Stage names:

Ichikawa Danjûrô I
Ichikawa Ebizô I

Guild: Naritaya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Saigyû

Existence: 1660 ~ 19 February 1704

Connection:

Sons: Ichikawa Ebizô II (Danjûrô II), Ichikawa Sen'ya

Grandson: Ichikawa Ebizô III (Danjûrô IV)

Great-grandson: Ichikawa Hakuen I (Danjûrô V)

Great-great-grandson: Ichikawa Momotarô

Great-great-great-grandson: Ichikawa Ebizô V (Danjûrô VII)

Great-great-great-great-grandson: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII, Ichikawa Danjûrô IX, Ichikawa Ebizô VII, Ichikawa Ebizô VIII, Ichikawa Komazô VI, Ichikawa Saruzô I, Ichikawa Kôzô

Disciples: Ichikawa Danzô I, Ichikawa Sôzaburô I, Mimasuya Sukejûrô I, Ichikawa Danshirô I, Ichikawa Kaoru I, Ichikawa Hikogorô, Ichikawa Shikibu, Ichikawa Taijirô, Ichikawa Jûgorô, Ichikawa Kodanji I, Ichikawa Wakamatsu, Ichikawa Takenosuke, Ichikawa Chôjûrô, Ichikawa Danjirô I, Ichikawa Dannojô I

Career:

1660: born in Edo. His father, called Horikoshi Juzô, is an otokodate.

1673: he appears of stage for the first time, playing under the name of Ichikawa Ebizô the role of Sakata Kintoki in the drama "Shitennô Ochigodachi", which is staged at the Nakamuraza. This is the first time in Kabuki that an actor uses a kumadori make-up, made up of black and red lines. The aragoto style originates from this performance, which is a triumphant success.

May 1675: Ichikawa Ebizô takes the name of Ichikawa Danjûrô, playing for the first time the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the drama "Kachidoki Homare no Soga", which is performed at the Yamamuraza. His stage partners in the roles of Kudô Saemon Suketsune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari are Nagashima Isoemon and Miyazaki Denkichi. This play is the first sogamono in Kabuki history. The ideogram for "Dan" is not yet the one that will be the official ideogram used by the Ichikawa Danjûrô line of actors:

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January 1676: Danjûrô plays the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the drama "Soga Ryôsha no Tamamono", which is staged at the Nakamuraza. His stage partners in the roles of Kudô Saemon Suketsune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari are Wakayama Jûjirô and Nakamura Shichisaburô I.

March 1680: the very first sayaate scene in Kabuki history is staged at the Ichimuraza; Danjûrô plays the role of Fuwa Banzaemon [more details].

August 1682: Danjûrô achieves a great success at the Ichimuraza by playing the role of Gotô Saemon in the drama "Oguri Chûkô Guruma", whose plot and characters belong to the "Oguri Hangan" world. His stage partner in the role of Ike no Shôji is Noda Kuranosuke.

March 1683: Danjûrô writes the script and plays the role of Fuwa Banzaemon in the drama "Nyojaku Nigabyakudô", which is performed at the Moritaza. His stage partners are Ichikawa Shinkurô (Nagoya Sanza), Takenaka Shôdayû (the courtesan Katsuragi) and Miyazaki Denkichi (Umezu Kamon).

March 1684: Danjûrô plays for the first time the role of the wicked priest Narukami in the drama "Kadomatsu Shitennô" ("Narukami"), which is staged at the Nakamuraza. He is the author of the play and his stage partner in the role of Princess Taema is the onnagata actor Itô Kodayû II.

May 1684: Danjûrô writes the script and plays in the same theater the role of Fuwa Banzaemon in the drama "Fuwa Sokushin no Ikazuchi". His stage partners are Katsuyama Hikoshirô (Nagoya Sanza) and Nakayama Kiyonosuke (the courtesan Katsuragi).

March 1685: Danjûrô plays the role of Kompei in the drama "Gyoran Kaichô Kompei Dôshin", which is performed at the Ichimuraza. He achieves a great success in duo with Itô Kodayû II in the role of the daughter of the dragon king. His others stage partners are Murayama Heijûrô, Saruwaka Sanzaemon, Ôkuma Udaemon and Ichimura Wakadayû.

