Hired for two years to October 1868 by Professor Risley, via Edward Banks, 12 performers, 18 members, including (in 1867):= (by passport number)
- Sumidagawa Namigorō 隅田川浪五郎 (butterfly trick b 1830 Tokyo) Magician, karakuri UK
- Sumidagawa Koman (female, top spinner, b 1832, wife of Namigorō, real name Towa) UK
- Sumidagawa Matsugorō (rope walker, brother of Towa, also known as Towakichi, b 1850, apprentice and adopted by Namigorō). UK
- Sumidagawa Tō (female, shamisen player, b 1847, sister of Namigorō) returned to Japan
- Sumidagawa Namishichi ( costumier b 1831, real name Umekichi, apprentice to Namigorō) (UK Mikichisan/Mikzan?) returned to Japan
6. Matsui Kikujirō (top spinner b 1837, living in Asakusa – ward before the Ryuhō-ji, brother or apprentice of Matsui Gensui) died in London 1868
7. Matsui Tsune (female, b 1858 or 1859), top spinner) returned to Japan
8. Matsui Shinjirō/Matsugorō (props assistant b 1830) barber returned to Japan
9. Umekichi (also known as Toyokichi, stage name Hamaikari Yonekichi, b 1854 or 1855) apprentice to Rinzō. UK 1871
10. Fujimatsu (b 1857 or 1854, stage name Hamaikari Fujikichi and also Sentarō/Shintharo, also Matsuju) possibly substituted for Umekichi UK 1871
Umekichi and Fujimatsu were kakubeejishi, with Sadakichi as the understander/bottom man. Rinzō’s apprentices brought to Edo from Echigo by their father when younger. Apprenticed to Kikujiro.
11. Hamaikari Sadakichi (understander in balancing act, b 1832) From second block of Kyōmachi in Yoshiwara.
12. Hamaikari Chōkichi (Nagakichi?) (upper in balancing act, b 1856 adopted son of Sadakichi) 1871 UK
13. Hamaikari Umekichi/Mikichi/Little All Right (upper in balancing act with Sadakichi, b 1855) “son” of Sadakichi.
14. Hamaikari Iwakichi/Takano Hirohachi also Ichitarō (overseer, diarist, b 1820 or 1822) (Swakichi?) returned to Japan
15. Hamaikari Denkichi (acrobat, foot equilibrist, b 1848) apprentice to Iwakichi or Sadakichi more likely. 1871 UK
16. Hamaikari Kanekichi (understander, narrator, stage manager, b 1840) returned to Japan
17. Hamaikari Rinzō (Flute, b 1837) training master of kakubeejishi, returned to Japan. From Koishikawa Kami-tomisaka-chō
18. Hamaikari Shigematsu (drums, scenic artist, b 1829) UK carpenter, returned to Japan. From Tsumagoi-chō
Also Chinese interpreter/performer, Dicksan (UK), Lee?
1866 December 2 leave Yokohama on Nepaul
1867 January – perform in San Francisco, then east coast. Sadakichi falls and is injured.
1867 July 10 leave New York
1867 July 26 arrive Paris via Queenstown, Ireland, Liverpool, L’Havre.
1867 July – Perform at the Cirque Napoleon, outside the Exposition grounds in Paris to October then perform in France until December 1867 TROUPE IMPÉRIALE JAPONAISE DU TAICOUN MM. Maguire et Risley
1867 December arrive in Britain
1868 “They comprise “Hamikiri Sadakichi (the premier artiste), Hamaikati Mikichi (or “Little All-right,” as he was called in America), Denkichi, Tjokichi, Zumidangarva Wamingaroo, Yonekichi, Shintharo, Matsuikikujiru, Swakichi, Linzoa, Dicksan, Zunndangawa Matzungoro, Shingeamatzu, Mikichisan Masangoro, Hanekichi, and three ladies, Mesdames Komong, O’tho’a, and Ozunei. In all nineteen performers.
