Chikamatsu Monzaemon
【近松門左衛門】
【CHIKAMATSUMONZAEMON】
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Chikamatsu Monzaemon (from “Kahai Hyakuninsen”)Owned by The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum, Waseda University. (201‐0926C）
Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653~1724)
He was a representative Ningyo-Joruri (puppet play) and Kabuki writer in the Genroku period and developed his career in Kamigata region. Prior to the Genroku period, Kabuki plays were still written by actors. It is because of Chikamatsu’s active involvement that Kabuki plays came to be written by professional writers.
It is said that he was from Echizen and used to serve a noble court in his early years where he received the education of classics necessary to be a writer. Entering the world of theatre in his 20s, he produced about 30 Kabuki plays. Sakata Tojuro starred in most of the works, and “Keisei Hotokenohara” caused a sensation among other works. After his focus shifted to writing Ningyo-Joruri (puppet play), he produced many renowned works, including a Sewamono masterpiece “Sonezaki Shinju”.
He was a representative Ningyo-Joruri (puppet play) and Kabuki writer in the Genroku period and developed his career in Kamigata region. Prior to the Genroku period, Kabuki plays were still written by actors. It is because of Chikamatsu’s active involvement that Kabuki plays came to be written by professional writers.
It is said that he was from Echizen and used to serve a noble court in his early years where he received the education of classics necessary to be a writer. Entering the world of theatre in his 20s, he produced about 30 Kabuki plays. Sakata Tojuro starred in most of the works, and “Keisei Hotokenohara” caused a sensation among other works. After his focus shifted to writing Ningyo-Joruri (puppet play), he produced many renowned works, including a Sewamono masterpiece “Sonezaki Shinju”.
