎(かみがたかぶき)を代表する名優。京都の座本坂田市左衛門（一説に藤右衛門）の子。1676年（延宝4）ごろから記録に現れ、早くも将来が楽しみな役者と期待されている。1678年『夕霧名残(ゆうぎりなごり)の正月』の伊左衛門を演じて大好評を得たため、この年は四度もこの役を繰り返し演じ、後年の芸の基礎をつくった。元禄に入ってからしだいに芸も人気も上昇し、近松門左衛門(ちかまつもんざえもん)と提携して『仏母摩耶山開帳(ぶつもまやさんかいちょう)』『傾城阿波(けいせいあわ)の鳴門(なると)』『水木辰之助餞振舞(みずきたつのすけたちぶるまい)』『百夜小町(ももよこまち)』『大名曽我(だいみょうそが)』などに次々と出演、傾城事(けいせいごと)・やつし事によって確固たる地位を築いた。1695年（元禄8）11月から京都の都万太夫座(みやこまんだゆうざ)の座本も兼ねた。最頂期の元禄10年代には、『傾城仏の原』『傾城弘誓(ぐぜい)の船』『傾城壬生大念仏(みぶだいねんぶつ)』などの名作に出演。弁説に優れ、とくにやつし・濡(ぬ)れ事・くどきの芸に卓越した技芸を見せ、「役者道の開山」「希代の名人」などともてはやされた。菊池寛作『藤十郎の恋』によって現代人にも親しみのある名優である。

［服部幸雄　2018年5月21日］

2世

（1669―1724）初世の弟分。通称「伏見藤十郎(ふしみとうじゅうろう)」。

［服部幸雄　2018年5月21日］

3世

（1701―1774）江戸長唄(ながうた)の唄方で坂田派の祖、坂田兵四郎(ひょうしろう)（初世藤十郎の甥(おい)）の門人が、1739年（元文4）江戸で襲名したが、大成しなかった。

［服部幸雄　2018年5月21日］

4世

（1931―2020）本名林宏太郎(こうたろう)。屋号山城屋。2世中村鴈治郎(がんじろう)の長男。2世中村扇雀(せんじゃく)を経て、1990年（平成2）に3世鴈治郎を襲名。女方(おんながた)としてスタートしたが、祖父である初世中村鴈治郎以来の立役としての上方和事芸を継承するとともに、研究劇団近松座を主宰するなど情熱的な活躍をみせた。扇雀時代には坂東鶴之助（後の5世中村富十郎(とみじゅうろう)）とともに、武智歌舞伎(たけちかぶき)に参加して活躍し、「扇鶴時代」とよばれるほどの人気を集めた。1994年重要無形文化財保持者、同年芸術院会員となる。2003年（平成15）文化功労者。2009年文化勲章受章。2005年先代の没後231年ぶりに4世藤十郎を襲名した。長男が4世中村鴈治郎（1959―　）、次男が3世中村扇雀（1960―　）である。

［服部幸雄　2018年5月21日］

『亀岡典子聞書『夢　平成の藤十郎誕生』（2005・淡交社）』