1868 January in Birmingham then Leeds
1868 January 22 Van Gieson brought in to manage troupe, replacing Maguire.
1868 February lawsuit between Wittgenstein and Maguire in London and between Fisher and Maguire in New York.
1868 February in Bradford, Manchester, Blackburn (13th)
1868 February 16th? – Hamaikari Sadakichi, Mikichi and ? are in St Petersburg performing with Great Dragon Troupe.
1868 February 22nd in Hull
1868 February – WS Gilbert goes to Paris to review for the Illustrated Times as The Theatrical Lounger
1868 March 1 in Netherlands
1868 April – back in London – Edward Banks mentioned in advertising as Deputy Consul to Japan, now interpreter and stage director to the company
1868 April – “The Japanese conjurors and acrobats are certainly clever, but I do not think that they surpass their Whitechapel rivals so completely to justify their entrepreneur in expecting make his fortune by them. They are certainly more expert than the clumsy impostors who appeared at St. Martin’s Hall some months since. The most marked peculiarity in their performance consists in the apparent awkwardness with which they accomplish dangerous and difficult feats. There is none of that quasi-picturesque smartness about them that is so characteristic of the British acrobat, and their ungainliness adds to the effect of their performances. One of their tricks, in the course of which a small boy mounts ladder thirty feet high, from the upper end of which another ladder projects right angles, the whole structure simply resting the shoulders of a stalwart member of the troupe, is much too dangerous. An accident will probably happen, and then perhaps the performance will be prohibited. Assuredly, if a slip were to occur, the small boy would be dashed to atoms; and that the possibility of such an accident taking place has suggested itself to the management is evident from the fact that a strong rope is stretched across the theatre, so that the ladder may not fall on any member of the audience. The butterfly trick and the top-spinning are neither better nor worse than when I saw them at St Martin’s Hall. A pretty view of Yokohama gives a local colouring to the performance.” The Theatrical Lounger, Illustrated Times, 25 April 1868 p10
1868 May – Prince and Princess of Wales attend a performance at the Lyceum
Sadakichi performs perche on shoulder without socket or rest with Mikichi/Little All Right. Denkichi does tub and drum feet balancing with Yonekichi and Sentaro. Transformation Fox scene with a screen by Denkichi and Little All Right’s brother. Yonekichi and Sentaro do contortions.
1868 June – Hamaikari Sadakichi’s wife Tō gives birth
1868 June – final performances of Japanese at the Crystal Palace – Little Allright and Hamaikari Sadakichi before leave for Madrid
1868 June – Imperial troupe depart for Spain
1868 October depart Spain for Portugal
1868 October – Hamaikari and his sons Sadakiki and Mikiki performed a trick with a bamboo cane with Great Dragon Troupe in Dortmund, Germany.
1868 November – contract with Risley ends (Mihara)
1868 December depart Portugal for France
1869 January depart France for New York. Banks tries to run off with the takings.
1869 February – 8 of the troupe return to Japan – According to Kurata this is the Sumidagawas, Tsune and Matsugorō from Matsui Kikujiro group and Hirohachi. 9 stay – The Hamaikaris including Sadakichi and Kanematsu and Umekichi – under new contract to Risley. Later events and Mihara suggest the 8 who returned were mostly the backstage and musicians – Sumidagawa Namishichi, Sumidagawa Tō, Matsui Matsugorō, Iwakichi, Hamaikari Shigematsu and possibly Rinzō and Kanekichi if later newspaper ads were still using an old line up, without removing their names.
1869 February – Arrest warrant for Hamaikari Sadakichi for not paying rent and revenue dues in New York. Hamaikari paid up.
1869 June 1 – Marysville Daily Appeal – Risley troupe desire to cancel their engagement and return home at once.
1869 June – to December reappear in Britain – Liverpool, Crystal Palace then Nottingham and Lincoln – 12 performers initially only Little All Right and Count Denkichi, Chief Ozunei/Otsune mentioned, Hamaikari Sadakichi (Count Sadakichi), Koman (Komong), Matsugorō (Matzungoro rope dancing), Yonekichi, Namigorō (Namengoro legerdemain), Sentarō (Shintharo), Chōkichi (Tjokichi magic ladder)
1869 July – last mention of Sadakichi
1869 August – joined by Thomas Lenton and his two pupils
1869 August – Professor Risley was indicted for accosting a twelve year old girl Maria Mason near Leicester Square, released on bail and eventually found not guilty in October.
