Australia

1867 November – Tannaker Buhicrosan‘s troupe arrives in Melbourne on P&O Mail steamer from Ceylon

1867 December – Lenton & Smith‘s Great Dragon Troupe arrive on P&O Mail steamer The Avoca from Ceylon. (“11 Japanese” – 8 men, 3 women, Mr & Mrs Lenton, Mr and Mrs Smith, Mr Ferrari, Mr Kirby, Mr Herbert, 2 male children, 1 male infant, 1 female infant): Isokichi, Mitarō, Genjirō/Gengero, Chōnosuke, Katsujirō, Chiyokichi, Omato/Tomo, Bungarō/Bunjirō, Ohatsu, Seijirō, Yasuke.

1868 June – Mr Buhicrosan and Mr Gibson in cabin class, Mr Gibson (crossed out) and 5 in a Japanese troupe arrive in Melbourne on the Claude Hamilton from New Zealand

1868 October Lenton & Smith troupe depart Victoria on the Otago for New Zealand with Mr & Master Kitchie aged 30 and 10, Mr Mitaro aged 19, Mr Bungero aged 21, Mr Sagero 18, Miss Cutswhogero 17, Mr Narshee 22, Ms Omoto 20, Ms Ohatsue 21, Mr Gingero 19, Mr Chonosuke 24.

1868 October – Last performance of Tannaker’s troupe in Australia

1869 February – Lenton & Smith Great Dragon Troupe leave New Zealand

1869 6 March – 11 Japanese and 2 Europeans of the Japanese troupe arrive in Sydney from Auckland with Mr & Mrs Lenton, Mr H Lenton and masters John Lenton, Frank Lenton.

1869 25 March – Lenton & Smith troupe leave Sydney for Shanghai.

1869 October – “I can assure you that your agent, Mr Kirby, has manfully surmounted the difficulties that gathered round him through Mr Lenton not arriving here. Your timely assisistance put him all right. Kirby and myself after some considerable trouble and expense have engaged a company, but the expense has been very great. I think the Australians, when they see them, will agree they are the best company that ever left Japan, far surpassing the last one. There are several smart fellows amongst them, and one of the women is very pretty and very clever. She does several feats of conjuring; among them the conjuring pigeon. Kirby has not engaged any Japanese wrestlers, and I think he was perfectly right, as they are a lot of bummers and loafers, and not worth taking out of the country. They do a great number of tricks the last lot know nothing about. Kirby hopes to be in Melbourne with them by the New Year’s holidays. The late company is distributed in all parts of Japan, but our stately old friend, Eso Kitchie, has given Kirby much assistance : he does not do any show business now, and has retired into quiet life. Cuts-who-gero is about still, but will not perform again. Gingero, Metaro, Sagero, and the rest of Eso Kitchie’s troupe, are in Yeddo, performing at the Imperial Theatre there” A letter addressed to John Smith in Australia – not clear from whom.

1869 September – 14 people are hired by Thomas King to tour Asia and Europe. From Osaka – Naminosuke and his wife Mitsu and their sons Genji and Kanekichi. Also from Osaka, Fujikichi and his wife Fusa and their two sons Kumakichi and Asajiro. Also Yoshigoro, a top spinner who became Matsui Gensui XV, from Asakusa and Moto, her daughter Sawa and son Kinjuro. Propsman Torakichi. Isokichi from Yokohama.

1869 December “The Japanese troupe engaged for Messrs Lyster and J Smith by their agent at Yokohama, declined, it appears, at the last moment, to complete their engagement, and Mr Kirby, the agent, arrived yesterday by the mail steamer without them” Bendigo Advertiser 24 December 1869 p 2

1870 December – Osaka Troupe/Satsuma troupe, later Imperial Troupe arrive from San Francisco, under engagement to W.M. Lyster and John Smith, joint lessees of the Princess Theatre, Melbourne. Chikazo/All Right, Matz Noski (Matsunosuke) pedal balancer, Yama Moto (conjurer and balancer) , Sakujiro apprentice, Sengari Kato (Kato Senjiro) top spinner, Kamisama rope walker, Nagai Nachi rope walker. Joined later by Sakutaro (conjurer), Daiku/Daiksan, juggler, Sakusan top spinner, Hongiri, pedal balancer, Yoshimatz (Yoshimatsu) female rope walker and Denkitchi/Denkichi. W Evans was the agent, was with Burton in the Lentons in April 1871

1871 January “The Japanese troupe I mentioned in my last, have not made an appearance yet. I learn from the knowing ones that they ask such an enormous price for their services, that the speculators in such ware are frightened to tackle them in these bad times.” The Newcastle Chronicle 28 Jan 1871 Sydney Correspondent p 3

“I heard last night that the Japanese Troupe ask £12,000 for their services for eighteen months and all expenses paid. £1000 down, and £250 per week in advance, till the payments are completed. There’s a chance for an enterprising man, which I should ‘not’ like to go into.” The Newcastle Chronicle 31 Jan 1871 Sydney Correspondent p 3

Above could be a reference to the second Royal Tycoon’s Private troupe?

