Wakayagi Judo (若柳壽童)
The term "Judo WAKAYAGI" refers to a professional name of iemoto (the head) of Soke (the head family or house) of the Wakayagi school.
For details on the successive iemoto, refer to the section on the Wakayagi school and its iemoto.
Judo WAKAYAGI the first
Judo WAKAYAGI (July 25, 1845 - July 22, 1917)
His real name is Yukichi WAKABAYASHI. He was the first iemoto of the Wakayagi school.
He was born as the youngest son at 'Miyoshiya,' a hikitejaya (a guiding teahouse where customers were entertained until they were taken to see the high-ranking courtesan at a courtesan residence) in Shin Yoshiwara (a red light district) of Edo. He had familiarized himself with dance since the spring when he was six years old. Then he became a disciple of Jusuke HANAYAGI (the first) of the Hanayagi school. He began to use the name Yoshimatsu HANAYAGI at the age of 15. He went to Yanagibashi to give lessons there, but he gave up his business due to his father's death to drift from job to job.
However, he suddenly returned to dancing at the age of around 30. Morita-za Theater had invited him as a choreographer since ca. 1860. After his master had died in 1903, he changed his name to Yoshimatsu and became independent from the Hanayagi school to found the Wakayagi school. He assumed the new name of Judo at the age of 60. He retired from dance in 1915.
Kichizo WAKAYAGI the first was his disciple, who later became the second iemoto of the Wakayagi school and was a biological son of a rakugo story teller, Enyu SANYUTEI the first.
Judo WAKAYAGI the second
Judo WAKAYAGI (August 11, 1921 - July 17, 1989)
His real name is Shoji TAKEUCHI. He was the third iemoto of the Wakayagi school.
After he had studied under the second iemoto, Kichizo, he was adopted as a son of Kichizo and used the name Kichishozo WAKAYAGI. In 1944, he succeeded to the name Kichizo (the second) to become the third iemoto of the Wakayagi school. He assumed the new name of Juho in 1975. In 1988, he succeeded to the name Judo (the second), to which none had succeeded for a long time.
While his first son is Juen WAKAYAGI, the fourth iemoto of the school, his third son is Kichizo WAKAYAGI the third, the fifth iemoto of the school.