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Tōyama no Kin-san

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Tōyama no Kin-san (遠山の金さん) is a popular character based on the historical Tōyama Kagemoto, a samurai and official of the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period of Japanese history.[1] In kabuki and kōdan, he was celebrated under his childhood name, Kinshirō, shortened to Kin-san. He was said to have left home as a young man, and lived among the commoners, even having a tattoo of flowering sakura trees on his shoulder. This story developed into a legend of helping the common people.

The novelist Tatsurō Jinde (陣出達郎) wrote a series of books about Kin-san. Noted actor Chiezō Kataoka starred[2] in a series of eighteen Toei jidaigeki films about him. Several Japanese television networks have aired series based on the character. These variously portrayed him pretending to be a petty hood or a yojinbō while solving crimes as the chief of police.

People famous for having portrayed Kin-san on television include kabuki stars Nakamura Umenosuke IV and Ichikawa Danshirō, singers Yukio Hashi and Teruhiko Saigō,[3] and actors Ryōtarō Sugi, Hideki Takahashi,[4] Hiroki Matsukata,[5] and Kōtarō Satomi.[6] Saigō and Satomi portrayed Kin-san in the series Edo o Kiru.

Film versions

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Eighteen films from Toei starred Chiezō Kataoka:

  • The Tattooed Magistrate: Cherry Blossoms Dance Volume (いれずみ判官 桜花乱舞の巻) (1950)
  • The Tattooed Magistrate: Fallen Flowers Showdown Volume (いれずみ判官 落花対決の巻) (1950)
  • The Official and the Princess of Thieves (女賊と判官) (1951)
  • The Well-known Magistrate (お馴染み判官 あばれ神輿) (1951)
  • The Jumping Magistrate (飛びっちょ判官) (1952)
  • The Bloody Cherry Blossom Magistrate (血ざくら判官) (1954)
  • A Gang of Five (勢ぞろい喧嘩若衆) (1955)
  • The Fighting Magistrate (喧嘩奉行) (1955)
  • The Roar of The Lion (荒獅子判官) (1955)
  • Short Sword Magistrate (長脇差奉行) (1956)
  • Pirates Magistrate (海賊奉行) (1957)
  • Falcon Magistrate (はやぶさ奉行) (1957)
  • Fireball Magistrate (火の玉奉行) (1958)
  • Whirlwind Magistrate (たつまき奉行) (1959)
  • The Edo Official and the Apprentice (江戸っ子判官とふり袖小僧) (1959)
  • The Official with a Tattoo (御存じいれずみ判官) (1960)
  • The Magistrate of Chess (さいころ奉行) (1961)
  • Sakura Official (さくら判官) (1962)

Television series

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References

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  1. ^ "デジタル大辞泉プラス「遠山の金さん」の解説". KOTOBANK. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  2. ^ "Chiezō Kataoka profile". NHK. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  3. ^ "Edo wo Kiru2". TBS. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  4. ^ "Tōyama no Kin-san". JCOM. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  5. ^ "Tōyama no Kin-san". ぎふチャン. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  6. ^ "TOKIO松岡昌宏、里見浩太朗と"遠山金四郎"共演「お手本のような存在」". ORICON. Retrieved August 4, 2021.