(1813-6 March 1855), also known as , was a Japanese
Kabuki
is a classical form of Japanese dance- drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.
Kabuki is though ...
actor, and the first in the lineage to hold each of the
stage-names Shūka and Tamasaburō.
Names
Like most Kabuki actors, and many artists of the time, Shūka had a number of other names. He first appeared on stage as Bandō Tamanosuke, took the name Bandō Tamasaburō early in his career, and then Shūka later on. He was posthumously given the name , and as a member of the Yamatoya guild throughout his life, would have been called by that name as well (see ''
yagō
, literally meaning "house name", is a term applied in traditional Japanese culture to names passed down within a guild, studio, or other circumstance other than blood relations. The term is synonymous with and . The term most often refers to the ...
'').
Lineage
As was the case with many Kabuki actors, Shūka was not biologically related to the Bandō family of actors, but rather was adopted into it. His biological father, Tachibanaya Jisuke, was an accounting manager of the
Ichimura-za
The was a major kabuki theatre in the Japanese capital of Edo (later, Tokyo), for much of the Edo period, and into the 20th century. It was first opened in 1634 and was run by members of the Ichimura family for much of the following nearly thre ...
theatre; he was adopted at a very young age by the actor
Bandō Mitsugorō III, who raised him as an actor. Shūka's son would be named
Bandō Mitsugorō VI, and his adopted son was known as
Bandō Minosuke IV.
Life and career
Adopted at a young age by the actor Bandō Mitsugorō III, who gave him the name Tamanosuke, he made his first stage appearance in 1824, at the age of 11, taking the name Bandō Tamasaburō. Six years later, in 1830, after performing on tour in
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...
and the surrounding area of
Kamigata
Kamigata (上方) was the colloquial term for a region today called Kansai (''kan'', barrier; ''sai'', west) in Japan. This large area encompasses the cities of Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. The term is used particularly when discussing elements of Edo ...
with
Bandō Hikosaburō IV, Tamasaburō and Hikosaburō settled in
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
and began performing regularly at the
Naka no Shibai
Naka no Shibai (中の芝居, Central Theatre), also known as Naka-za (中座), was one of the major kabuki theatres in Osaka, Japan.
History
It was first built in 1652, in Osaka's Dōtonbori entertainment district, and saw the premieres of many ...
(Central Theatre). Mitsugorō died the following year, however, and so Tamasaburō returned to Edo soon afterwards. In 1839, he took on his father's poetry name (''haimyō''), Bandō Shūka, in a ''
shūmei
''Shūmei'' (, "name succession") are grand naming ceremonies held in kabuki theatre. Most often, a number of actors will participate in a single ceremony, taking on new stage-names.
These stagenames, most often those of the actor's father, gran ...
'' (naming ceremony) at the Ichimura-za.
Over the course of his career, Shūka performed in countless plays, and was a celebrated ''onnagata'' (actor specializing in female roles) alongside his ''tachiyaku'' (actor of male roles) partner,
Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII. In 1853, he began performing at the
Kawarazaki-za
The was one of the major kabuki theatres in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during the Edo period and into the Meiji period. Not being one of the four theatres formally licensed by the Tokugawa shogunate, the theatre was largely inactive for long stretch ...
. His final performance was as Kaoyo Gozen and Okaru in the famous ''
Kanadehon Chūshingura
is an 11-act bunraku puppet play composed in 1748. It is one of the most popular Japanese plays, ranked with Zeami's '' Matsukaze'', although the vivid action of Chūshingura differs dramatically from ''Matsukaze''.
Medium
During this portion o ...
'', in November the following year. He was posthumously named Bandō Mitsugorō, after his adopted father; the same name was held by his own adopted son for most of his career. As a result, drama historians now consider Shūka and his adopted son to be the fifth and
sixth, respectively, to be known as Mitsugorō.
See also
*Actor lineages:
*
Bandō Tamasaburō
External links
Bandō Shūka I at Kabuki21.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bando, Shuka 1
Kabuki actors
1813 births
1855 deaths
19th-century Japanese male actors
People from Tokyo
Male actors from Tokyo