There may have been two or even three Omotos.
For the Omoto in Lenton & Smith’s Great Dragon Troupe, who travelled to Australia, see Otomo/Omato/Omoto
1831 – Omoto born, from Asakusa, according to 1869 Thomas King passport records.
1843 – Omoto born in Edo, Japan (birth year taken from gravestone). Also tallies with 1871 census.
1848 – Otomo born, according to 1868 Otago passenger list for Lenton & Smith section of Great Dragon Troupe.
1861? – meets Frederik Blekman
1863 June – has a daughter by Frederik Blekman
1864 February – travels to France with Blekman on the Ikeda mission.
1864 May – Travels to London with Blekman, staying at the Cataldi Hotel in Dover Street, Piccadilly.
1864 June-July – returns to Japan
1867 April – Moto/茂登, dancer, 富五郎寄子 (House of Tomigorō) Baldwin & Gilbert passport records for their section of the Great Dragon Troupe, to tour the USA and then France for 1 year. The troupe is said in press advertisements to be from Osaka.
1867 May 3 – The Stanley leaves Yokohama with the Baldwin & Gilbert Great Dragon Troupe.
1867 June – Baldwin & Gilbert section arrive in San Francisco
1867 June – “O-motu-san, the first native Female Dancer who has been permitted to leave Japan” in the combined Great Dragon Troupe in San Francisco, also Ese-kitche-no-kawee – probably Isokichi – is in the troupe.
Gives up daughter to the guardianship of George F. Parsons “a well known newspaper man” in San Francisco. “The little daughter of the best looking female connected with the Japanese Troupe now performing in this city. The little girl is about 5 years of age, quite as white as the majority of children of pure Caucasian parentage and very intelligent for her age. The mother appeared in the Probate Court in full Japanese costume, creating quite a sensation. She appears to be deeply attached to the child, but freely gave her consent to the adoption of the little one by Mr and Mrs Parsons, desiring to have it brought up in the American style and the Christian faith.” (Daily Alta California).
San Francisco News Letter – “She had sold her daughter, and made her pile” noting that the mother wanted to kiss the happy father at law as she left on the steamer, for New York.
1867 July – is interviewed in New York as Oniota the New York Commercial Advertiser. “Mr Blackman is the husband of Oniota and manager of the troupe. Mr Blackman acted as interpreter. His wife could, however, manage very well in an ordinary conversation.” “Oniato, the leading Japanese lady, has a most beautiful Asiatic face. Her mouth has a very sweet expression, and is set off by a beautiful set of teeth. Her hair is beautiful and she takes great pride in it. She has three children, and a fonder mother cannot be found. On leaving, she insisted on kissing each of us in turn, and said she would come again some day.” Davenport Daily Gazette August 8 1867 p 3
1867 August – Omoto arrives in Dublin with the Great Dragon Troupe with Blekman. Tours Britain.
1867 October – B&G Great Dragon Troupe leave Britain
1867 December 25 – Fraulein Omotu-san appears with Great Dragon Troupe in Vienna – first appearance of Omotu-san. Circus Renz – after serious illness. (if the same person as Lenton & Smith Omoto, would have been pregnant since October) Before departure for St Petersburg.
No mention of Omotu or Omoto in advertising or reviews January 1868 to April 1869 although “young woman dances on a stretched wire; the wire is wrapped in paper, it is lit, and the Japanese beauty calmly continues her dancing.” (Oct 1868 Dortmund)
1869 May 5th – Great Dragon Troupe reappear in Britain. “Specimens of Japanese “music” by Oide and Omotu, Mlle Omotu on the slack wire”
1869 June – August – Great Dragon Troupe in Paris but Omoto not mentioned in line up
1869 August – Northampton, Nottingham. “A lady who is called Mdlle Omotu – why mademoiselle is not apparent – performs on a wire in the manner of a tightrope artiste, with singular grace and dexterity, using a parasol apparently in place of a balancing pole” then plays music with Oide.
1869 September – Thomas King’s Royal Tycoon’s Private Troupe passport records for three years’ in Hong Kong have Moto/茂登 aged 38, from Asakusa, Isojirō’s shop/house, her daughter Sawa aged 18, son Kinjurō aged 8, along with Isokichi aged 52, from Yokohama.
1870 January – last mention of Omotu, in Dublin, with the Great Dragon Troupe
1870 July – Royal Tycoon’s Private Troupe in Britain, but the three older women in the passport records, Moto, Fusa and Mitsu are not mentioned in billings.
1871 February – Tannaker takes over Great Dragon Troupe
1871 April – census – Omoto Blekman aged 29, married, is in a lodging house in Luton with Blekman and other members of the Great Dragon Troupe, including Godayū.
1871 June – Isokichi leaves Britain with King’s Royal Tycoon’s Private Troupe. Probably touring Germany.
1871 November – birth of son in Southampton – registered as Edward Frederick Blekman, with Frederik Blekman as father, manager of travelling troupe, living in Henry Street, Hampstead Road, London.
1872 March – Blekman splits with Great Dragon Troupe/Tannaker
1872 March – Isokichi reappears in Britain with the Dragon Troupe of Siamese Juveniles
1872 April – Ottorasan (Ogawa Torakichi) is doing the wire walking for the troupe. Has a fall (or was it Omoto?).
1872 May Ottorasan falls again
1872 November 1872 the performances of Miss Omotosan upon the telegraph wire and slanting slack rope were loudly applauded
1872 December – Miss Omotosan ascends a slack rope at 45 degrees – Exeter
1873 February – son dies in Sunderland, buried as Little Godie at Bishopwearmouth Cemetery. Japanese prayers recited by Omoto. “Here lies little Godie, who died on the 21st of February, 1873, the son of Omoterson and Godie, native of Japan, and member of Tannaker’s Japanese.”
