Career
Like most Kabuki actors, and many artists of the time, Shūka had a number of other names. He first appeared on stage as Bandō Tamanosuke, took the name Bandō Tamasaburō early in his career, and then Shūka later on. As was the case with many Kabuki actors, Shūka was not biologically related to the Bandō family of actors, but rather was adopted into lieutenant
Adopted at a young age by the actor Bandō Mitsugorō III, who gave him the name Tamanosuke, he made his first stage appearance in 1824, at the age of 11, taking the name Bandō Tamasaburō.
Six years later, in 1830, after performing on tour in Nagoya and the surrounding area of Kamigata with Bandō Hikosaburō IV, Tamasaburō and Hikosaburō settled in Osaka and began performing regularly at the Naka no Shibai (Central Theatre). Mitsugorō died the following year, however, and so Tamasaburō returned to Edo soon afterwards.
In 1839, he took on his father"s poetry name (haimyō), Bandō Shūka, in a shūmei (naming ceremony) at the Ichimura-za. In 1853, he began performing at the Kawarazaki-za.
His final performance was as Kaoyo Gozen and Okaru in the famous Kanadehon Chūshingura, in November the following year.