1686: Danjûrô plays one more time the role of Fuwa Banzaemon at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Fuwa Sokushin no Ikazuchi". This is a huge success.

March 1688: Danjûrô plays the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the drama "Jidai Kyôdai Soga", which is staged at the Yamamuraza. His stage partner in the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari is Miyazaki Denkichi. The two actors move the 21st of the month at the Nakamuraza to play the same roles in the drama "Yakko Asahina Ôiso Gayoi". Their stage partners in the roles of the courtesan Ôiso no Tora (Jûrô's lover) and Asahina are Takenaka Shôdayû and Nakamura Denkurô I. This is the first Kabuki play with both the character of Asahina and a kamisuki scene between Jûrô and Tora.

March 1689: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Fuwa Banzaemon in the drama "Nagoya Taizen".

February 1690: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Araoka Genta Saemon in the drama "Daikichi Bushi Kagami". The tachimawari of this play is a great success.

July 1690: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Kimpira in the drama "Kimpira Kôron".

November 1691: Danjûrô plays the leading eponymous role of the play "Shuten Dôji", which is staged at the Moritaza.

January 1692: Danjûrô performs in the same theater in the drama "Asahina Hyaku Monogatari".

November 1692: Danjûrô performs in the same theater in the drama "Nihon Daikyû Shinzei Hachirô" but it is not a success. The play is replaced by one whose plot and characters belong to the "Nagoya Sanza-Fuwa Banzaemon" world.

January 1693: Danjûrô performs in the same theater in the drama "Nidaime Fuwa Banzaemon Shimabara Kitsune".

March 1693: Danjûrô performs in the same theater in the drama "Chûjô Hime".

May 1693: Danjûrô moves to the Nakamuraza, changes the ideogram for "Dan" in his name (Cf. 1675) and plays the role of Kazusanosuke in the drama "Shinsen Sesshôseki". His stage partners are Sodeoka Masanosuke II (Tamamo-no-Mae), Nakamura Denkurô I (a fox looking like Miuranosuke) and Tanishima Mondo (Miuranosuke).

November 1693: Danjûrô moves to Kyôto and plays the role of Ôhara Jirozaemon in the drama "Hako Denju", which is produced by Murayama Heiemon III. His stage partners are Mizuki Tatsunosuke I, Yamatoya Jimbei II, Tomizawa Samanosuke, Otowa Katsunojô and Uemura Takenojô.

January 1694: Danjûrô performs in the same theater in the play "Genji Musha Homare no Seiriki", exhibiting the aragoto style for the Kyôto audience. He also achieves a great success in duo with the onnagata Itô Shôdayû in the dance drama "Meguriai Koi no Tanabata", playing the roles of Prince Hikoboshi and Princess Orihime, who can meet only once a year during the night of Tanabata.

March 1694: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of the wicked priest Narukami in the drama "Narukami Yûjoron"; the role of Princess Taema is played by Mizuki Tatsunosuke I.

September 1694: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane in the drama "Kumagai Nagori no Sakazuki". His stage partners are Mizuki Tatsunosuke I (Tomoe no Mae), Yamatoya Jimbei II (Taira no Tadanori), Murayama Heiemon III (Iga Heinai Saemon), Sakata Tôkurô (Taira no Michimori), Iwai Hananojô (Michimori's wife), Onoe Taganojô I (Taira no Atsumori), Tomizawa Samanosuke (Kumagai's wife) and Uemura Takenojô (Kumagai's son).

November 1694: Danjûrô is back in Edo and performs in the drama "Kimpira Kaidan Yaburi", which is staged at the Yamamuraza. His yearly salary reaches 500 ryô.

January 1695: his rank in the Edo hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He performs in the same theater in the play "Katsuragi Kôkiden", which is a big success.

March 1695: Danjûrô performs in the same theater in the play "Usuyuki Emon Zakura".

April 1695: Danjûrô performs in the same theater in the play "Tsuwamono Kongen Soga".

July 1695: Danjûrô performs in the same theater in the play "Isshin Niga Byakudô".

October 1695: Danjûrô performs in the same theater in the play "Izumo no Ôyashiro".