1873 April – Became pregnant.
1873 May – “Miss Omotosan performs with ease the most astounding feats on the slack wire and moreover ascends and descends, either backwards or forwards, a slanting slack rope at an angle of 45 degrees”. Norwich
1873 August – “Miss Omotosan, walking turning lying swinging on a telegraphic wire” Jersey.
1873 December Great Ascent on a Slanting Slack Rope at an angle of 45 deg. by Miss OMOTOSAN. Manchester
1874 January 10th – birth of daughter Minnie/Omeni in Manchester by Godayou. Omotosan performing. Name recorded as Omenie Godison or Godiaon. Omoto signs register with “her mark”. 33 Byrom Road, Manchester.
1874 September – Miss Omotersan “devoted her abilities to wire and rope performance. On the former she exceeds anything of the kind we have seen, but, in the slanting rope she excels all, at an angle of 45 degrees – according to the programme, without no other balancing article than a Japanese umbrella…Our penchant is not to flatter, but we cannot refrain from remarking the very taking appearance of Miss Omotersan” Nottingham
Photo below of Godayu and Omoto
1877 July – with Tannaker’s Jackitschy troupe in New York – The Charming Omoto – Tony Pastor’s Great Jackits-chy troupe – Tosanbrusan, Toke/osan, Oratto [Omoto], Tesambra, Little All Right, Dyasksan – New York
1878 September – birth of daughter Ohana in Denmark – adopted by a Danish family a year or so later.
1878 December – Omuto, Tokosan, Tommie Ketchie, Uttzura, Oto and Otomachi in Columbus, Ohio – Jackitschy Troupe.
1878 December – Tokosan, Tommie Ketchie, Omuto, Uttzura, Oto and Otomachi in Columbus Ohio. Phil H Irving manager.
1878 December – Jackits-chy supports tall pole with his feet, while lying on his back, upon which Omato performs many seemingly impossible feats. The Cleveland Leader
27 Dec 1878, Cleveland, Ohio p 5
1879 February – June Godayou troupe in Genoa
1879 May M.K. Godayou (Maruichi Kagami?) manager of the Godayou troupe writes to the New York Clipper from Genoa that the troupe is desirous of returning to America. Were 14 thirteen years ago, now four, including Tommykitchi, formerly Little Allright and Miss Omoto and Little Jack Allright, 6 years old. Also a stage servant and a little Japanese girl.
1879 December – Irving’s Jackitschy troupe, enlarged, 8 people. New York Clipper. Tokosan, the acrobatic Tommiketchi, the charming Omoto, the astonishing Otomachi, the celestial beauties Otto and Utzzurri and the astonishing, original and only Little All Right
1880 birth of daughter Take Kagami in Denmark
1882 birth of daughter Kame Kagami in Italy
1882 Omoto’s daughter, known as Melanie Parsons or Millie, who was adopted by George Frederic Parsons, dies in California, aged 19, from typhoid pneumonia.
1890 Godayou’s Troupe performing in Paris
1891 November arrives in Australia with Godayū and daughters on the RMS Coptic.
1891 December – to Hobart from Plymouth via Cap Town, Mr & Mrs Godayou “family 4” and Mr Sadee Kitchie
1891 December – First appearance of Godayou’s Tokio troupe at the Gaiety, Melbourne
1892 June -July – Children Mine, Take, Kame and Godayū perform as the Godayou troupe at the Bondi Aquarium Theatre.
1893 January – Great Godayou Troupe at Bondi Aquarium Theatre – Minnie Godayou, Komi Godayou, Omato Kagami, Kawai Tomoi, Kati Talo, Matz Goro, Kawai Sada, Kagami Godayou.
1894 November – Mr & Mrs K Godayou (both 38), Mr K Godayou junior 20, Miss Godayou 18, Miss L Godayou 13, Master Godayou 12, Master J Godayou 10, Master T Godayou 8 sailing from Sydney to Melbourne
1894 May – “Mr. Harry Rickards has engaged Godayou’s Tokio Troupe for the new entertainment to be presented at the Tivoli Theatre both this afternoon and in the evening. The Tokio acrobatic act will include the smallest lady juggler in the world (little Kame Godayou) Little Sake on blocks and boxes, Mr Kitchie the foot equilibrist in a Japanese screen act, Miss Minnie Godayou in a graceful butterfly act, and Messrs Godayou and Matz in their pole bearing act”
1895 February – Godayou troupe at the Tivoli, Sydney.
1895 daughter Minnie marries Hajime Furusawa in Australia
1896 grand daughter Yoshino born to Minnie and Hajime
1896 January – Godayou troupe in Adelaide.
1897 January – Godayou Troupe at Theatre Royal Adelaide
1898 January – Godayou Troupe in Sydney with Fitzgerald Brothers’ Circus
1898 grand daughter Suma born to Minnie and Hajime
1899 February – Godayou troupe in Tasmania
1900 October – Godayou the Japanese balancer. The Godayou Japanese – bamboo aerial balancing. Sydney
1900 December – Godayū dies in St Kilda, Australia
1901 Passage of Immigration Restriction Act marks the beginning of the White Australia Policy as federal government policy.
1905 granddaughter Akis born in Australia to Minnie and Hajime
1911 January – release of a film “Kioday and Godayou” A one minute excerpt can be seen on YouTube here https://youtu.be/2jgroG2HX3Y
1916 dies in Australia, aged 73. Buried with Kame Kagami who died in 1968
1941 December – Kame Kagami, dress maker aged 59 is interned.
Ninjin 