Stage names:
Ichikawa Danzô IV
Ichikawa Danzaburô III
Ichikawa Tomozô I
Nakamura Torazô
Kameya Torazô
Guild: Mikawaya
Nicknames:
Meguro no Danzô ("Danzô from Meguro")
Tomozô Danzô
Line number: YODAIME (IV)
Poetry name: Shikô
Existence: 1745 ~ 9 October 1808
Connection:
Master: Ichikawa Danzô III
Adopted mother: Ichikawa Danzô III's widow
Sons: Ichikawa Dannosuke III, Ichikawa Dannosuke IV
Adopted son: Ichikawa Danzô V
Career:
1745~1763: born in Kyôto. He starts his career at an early age, performing under the name of Kameya Torazô in a troupe of children actors located at the Izumi Shikibeza. He spends some years in the minor theaters of Ôsaka (hama shibai).
1763: he becomes disciple of Nakamura Tomijûrô I and receives the name of Nakamura Torazô.
1768: Torazô settles in Edo.
November 1768: he becomes disciple of the actor Ichikawa Danzô III and receives the name of Ichikawa Tomozô I, playing at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Otokoyama Yunzei Kurabe".
1769: Tomozô goes back to Kyôto.
June 1772: his master Ichikawa Danzô III dies. Tomozô goes back to Edo in the family of Ichikawa Danzô III's widow, who decides to adopt him.
November 1772: Ichikawa Tomozô I takes the name of Ichikawa Danzaburô III at the Ichimuraza, playing in the drama "Edo Katagi Hikeya Tsunazaka".
November 1773: Ichikawa Danzaburô III takes the name of Ichikawa Danzô IV at the Ichimuraza, playing in the drama "Kaeri Kiso Kigoto no Hatsumono".
May 1776: the play "Honchô Nijûshikô" is performed for the first time in Edo, at the Nakamuraza; Danzô plays the role of Jihizô [casting].
January 1778: the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin" is staged for the first time in Edo, at the Moritaza [casting]; Danzô plays the roles of Daihanji no Kiyosumi and Soga no Iruka.
April 1780: first Kabuki adaptation of Utei Emba, Kijô Tarô and Yô Yôdai puppet theater drama "Go Taiheiki Shiraishi Banashi", which was written in January 1780. The play is produced in Edo at the Moritaza; Danzô plays the role of Daifukuya Sôroku [casting].
September 1780: Danzô plays for the first time the role of Saitô Bettô Sanemori in the drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki", which is staged at the Moritaza.
March 1781: Danzô plays for the first time 7 roles (nanayaku) in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which is staged at the Moritaza. Roles: En'ya Hangan, Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Honzô's wife Tonase, Amakawaya Gihei, Yoichibei, Ono no Sadakurô and Ôwashi Bungo. This is the first time in Kabuki history that an actor plays seven roles in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
May 1783: Danzô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Ishidô Umanojô, Kakogawa Honzô and Teraoka Heiemon in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
September 1783: celebrates his coming departure from Edo, playing the role of Konishi Suketarô in the drama "Buke no Hana Musume no Adauchi", which is staged at the Nakamuraza.
Fall 1783: Danzô goes to Kamigata after 16 years spent in Edo.
January 1784: Danzô plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Kô no Moronô, Ôboshi Yuranosuke and Kakogawa Honzô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which is produced by Fujikawa Kikumatsu.
November 1784: Danzô plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Takebe Genzô and Terukuni in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", which is produced by Onoe Ushinosuke I.
July 1785: Danzô plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of the yakko Dennai, Kumedera Danjô and the wicked priest Narukami in the drama "Otsuginasai Iwafute Shikisan".
Summer 1785: tour in Akashi in the company of the great onnagata Iwai Hanshirô IV.
January 1786: Danzô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
October 1786: tour in the Island of Shikoku.
April 1787: Danzô plays the roles of Kô no Moronô, Ishidô Umanojô and Amakawaya Gihei in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which is produced in Ôsaka by Nakamura Kumetarô II
1788: tour in Ise; Danzô plays in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura" at the Furuichi Shibai.
May 1788: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi", which is staged in Ise at the Furuichi no Shibai; Danzô plays the roles of Kinugawa Yasaemon and Todoroki Dengoemon [casting]. He replaces Mimasu Daigorô II for the role of Rokusuke in June.
Spring 1789: tour in Ise; Danzô plays in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
December 1789: Danzô plays 6 roles in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which is staged at the Kita-Shinchi no Shibai. Roles: En'ya Hangan, Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Kakogawa Honzô, Amakawaya Gihei, Yoichibei and Ono no Sadakurô.
January 1790: Danzô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is hakudai-jô-jô-kichi (almost grand - superior - superior - excellent).
Printemps 1791: Danzô plays the role of Saitô Bettô Sanemori in the drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki", which is staged in Kyôto at the Shijô Nishi no Shibai.
April 1791: Danzô plays in Kyôto the roles of Kumedera Danjô and the wicked priest Narukami in the drama "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura". The role of Princess Taema is played by Yamashita Yaozô I.
March 1793: Danzô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent).
December 1793: Danzô plays the role of Saitô Bettô Sanemori in the drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki", which is staged in Ôsaka at the Kita-Shinchi no Shibai. He also plays the role of the exiled priest Shunkan in the drama "Heike Nyogo-ga-Shima".
January ~ March 1794: premiere in 7 acts and 23 scenes of Tatsuoka Mansaku's drama "Keisei Haru no Tori", which is produced by the zamoto Asao Okujirô at the Kado no Shibai; Danzô plays the role of Oda Sanshichirô Nobutaka.
Summer 1794: tour in Ise.
