Namiki Sosuke (並木宗輔)
Sosuke (宗輔) NAMIKI (1695 - October 25, 1751; also known as Senryu NAMIKI [the first], Sosuke [宗助] NAMIKI, Senryu TANAKA and Sosuke MATSUYA) was a playwright of Kabuki (traditional drama performed by male actors) and Ningyo Joruri (traditional Japanese puppet theater) in Edo period. He is well-known as the playwright (co-writer) of the three greatest joruri: "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" (Sugawara's secrets of calligraphy), "Yoshitsune Senbonzakura" (Yoshitsune and One Thousand Cherry Trees) and "Kanadehon Chushingura" (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers).
It is said that he was born in Mihara, Bingo Province (present-day Mihara City, Hiroshima Prefecture) and was a Buddhist monk of Joju-ji Temple of Rinzaishu sect; but some people say he was born in Osaka and others say Kyoto. It seems that he left the priesthood at the age of 30 and went to Osaka to become a joruri playwright. He might be a disciple of Ippu NISHIZAWA attached to Toyotakeza Theater, or a disciple of Izumo TAKEDA; opinion is also divided on this point. Originally he called himself Senryu TANAKA and left his name on eight plays including "Izutsuya Genroku Koi no Kanzarashi" and "Kenninji Kuyo" from 1723 to 1725. He changed his name to Sosuke (宗助) NAMIKI in 1726 and wrote many plays until 1741, including the works by himself and the ones for which he only played a minor role. His works of this period at Toyotakeza Theater is said to be very depressing with elaborate framework and the realistic description: fiery instinct and sinfulness of people, and contradictions in feudal society. He left Toyotakeza Theater in 1742, and the following year, 1743, he started a new career as a Kabuki playwright Sosuke (宗輔) NAMIKI and produced excellent works including "Omonguchi Yoroigasane" in collaboration with Abun YASUDA and so on. In 1745 he returned to joruri world. He moved to the Takemoto-za theater and changed his name to Senryu NAMIKI. In collaboration with Izumo TAKEDA the second, Shoraku MIYOSHI and so on, he produced not only the three greatest joruri: "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami," "Yoshitsune Senbonzakura" and "Kanadehon Chushingura," but also other masterpieces which remain in the history of Japanese play, such as "Gunpo Fujimi Saigyo," "Iroha Nichiren Ki," "Futatsu Chocho Kuruwa Nikki" (Diary of two butterflies in the pleasure quarters) and so on. Although there are various theories about who was the chief playwright of those plays, some people say that, considering the literary style and experience, Sosuke was essentially the chief playwright of all the plays. In 1750, he left the Takemoto-za theater and returned to Toyotakeza Theater. He reverted to his former name Sosuke (宗輔) NAMIKI and the following year, 1751, he died while writing "Ichi no Tani Futabagunki" (Chronicle of the Battle of Ichinotani). Age at death: 57.