Real name: Honma Toshio

Guild: Yamatoya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Existence: 21 June 1937 ~ 23 April 2004

Connections:

Great-grandfather: Morita Kan'ya XII

Grandfather: Morita Kan'ya XIII

Father: Bandô Kôtarô

Master: Bandô Mitsugorô VIII

Brother: Bandô Yajûrô

Grandson: Bandô Kokichi

Career:

August 1952: he becomes disciple of Bandô Minosuke VI and makes his first appearance on stage in Kyôto at the Minamiza, where he receives the name of Bandô Kichiya II.

March 1958: Kichiya takes part in the final Kabuki performance at the Ôsaka Kabukiza [more details].

1960: Kichiya joins the world of movies, signing a contract with the famous company Tôei.

September 1962: Kichiya is back in the Kabuki world.

1969: Kichiya becomes nadai.

May~June 1994: first edition of the Cocoon Kabuki, which is staged at the Shibuya Bunkamura Theater Cocoon and recreates the atmosphere of the Edo koshibai and brings the actors closer to the audience. The play "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan" is coproduced by Nakamura Kankurô V and the playwright Kushida Kazumi; Kichiya plays the role of Takuetsu [more details].

August~September 1996: second edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; Kichiya plays the role of Tsuribune Sabu [more details].

March 2004: Kichiya plays for the last time the role of Yazaemon in the "Sushiya" scene of the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which is staged at the Kabukiza.

April 2004: Kichiya is supposed to play at the Shôchikuza the roles of Magoemon and Kôchiya Tokubei in the dramas "Shinjû Ten no Amajima" and "Onna Goroshi Abura no Jigoku" but he suddenly dies the 23rd of April.

Comments:

Bandô Kichiya II, a tachiyaku and oyajigata actor, was not born in the Kamigata but he spent there many years, trained by his master Bandô Minosuke VI. Therefore, many of his best roles belonged to the Kamigata Kabuki: Kuheiji ("Sonezaki Shinjû"), Gozaemon ("Shinjû Ten no Amajima"), Tsuribune Sabu ("Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"), Magoemon ("Ninokuchi-Mura") and Gihei ("Obiya"). He was also a frequent performer of the role of Yazaemon in the "Sushiya" scene of the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".