Stage names:
Ichikawa Danjûrô VI
Ichikawa Ebizô IV
Ichikawa Tokuzô
Guild: Naritaya
Line number: ROKUDAIME (VI)
Poetry names: Sanshô, Hakuen
Existence: 1778 ~ 13 May 1799
Connection:
Adopted father: Ichikawa Danjûrô V
Adopted son: Ichikawa Ebizô V
Disciple: Ichikawa Danshichi
Career:
1778 ~ 1781: born in Edo. He is most likely the illegitimate son of Ichikawa Danjûrô V. He is adopted by Izumiya Kanjûrô, the nephew of Ichikawa Danjûrô V and manager of a shibai jaya.
October 1781: he is adopted by Ichikawa Danjûrô V, who gives him the name of Ichikawa Tokuzô.
January 1782: Tokuzô makes his first stage appearance, at the Nakamuraza.
November 1782: Ichikawa Tokuzô takes the name of Ichikawa Ebizô IV at the Nakamuraza, palying in the kaomise drama "Godai Genji Mitsugi no Furisode".
January 1788: Ebizô achieves a great success at the Kiriza by playing the role of the medice peddler Tôkichi in the "Uirô Uri" scene, which is performed within the drama "Keisei Natori Soga".
January 1789: Ebizô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, koyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1791: great shûmei at the Ichimuraza; The actors Ichikawa Danjûrô V and Ichikawa Ebizô IV respectively take the names of Ichikawa Ebizô and Ichikawa Danjûrô VI. The new Danjûrô plays the roles of Sanada Yoichi and Ushiwaka in the kaomise drama "Kin no Menuki Genke no Kakutsuba".
September 1792: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Koganosuke in the classic "Imoseyama Onna Teikin"; the role of Hinadori is played by Segawa Tomisaburô II.
May 1793: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the roles of Rikiya and Nikaidô Hyôgônosuke in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
Fall 1793: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Shinomiya Rokurô in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".
November 1793: Danjûrô plays at the Miyakoza in the kaomise drama "Yasa Gumbai Miyako no Jintori". His stage partners are Segawa Kikunojô III, Iwai Kumesaburô I, Ôtani Hiroji III and Bandô Mitsugorô II.
July 1794: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Fuwa Bansuke in the drama "Keisei Sambon Gasa".
September 1794: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Kamei Rokurô in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
November 1794: Danjûrô plays at the Kiriza 3 roles in the kaomise drama "Otokoyama Oedo no Ishizue".
April 1795: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Ono no Sadakurô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
June 1795: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Tanzaemon in the drama "Heike Nyogo-ga-Shima".
July 1795: Danjûrô plays the role of Hinadori in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin"; the role of Koganosuke is played by Arashi Sangorô II.
November 1795: Danjûrô plays at the Miyakoza the role of Kumagai Tarô, the superhero of the "Shibaraku" scene, in the kaomise drama "Kaeribana Yuki no Yoshitsune". His stage partners are Nakamura Nakazô II, Bandô Hikosaburô III, Yamamoto Kyôshirô I and Kataoka Nizaemon VII.
April 1796 Danjûrô plays in the same theater the roles of Naonobu and Shinsuke in the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki".
July 1796: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Kurikara Tarô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
September 1796: the play "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi" is staged for the first time in Edo, simultaneously at the Kiriza and the Miyakoza; Danjûrô plays the role of Kinugawa Yasaburô in the latter theater [casting].
November 1796: Danjûrô plays at the Miyakoza the roles of Yorimitsu, Ôya Tarô and the yakko Dampei in the kaomise drama "Seiwa Nidai Ôyose Genji".
May 1797: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Yoshimori in the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki".
June 1797: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Yoshitsune in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
August 1797: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the roles of Miuranosuke and Yoriie in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".
November 1797: Danjûrô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Kaikei Kokyô no Nishikigi", sharing the stage with Matsumoto Kôshirô IV, Iwai Hanshirô IV, Ichikawa Komazô III, Nakayama Tomisaburô I, Bandô Hikosaburô III, Nakamura Noshio II, Onoe Matsusuke I, Bandô Minosuke I, Iwai Kumesaburô I and Ichikawa Ebizô V. This kaomise program, which celebrates the reopening of the Nakamuraza, is a huge success.
June 1798: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the roles of Igami no Gonta, Tokaiya Gimpei and Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
September 1798: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the role of Yokampei in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami".
November 1798: Danjûrô becomes zagashira at the Nakamuraza and achieves a great success by playing in the kaomise drama "Hana to Mimasu Yoshino no Miyuki". His stage partners are Iwai Hanshirô IV, Iwai Kumesaburô I and Ichikawa Komazô III.
March 1799: Danjûrô plays at the Nakamuraza the prestigious role of Sukeroku in the drama "Sukeroku Kuruwa no Hanami Doki", which commemorates the 22nd anniversary (23rd memorial service) of late Ichikawa Ebizô III. The role of the courtesan Agemaki is played by Iwai Kumesaburô I [print].
April 1799: Danjûrô plays in the same theater the roles of Teraoka Heiemon, Ôwashi Bungo and Momoi Wakasanosuke in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura". He suddenly falls ill the 18th April and dies the 13th May.
Comments:
Ichikawa Danjûrô VI was a promising tachiyaku actor, excelling as a young aragotoshi. In 1795, the hyôbanki made a reference to a popular trio of young actors, called Shusse Sampukutsui section ("a successful trio") and made up of Ichikawa Danjûrô VI, Ichikawa Omezô I and Bandô Minosuke I. He unfortunately died before reaching the peak of his career.
Ichikawa Danjûrô VI in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni I (1790)