1871 February – Yama Moto (butterfly trick, fakeer and fire man), Chikazo, Matz Noski ladder and tub, Kami Sama.

1871 April – Adelaide “Yama Moto, Nagai Natchi Sama, Sakujiro, Chikazo, Sagero-Saki, Tsz-Tsz, All Right, Kami Sami”

1871 June – Lyster and Smith’s troupe of Satsumas in Adelaide

1871 September – Goulborn NSW, Sakutaroo, All Right, Susan, Matz-no-Taki

1872 March 18 – Mr and Mrs Evans and Japanese troupe arrive in Hobson’s Bay (port near Melbourne)

1872 July – Shoulder perch by Denkichi and Chikazo, Sakutaroo sleight of hand.

1872 August – Shimizu Seijirō 48, Shimizu Fujisaku 51, Shimizu Fukutarō 13, Shimizu Chomatsu (Chiyomatsu) 9, Shimizu Anzō 31, Kagami Kichigorō 35, Kagami Otokichi 13, Kagami Harukichi 12 leave Japan for Hong Kong, Manila, San Francisco, Singapore, Malaysia, Zanzibar, Australia, Java

1872 September – Lyster & Smith/Imperial/Osaka troupe move to New Zealand.

1873 July – Royal Tycoon Troupe (Thomas King’s second troupe) arrive in Sydney on the RMS Baroda from Calcutta. Initially known as The Siamese Juvenile Troupe, then as Royal Tycoon Troupe Japanese from 1874. Came from Japan with Alfred King as interpreter – Thomas King’s son (probably brother, born 1849) Artistes include Torakitchi the invisible wire walker, Sacaranawa ladder balancer, Makichi, Bungaro tub balancer, Catshenoski’s juggling, Echowsi (Itchosai) legerdemain, Terakitchi top spinning

1873 Mr Fred H Pollock visited Japan and brought thence to Western Australia the first troupe of Japanese that ever came to the colonies. It was a paying speculation, and Mr. Pollock’s one regret is that he missed a fortune by returning with them to India instead of playing other parts of Australia. He was also the first to take, by special permission of the Mikado, an English circus through the interior of Japan. = Kioto Troupe.

1873 November -The Royal Victoria Circus (Wieland and Lyons) and the Kioto Exhibition Troupe of Japanese, is another attraction in Calcutta and is by far the greatest combination ever seen in India. (The Australasian February 1874)

1874 January – Sacuranawa, Dicenoski, Tatsheran Bangaro, Hawatan Catchenoski

1874 November – 9 Artistes arrived by Eliza Blanche from Batavia = Kioto Troupe – jugglers, foot and shoulder balancers, top spinners, rope walkers, and acrobats. 5 men three boys. Director Mr F.H. Pollock

1875 January – Kioto Troupe returned to Singapore on the Eliza Blanche

1875 to October – Asiatic Circus and Tycoon Troupe of Japanese – under the direction of Tom Wieland (clown) – bending boys – Itchia, older child Ma Ketchi, falling ladder Decenoski, Tora Kitchie a young Japanese who springs through a gauze covered cylinder, also wire walker.

1886 April Willard’s Japanese Village in Sydney. Included Murakami Toyokichi (also Toyotaro), Kamisaka Fukumatsu who both died aged 26 of TB there.

1886 November – in Melbourne, joined by conjurer Takezawa Manji, Minokichi shoulder balancer

1886 November – Mikado troupe joined Japanese Village in Sydney. Also Imperial Dragon Troupe.

1887 February – Japanese Village opens in Sydney with Mikado Troupe. Bamboo balancer, rope walker, top spinner, foot balancer, magician, juggler, female sword walker O-Mume. Great Little All Right. Minokichi shoulder balancer,

1887 April – Japanese Village in Sydney, with Mikado Troupe.

1887 May – Japanese Village (now in Brisbane) disbanded

1887 August – Mikado troupe in Mount Gambier

1890 February – The Japanese Troupe – Adelaide. 2 Japanese balancing artists

1890 March – April – Harmston’s circus – Mikado Japanese troupe – Sydney

1890 July – Harmston’s circus – the clever Japanese – New South Wales

1890 September – Japanese marvels Tetuvalis – acts of contortion – Bendigo

1890 October – troupe of Japanese – conjuring feats – Melbourne. Headed by the Midado, Geinin Kumiyai (sic)

1890 December – Harmston’s circus – ladder act with a boy – Mount Alexander

1891 January – Dragon Troupe – Mino Kitchi on the slack rope and Mukekee the boneless boy. Madame Mino Kitchi walked on swords. Kodomo and Mino Kitchi bamboo perche. Sydney

1891 January – Japanese troupe connected with Harmston’s Geelong

1891 March – Japanese troupe which had been at the Japanese Village at the Sydney exhibition. Golbourn.

1891 November – December- Sells Bros American Circus – royal Japanese troupe – NSW

1891 December – Godayou‘s Tokio Troupe perform at the Gaiety Theatre in Melbourne including Mr Kitchie foot equilibrist. Tommi Kitti, Littl Matz, Little Take Godayou, Little Kame and Miss Minnie Godayou.

1892 February – Godayou’s Tokio Troupe

1892 March – Imperial Japanese Troupe Sell’s circus – NSW. Turkino’s troupe of Japanese

1892 December – the Mikado troupe of 8 Japanese acrobats lately seen with Sells circus NSW

1893 January – Wirth’s circus – Japanese troupe 6 in number, conjuring, balancing, juggling. Could be the Akimotos, as they toured with Wirth’s to Brazil in 1896. Wirth’s circus went on a world tour from 1893 after outbreak of Australian Banking Crisis.

1893 January – Godayou Mikado troupe of Japanese Sydney

1893 February – Godayou troupe of 12 Japs – Sydney

1893 April – Coghill brothers new minstrels – 7 Japanese direct from Japan – Ballarat. Tokio Japanese troupe of five. Geelong

1894 – Godayou Tokio Troupe of Japanese

1894 December – March 1895 – Kadamo troupe of Japanese

1895 January – The Rhodano Japanese troupe

1896 March – Yokohama Japanese troupe (But not really Japanese?)