JUNE 1891



Aoyagi Sutesaburô (青柳捨三郎) as Itagaki Taisuke (板垣退助)
 
Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎) as Aihara Naosuke (相原尚聚)
 
Play: [The True Story of Mr. Itagki’s Misfortune]
Itagiki-kun Sônan Jikki (板垣君遭難実記)
Performance Place: Nakamura-za, Tokyo
Performance Date: 06/20/91
Print Date: 10/1891
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada III (歌川国貞)
Personal Collection
 
 
 
 
 

               


Iwata Shônosuke (岩田庄之助) as Itagaki Taisuke (板垣退助)
 
Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎) as Aihara Naosuke (相原尚聚)
 
Play: [The True Story of Mr. Itagki’s Misfortune]
Itagiki-kun Sônan Jikki (板垣君遭難実記)
Performance Place: Nakamura-za, Tokyo
Performance Date: 06/20/91
Print Date: 10/1891
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada III (歌川国貞)
Image courtesy of the National Theater of Japan
 
Note:There was a subsequent production that opened on
October 21, 1891.   Iwata Shônosuke's name is written next to
the name of Aoyagi Sutesaburô (青柳捨三郎) in the cartouche
of this print, suggesting that he replaced Aoyagi Sutesaburô in
the role in this later production.
 
 
 
 

   


 
 
Song: Oppekepe (おっぺけぺー)
Performance Place: Nakamura-za,
Tokyo
Performance Date: 06/20/91
Print Date: 07/1891
Artist: Nagashima Shungyo (永島春暁)
Personal Collection
 
 
 


Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎)


 
 
 
 

               
                Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎)
 
                Song: Oppekepê (オッペケペー)           
                Performance Place: Nakamura-za, Tokyo
                Performance Date: 06/20/91
                Print Date: 07/1891
                Artist: Shunsai Toshimasa (春斎年昌)
 
                Note: A woodblock printed version of this
                design has not been located.  A later
                lithographic reprint exists.

 
 
 

               
                Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎)
 
                Song: Oppekepê (オッペケペー)
                Performance Place: Nakamura-za, Tokyo
                Performance Date: 06/20/91
                Print Date: 1891?
                Artist: Shunsai Toshimasa (春斎年昌)
                Medium: Lithograph
                Personal Collection

 
 
 


 
 
Song: Oppekepe (おっぺけぺー)
Performance Place: Nakamura-za,
Tokyo
Performance Date: 06/20/91
Print Date: 06/20/1891
Artist: Utagawa Kokunimasa
(歌川小国政)
Personal Collection
 
Note: This copy is trimmed, lacking
the cartouche in the bottom right of
the right panel.
 
 
 


Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎)


 
 
 
 

       
                                                                                  Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎)
 
        Song: Oppekepe (おっぺけぺー)
        Performance Place: Nakamura-za, Tokyo
        Performance Date: 06/20/91
        Print Date: 07/1891
        Artist: Utagawa Kokunimasa
        (歌川小国政)
        Image courtesy of the National Theater of Japan
 
        Note: Untrimmed cop where the red carpet has oxidized.
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 

           
            Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎)
 
            Song: Oppekepe (おっぺけぺー)
            Performance Place: Nakamura-za, Tokyo
            Performance Date: 06/20/91
            Print Date: 08/01/26
            Artist: Utagawa Kokunimasa
            (歌川小国政)
            Medium: Woodblock printed magazine cover
            Published in Bangasa (番傘), Vol. 15, No. 8

            Personal Collection
 
            Note: Kokunimasa's design was reused in a reduced size as
            the cover for Bangasa magazine om 1926.

OTHER 1891 PRINTS FEATURING KAWAKAMI OTOJIRO (POSSIBLY REFLECTING EARLIER OR LATER PERFORMANCE)   


Shōhin an'nai???
 
Song: Oppekepê (オッペケペー)
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: 08/1891
Artist: ?
Medium: Woodblock printed omacha-e
Personal Collection
 
Note: Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎) is shown in the upper right panel.
 
 
 

  

                    
                    [New Version of Woppekepê Song]
                    Shinpan Woppekepê Uta (新版ヲッペケペー歌)
 
                    Song: Oppekepê (オッペケペー)
                    Performance Place: ?
                    Performance Date: ?
                    Print Date: 09/1891
                    Artist: ?
                    Medium: Woodblock printed omacha-e
                    Image courtesy of the National Theater of Japan
               
                    Note:  Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎) is shown in the upper right panel. 
                    A 1956 offset printed postcard of this print in the webmaster's collection
                    provided the date for this print.
 
 

   



Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎)
 
Song: Oppekepe (おっぺけぺー)
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: 1891
Artist: Yôsai Nobukazu (楊斎延一)
Medium: Woodblock printed omocha-e
Personal Collection
 
Note: Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎) is the figure in the top left panel.   He also appears in the
bottom right panel giving a speech.  The second panel from the left in the third role depicts the
Yukashita scene in Meiboku Sendai Hagi (伽羅先代萩).
 

       

               
                Close-up of the top left panel

  


Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎)
 
Song: Oppekepe (おっぺけぺー)
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: 1891
Artist: Yôsai Nobukazu (楊斎延一)
Medium: Woodblock printed sugoroku
Personal Collection
 
Note: Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎) is the figure in the center panel.
        

               
                Close-up of the center panel

  


[New Edition Oppekepê Sugoroku]
Shinpan Oppekepē Sugoroku (新版オツペケペー双六)
 
Song: Oppekepê (オツペケペー)
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date:
Print Date: 1891
Artist: Utagawa Kunitoshi (歌川国利)
Medium: Woodblock printed sugoroku
Personal Collection
 
Note: Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎), the figure in the center panel,
frequently performed this number between plays circa 1888-1894.  The
Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum's copy has a December 14, 1888 date
stamped in the margin.  Is this a reissue of a 1888 published version?
 
 
 


 



Close-up of the center panel
  
Note: Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎), the figure in the center panel,
frequently performed this number between plays circa 1888-1894.  The
Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum's copy has a December 14,
1888 date stamped in the margin.  Is this a reissue of a 1888
published version?
 
 
 

               
                  Original envelope for the sugoroku.


               
                 Reverse of the original envelope for the
                sugoroku..



 


Kawakami Otojirô (川上音二郎)
 
Song: Oppekepê (オッペケペー)           
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: 1891
Artist: ?
Image courtesy of the National Library of Australia
 
 
 
 

                   
                    [New Composition Oppekepê Song]
                    Shinsaku Oppekepê Bushi
                    (新作オッペケペーぶし)
 
                    Song: Oppekepê (オッペケペー)
                    Performance Place: ?
                    Performance Date: ?
                    Print Date: 1978
                    Medium: Lithographic cover of a miniature book
                    Personal Collection
 
                    Note: The cover appears to be a reprint of a
                    vintage kawaraban shinbun (.かわら版),  It
                    and several of the illustrations inside the
                    booklet are reminiscent of a panels of an 1891
                    omocha-e by an as yet unidentified artist found
                    elsewhere on this site.  The figure is Kawakami
                    Otojirô  (川上音二 郎; 川上音次郎).