Shotaro Hanayagi

Actor. Real name Shotaro Aoyama. Born May 24, 1894 in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. In 1908 (Meiji 41), he became the apprentice of Kitamura Rokuro of the Shinpa school. In the same year, he made his debut in "Fujin Yukiko" at the Hongo-za theater. In 1912 (Taisho 4), he attracted attention for his role as O-Chise in "Nihonbashi," and in 1915 he was promoted to a senior position. In 1921, he formed the Shingeki-za theater company, and attempted to inject literary quality into Shinpa. In November 1931 (Showa 6), "Futasujimichi" at the Meiji-za theater became a hit that revived Shinpa's fortunes, but Hanayagi's role as the lively geisha O-Kei also garnered great praise. In 1906, he separated from the mainstream Shinpa school and formed the New Shinpa school with Kawaguchi Matsutaro and others. In the same year, Kenji Mizoguchi directed a film adaptation of his hit kyogen play "The Tale of the Zangiku," in which he played the role of Onoe Kikunosuke, just as he did in the stage play. After the Second World War, he became a central actor in the Shinpa school, and his pairing with Yaeko Mizutani was praised as exquisite. His style was as flamboyant as Takeo Kawai's, but his foundation was the realism he inherited from his master Kitamura, and he demonstrated the culmination of Shinpa onnagata art. He also demonstrated his own unique aesthetic in leading roles. He was made a Living National Treasure in 1985, a member of the Japan Art Academy in 1986, and a Person of Cultural Merit in 1989, and in the same year his best role was selected as one of the "Ten Types of Flower and Willow." He had excellent aesthetic sense and exceptional taste in costumes. He also went beyond the amateur level in other areas such as doll making and glass painting, and he was an avid reader and wrote many books. He collapsed while performing in the New Year's performance of "Winter Chrysanthemum, Winter Peony" in 1965, and died of a myocardial infarction two days later on January 6th.

[Kiyoshi Mizuochi]

"Shotaro Hanayagi Stage Costumes" (1965, Kyuryudo)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

俳優。本名青山章太郎。明治27年5月24日東京・日本橋生まれ。1908年（明治41）新派の喜多村緑郎(きたむらろくろう)に入門。同年本郷座『雪子夫人』で初舞台を踏む。15年（大正4）『日本橋』のお千世(ちせ)で注目され、17年幹部昇進。21年新劇座を結成、新派に文学性の注入を図った。31年（昭和6）11月明治座の『二筋道(ふたすじみち)』は新派起死回生のヒットとなったが、花柳扮(ふん)する快活な芸者お桂(けい)も大評判となる。39年、本流新派から分離して、川口松太郎らと新生新派を結成。同年、溝口健二の監督で当り狂言の『残菊物語』を映画化、舞台と同様尾上(おのえ)菊之助を演じた。第二次世界大戦後は新派の中心俳優として活躍し、水谷八重子(やえこ)とのコンビは絶妙とうたわれた。河合武雄(かわいたけお)のような華やかな芸風だが、基礎に師匠喜多村譲りのリアリズムがあり、新派女方(おんながた)芸の集大成を示した。また立役(たちやく)にも独自の美学を呈示した。60年（昭和35）人間国宝、61年芸術院会員、64年文化功労者となり、同年当り役を「花柳十種」として選定した。美的センスに優れ、衣装の好みは抜群。人形製作やガラス絵などの余技も素人(しろうと)の域を脱し、読書好きで著作も多い。昭和40年正月公演『寒菊寒牡丹(ぼたん)』出演中に倒れ、2日後の1月6日に心筋梗塞(こうそく)で死去。

［水落　潔］

『『花柳章太郎　舞台の衣裳』（1965・求龍堂）』

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