November 1695: Danjûrô performs in the same theater in the play "Kaomise Jûnidan"". His stage partner is the great Kamigata onnagata Ogino Sawanojô, who left the Yamamuraza to join the Ichimuraza. This is the beginning of a great duo, the first goruden kombi in Kabuki history.

April 1696: Danjûrô and Ogino Sawanojô achieve a great success in the same theater by playing the roles of the wicked priest Narukami and Princess Taema in the drama "Narukami Shônin Sansesô Taema no Chûjô Hime" ("Narukami").

November 1696: Danjûrô moves to the Nakamuraza and write the script of the play "Neko no Koneko", commonly called "Onna Narukami". The leading female role is played by the Kamigata actor Ogino Sawanojô.

January 1697: premiere of the bombastic "Shibaraku" scene (kabuki jûhachiban), at the Nakamuraza, performed within the new year drama "Daifukuchô Sankai Nagoya". Danjûrô plays the superhero role and his stage partners are Ogino Sawanojô and Yamanaka Heikurô I.

March 1697: Sawanojô and Danjûrô play in the same theater the roles of Tamakura and Yagorô in the drama "Kantô Koroku".

May 1697: Sawanojô and Danjûrô play in the same theater the roles of Ninomiya and Fudô in the drama "Tsuwamono Kongen Soga". Danjûrô's son makes his first appearance on stage, receiving the name of Ichikawa Kuzô I and portraying for the first time in Kabuki history the Deity Fudô (kabuki jûhachiban).

June 1698: Sawanojô and Danjûrô play in the same theater the roles of Asaka and Kamata Hyôe in the drama "Ryûjo Sanjûnisô". The role of the villain Taira no Kiyomori is played by Yamanaka Heikurô I.

September 1698: Sawanojô and Danjûrô play in the same theater the roles of Princess Taema and the wicked priest Narukami in the drama "Gempei Narukami Denki" (also called "Kumo no Taema Nagori no Tsuki"). This is Ogino Sawanojô's last performance, who retires and open an incent and perfume shop in Edo.

November 1698: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Satô Tadanobu in the drama "Yoshino Shizuka Goban Tadanobu". The role of the monk warrior Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan is played by Ôtani Hiroemon I.

January 1699: Danjûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô (superior - superior). He plays in the same theater the role of Hachimune Ikaranosuke in the drama "Onna Hida no Takumi".

March 1699: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Ukishima Danjô in the drama "Kongen Shinoda Wagô no Tama".

May 1699: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the roles of Fuwa Banzemon (wearing a shiraga wig) and Banrei Nyûdô in the drama "Katsuragi Sayo Arashi". The roles of Nagoya Sanza and the courtesan Katsuragi are played by Murayama Shirôji and Kishida Kogenji. This performance is a huge success.

July 1699: Danjûrô writes the script and plays in the same theater the role of Kôga Saburô in the drama "Isshin Gokai no Tama".

September 1699: last performance at the Nakamuraza for Danjûrô, who performs in a farewell sogamono.

November 1699: Danjûrô moves to the Moritaza and performs in the drama "Tôsei Okuni Kabuki", which celebrates the arrival of the Kamigata actor Uemura Kichisaburô and the end of the retirement of Ogino Sawanojô. The script was written by Danjûrô under his pen name of Mimasu Hyôgo. The performance is a tremendous success.

January 1700: Danjûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He writes the script and plays in the same theater the role of Kamakura Gongorô Kagemasa in the drama "Kagemasa Ikazuchi Mondô".

March 1700: Danjûrô writes the script and plays in the same theater the role of Kumedera Danjô Saemon in the drama "Wakoku Gosuiden".

May 1700: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the drama "Dainihon Tekkai Sennin". The roles of Soga Jûrô Sukenari and the courtesan Ôiso no Tora (Jûrô's lover) are played by Miyazaki Denkichi and Ogino Sawanojô.

November 1700: Danjûrô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays the role of Kimpira in the kaomise drama "Kimpira Rokujô Gayoi". His son Ichikawa Kuzô I, playing the role of Kaidômaru, delivers his first lines during this performance.

January 1701: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Yamagami Gennai Saemon [print] in the drama "Keisei Ôshôkun", which includes for the first time in Kabuki history the "Zôhiki" scene (kabuki jûhachiban).