1869 October – Stamford/Grantham advertising using old line up copy but with Count Denkichi – Tjokichi Yonekichi, Rinzō, Kanekichi, Matzuikikujiri (presumably Matsui Kikujirō but he died in April 1868)
1869 November – Swansea
1870 January – Denkichi, Komong, All Right, Hamaikiri, Yonekichi, Matzungoro in Southampton
February no mention of names of members of Imperial troupe in British press apart from Little All Right.
1870 March – Professor Risley returns to New York from England with a Spanish Ballet Troupe. Imperial Troupe depart England for St Petersburg (The Era 6th March).
1870 April “Imperial Japanese jugglers” at Crystal Palace
1870 April – Professor Risley and his Japanese are in Cologne and are doing the Rhine towns, then onto France and Paris (North Briton)
1870 May – Imperial Tycoon troupe in Workington
1870 June 5th – July 3 – Risley Troupe, 20 performers, Hamaikiri, in Vienna, Austria
1870 June 30th – Imperial Troupe of Japanese – Buckinghamshire (not Risley’s?) or advertised but did not appear
1870 August 7th – September 1 – Imperial troupe reappear in Vienna, on way back to London (Fremden Blatt) Includes Schookee (musician), Madame Komong (tight rope), Matsunguro (rope walking), Hamaikiri Denkichi and the young Shintaro (shoulder balancing), Little Allright, Namigoro, Yonekichi.
1871 April census Hamaikari Denkichi (21), Yonekichi (Yonniekiche 18), Sentarō (Sandaro, 17), Chōkichi (Shooke 16) living in London. M Isangrave 40 (Matsugoro?), born in Japan
1871 June – July – Professor Risley’s Imperial Japanese Troupe in New York, of Crystal Palace London, with Little Allright, returned from an extended European tour – part of John R McDonough’s transatlantic novelty troupe
1871 October – according to Kurata – Denkichi, Umekichi/Little All Right and possibly Fujimatsu (possibly under the name Kintarō ) had returned to Japan, leaving Hamaikari Sadakichi, Umekichi/Toyokichi/Yonekichi, Fujimatsu/Fujikichi/Sentarō/Shintharo, Chokichi and Dicksan. Seems more likely Sadakichi returned, leaving Denkichi to lead.
1871 November – Graz, Austria – performance by Prof Risley’s Japanese under the leadership of their leader Hamaikiri. They only appear once on their journey to Italy. Shintaro, Denkichi, Little Allright, Yonekichi, Schookee.
1872 February – in Italy – Hamaikiri Denkichi – Tycoon’s Japanese
1872 Sumidagawa Namigorō and Chiyo perform in front of Russian Grand Duke Alexis in Japan
1873 June – Western Times – Buenos Aires April – the clever troupe of Japanese gymnasts and jugglers that created so much attention in England two years ago have just been here for a month’s stay. Little Allright a great favorite here as well as at home. They leave for Vienna in a few days to settle there during the exhibition.
1875 Sumidagawa Namigorō and Matsugorō are issued passports to work in France, returning to Japan in 1884
1891 Sumidagawa Matsugorō applies to Japanese consulate in Hamburg regarding identity documentation needed for his marriage to a German woman.
1895 Sumidagawa Matsugorō is in Hamburg
1901 census Rodayshi Richi visitor aged 46 (Yonekichi?), Jins Sadakichi 19.
1901 October – Circus of Varieties, Greenock – Imperial Japanese Troupe, Sadakichi, Monkichi, Ando, Tama
1901 November – Sadakichi in his breathless slide for life, Ando Japanese juggler and top spinner, Minkichi in his perch performance – Greenock.
1902 March – Mr & Mrs Ando, Moto, Mitsu, Ohana and Otosy depart Liverpool for New York, with Sadakichi aged 45 (Yonekichi?) and O Sadakichi 18 – men described as farmers.
1902 December – Moto, Mitsu and Sadakichis return to England
For more on the Troupe see Professor Risley and the Imperial Japanese Troupe by Frederik L. Schodt
Ninjin 