Momonakaken Kumoemon - Momonakaken Kumoemon

A rakugo performer. His real name was Okamoto Minekichi. He was born in Gunma Prefecture as the second son of Yoshikawa Shigekichi, also known as Kuroshige, a Joshu Saimon performer. He became popular under the name Koshige at a tent in Asakusa, Tokyo, but after his father's death, he took over the stage name and switched to Naniwabushi. In 1898 (Meiji 31), while performing as a guest with Ichikawa Baisha's troupe, he eloped with Baisha's wife Ohama, a master shamisen player, and left for Kansai. He then wandered to Kyushu, where he became acquainted with Miyazaki Toten, a brave warrior who was also friends with Sun Yat-sen, and others. With their support, he developed a script based on Chushingura, and revamped his style of performance by adding Kyushu-style biwa to the Kansai-style water-like accompaniment, changing his name to Momonakaken Un'emon, and finally becoming the leading performer in Kyushu.

He was successful at his Kansai performance in March 1907 (Meiji 40), and riding on this momentum, he performed "Meimeiden" for 27 days at the Hongo-za Theater in Tokyo in June of the same year under the banner of "Encouraging Bushido," with great success. The performance method used at this time, in which he performed while standing in front of a table covered with a tablecloth, had a major impact on the performance style of the rakugo world thereafter. After Ohama, who was also his shamisen companion, died of pulmonary tuberculosis in 1913 (Taisho 2), Kumoemon's performance also deteriorated rapidly, and he did not release any new works thereafter, dying of the same disease on November 7, 1916.

[Chichibu Hisakata]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

浪曲師。本名岡本峰吉。上州祭文(さいもん)の黒繁(くろしげ)こと吉川繁吉の次男として群馬県に生まれる。小繁と名のり東京・浅草の掛け小屋で人気をとったが、父の死後、名跡を継いで浪花節(なにわぶし)へ転向した。1898年（明治31）、市川梅車(ばいしゃ)一座に客演中、梅車の妻でお浜という三味線の名手と駆け落ちして関西へ去る。その後九州まで放浪し、孫文とも親交のあった壮士宮崎滔天(とうてん)らと知り合い、その後援を得て、忠臣蔵を題材に台本を整備し、伴奏も関西風な水調子に九州系の琵琶(びわ)の手を加味して芸風を一新、名も桃中軒雲右衛門と変え、ついに九州で第一人者となった。

　1907年（明治40）3月の関西公演で成功、その勢いにのって同年6月、東京・本郷座で「武士道鼓吹」の看板の下に、27日間『義士銘々伝(めいめいでん)』を口演し続けて大成功を収めた。テーブル掛けで覆った机の前に立って口演するというこのときの演出方法は、その後の浪曲界の興行形態に大きな影響を与えた。13年（大正2）相三味線でもあったお浜が肺結核で没したあと、雲右衛門も急速に衰えをみせて、以後新作を発表することなく、大正5年11月7日、同じ病で没した。

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