August 1794: Danzô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of the exiled priest Shunkan in the drama "Heike Nyogo-ga-Shima". The role of Chidori is played by Nakamura Noshio II.
September 1794: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Hanji's puppet theater drama "Kamakura Sandaiki"; Danzô plays the role of Takatsuna [casting].
October 1795: Danzô plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of the wicked priest Narukami and the deity Fudô Myôô in the drama "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura". The role of Princess Taema is played by Yoshizawa Iroha I.
January 1796: Danzô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is shin-jô-jô-kichi (truly - superior - superior - excellent).
May 1796: tour in Miyajima with Iwai Hanshirô IV.
October 1796: Danzô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Kumedera Danjô and the wicked priest Narukami in the drama "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura". The role of Princess Taema is played by Yamashita Yaozô I.
Summer 1798: Danzô goes back to Edo.
July 1798: Danzô plays at the Moritaza the roles of Daidôji Denbatanosuke and Araki Saemon in the drama "Katsura Otoko Yaiba no Ôdachi".
August 1798: Danzô plays in the same theater the role of Saitô Bettô Sanemori in the drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki".
September 1798: Danzô plays in the same theater the role of Daihanji no Kiyosumi in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".
November 1798: Danzô plays at the Moritaza several roles, including Shinozuka Iganokami (in a "Shibaraku" scene) and Nagasaki Kageyu Saemon, in the kaomise drama "Taiheiki Mitsugi no Funauta".
January 1799: Danzô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
March 1800: Danzô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of the exiled priest Shunkan in the drama "Shunkan Futatsu Omokage".
September 1801: Danzô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Sanemori and Yoshikata in the drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki".
October 1801: Danzô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Matahei in the drama "Keisei Hangonkô"; the role of Otoku is played by Osagawa Tsuneyo II.
November 1801: Danzô plans to go to Ôsaka, yet he takes part in the kaomise drama "Meika no Toku Mimasu no Utagaki", which is staged at the Kawarazakiza.
January 1802: Danzô goes back to Kamigata; he plays the roles of Karasuka Koroku and Tokichi in the drama "Keisei Midori no Hayashi", produced by Anegawa Kamesaburô at the Kado no Shibai.
February 1802: Danzô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Saitô Bettô Sanemori in the drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki".
March 1802: Danzô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of the exiled priest Shunkan in the drama "Heike Nyogo-ga-Shima"; the role of Chidori is played by Fujikawa Tomokichi I.
March ~ May 1802: Danzô plays at the Kado no Shibai 7 roles in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". Roles: Kô no Moronô, Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Kakogawa Honzô, Amakawaya Gihei, Okaru's mother, Yoichibei and Ono no Sadakurô. The roles of En'ya Hangan, Honzô's wife Tonase and Okaru are played by Kataoka Nizaemon VII, Sawamura Kunitarô I and Nakayama Ittoku I.
May 1802: Danzô plays at the Kita-Shinchi no Shibai the role of the exiled priest Shunkan in the drama "Heike Nyogo-ga-Shima"; the role of Chidori is played by Fujikawa Tomokichi I.
Summer 1802: the play "Ehon Taikôki" is staged for the first time in Kyôto, produced by Arashi Sankichi at the Kitagawa no Shibai; Danzô plays the role of Takechi Mitsuhide [casting].
January 1803: Danzô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
May 1803: Danzô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of the exiled priest Shunkan in the drama "Heike Nyogo-ga-Shima". The role of Chidori is played by Yoshizawa Iroha I.
July 1803: Danzô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of the wicked priest Narukami in the drama "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura". The role of Princess Taema is played by Kanô Minshi I.
March 1804: Danzô plays the role of Mashiba Hisayoshi in the drama "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri", which is produced by Hayagumo Chôdayû and Kameya Kumenojô at the Kitagawa no Shibai (Kyôto); the role of the king of thieves Ishikawa Goemon is played by Kataoka Nizaemon VII.
September 1805: Danzô plays the role of Saitô Bettô Sanemori in the drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki", which is staged in a little theater of the district of Kitano in Kyôto.
January 1806: Danzô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, sôkanjiku section ("all kanjiku"), is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
May 1806: tour in Nagoya; Danzô plays the role of Saitô Bettô Sanemori in the drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki", which is staged in the precinct of the Seijuin Temple.
June 1806: Danzô plays in the same theater the role of the wicked priest Narukami in the drama "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura". The role of Princess Taema is played by Fujikawa Tomokichi I.
December 1806: Danzô takes part in the kaomise of the Kado no Shibai, with Kataoka Nizaemon VII and Nakamura Utaemon III. The three stars perform together in the play "Ôsakazuki Asahi no Hôrai", which is produced by Yoshizawa Minosuke.
October 1808: Danzô appears on stage for the last time, at the Naka no Shibai, playing in the drama "Hachijin Shugo no Honjô", which is produced by Ogawa Kichitarô III. He suddenly falls ill and has to be replaced by Ichikawa Ichizô I. He dies a few days later.
Comments:
Ichikawa Danzô IV was an outstanding tachiyaku, who covered himself in glory in both Edo and Kamigata. He succeeded in making up for his short height by developping new techniques. He was a pioneer of chûnori and excelled in tachimawari or hayagawari. He was the first Kabuki actor to perform 7 roles in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
His nickname, Meguro Danzô (Meguro's Danzô) is related to his mansion in Edo, which was located on the outskirts of the city, close to the famous Meguro Fudôson Temple.
Ichikawa Danzô IV in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni I (1798~1800)
Prints and illustrations of Ichikawa Danzô IV
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1798
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1801
The Ichikawa Danzaburô line of actors
The Ichikawa Danzô line of actors