March 1701: Danjûrô writes the script and plays in the same theater the role of Umezu Rokurô in the drama "Shusse Sumidagawa".

May 1701: Danjûrô writes the script and performs in the same theater in the drama "Nihon Gion Shôja".

July 1701: Danjûrô writes the script and performs in the same theater in the drama "Imayô Shuten Dôji".

November 1701: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Fuwa Banzaemon in the kaomise drama "Keisei Ikazuchi Mondô".

January 1702: Danjûrô performs in the same theater in the new year drama "Kamadagaie no Daikoku Bashira".

February 1702: Danjûrô writes the script and plays in the same theater the role of the monk warrior Benkei in the drama "Hoshiawase Jûnidan", which is the first adaptation to Kabuki of the Nô play "Ataka", which is performed at the Moritaza. This work will inspire Ichikawa Ebizô V and the playwright Namiki Gohei III for the creation of the masterpiece dance-drama "Kanjinchô" in 1840. The performance is a huge success and a long run (from the 2nd of february to the 25th of June).

July 1702: Danjûrô and his son Ichikawa Kuzô I achieve a great success by playing in the same theater the roles of the 2 Benkei ("Ninin Benkei") in the drama "Shimpan Takadachi Benkeijô".

October 1702: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Kumedera Danjô in the drama "Yûgao no Kannon Hôben". There is another Kumedera Danjô in this play, which is played by Ichikawa Danshirô I.

November 1702: Danjûrô moves to the Moritaza (for a yearly salary of 700 ryô) and plays the role of Araoka Genta in the kaomise drama "Tenchijin Tsutsumamori". His son plays for the first time the superhero role in a "Shibaraku" scene.

April 1703: Danjûrô writes the script and plays in the same theater the roles of Ôtomo no Kuronushi and the Deity Fudô in the drama "Naritasan Bunshin Fudô".

July 1703: Danjûrô writes the script and plays in the same theater the role of Ôhara Gotô Saemon in the drama "Oguri Jûnidan".

November 1703: Danjûrô moves to the Ichimuraza and plays the role of Ishiyama Genta Saemon in the kaomise drama "Genji Rokujûjô" (he wrote the script). The same play is staged in January 1704.

February 1704: Danjûrô writes the script and performs in the same theater in the drama "Watamashi Jûnidan". He is stabbed the 19th of this month by the actor Ikushima Hanroku in his dressing room and dies a violent death.

Comments:

Ichikawa Danjûrô I was the founder of the most famous line of Edo actors and the official creator of the aragoto acting style. He was also a talented playwright who wrote around 50 scripts under the name of Mimasuya Hyôgo (sometimes cosigned with Nakamura Seizaburô or Nakamura Seigorô). "He felt that playwriting and acting were like the two wheels of the same cart, but that actors who write are actors before they are dramatists. He was consistent in his belief that play were merely the means whereby a performance could be extracted from an actor. The ultimate aim of any play, he argued, is to please the audience" (Samuel Leiter, "New Kabuki Encyclopedia").

He created the first version of 2 of the most famous plays belonging to the kabuki jûhachiban collection: "Narukami" (January 1684) and "Shibaraku" (January 1697). He performed the first sayaate and kusazuribiki scenes in Kabuki history. He was the first actor to portray the deity Fudô Myôô (May 1697), whom he worshipped with deep devotion during all his career and who granted several of his wishes: birth of his son, a salary of 400 ryô (in fact it is said that his salary went up to 800 ryô, an enormous amount of money at that time) or fame in Kamigata. His yagô Naritaya came from the Narita Fudôson temple dedicated to the cult of the deity Fudô Myôô.

Ichikawa Danjûrô I was the first Kabuki actor to write haiku and hold a haimyô.

Ichikawa Danjûrô I, Nakamura Shichisaburô I and Nakamura Denkurô I were in Edo the leading triumvirat of Genroku stars.

Ichikawa Danjûrô playing the role of Soga "Takenuki" Gorô in the play "Tsuwamono Gongen Soga", which was performed at the Nakamuraza in May 1697 (print made by Torii Kiyomasu I)

Print made by Torii Kiyomasu in 1697

Print made by Torii Kiyomasu in 1701

The Ichikawa Ebizô line of actors

The Ichikawa Danjûrô line of actors