Stage names:
Ichikawa Danzô VII
Ichikawa Kuzô III
Ichikawa Hakuzô II
Ichikawa Momotarô II
Ichikawa Ginzô I
Guild: Mikawaya
Line number: SHICHIDAIME (VII)
Existence: 20 March 1836 ~ 11 September 1911
Connection:
Adopted father: Ichikawa Danzô VI
Sons: Ichikawa San'en, Ichikawa Danzô VIII
Great-grandson: Ichikawa Danzô IX
Disciples: Ichikawa Kôjaku, Ichikawa Hakuzô III, Ichikawa Dannosuke VI, Ichikawa Ebijûrô VII
Career:
1836: born in Edo. His father Maruya Isaburô manages a restaurant in the district of Ashi-chô.
1839: he is adopted by Ichikawa Kuzô II, who gives him the name of Ichikawa Ginzô I.
November 1840: Ichikawa Ginzô I takes the name of Ichikawa Momotarô II.
1843: Momotarô achieves a great success at Kawarazakiza, sharing the stage with the young star Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII.
1844: Momotarô becomes disciple of Ichikawa Ebizô V and follows him to perform in Ôsaka.
November 1847: Ichikawa Momotarô II takes the name of Ichikawa Hakuzô II.
October 1852: Hakuzô follows his adopted father in Ôsaka for his shûmei at the Kado no Shibai.
August 1854: Ichikawa Hakuzô II takes the name of Ichikawa Kuzô III at the Naka no Shibai (Ôsaka) by playing in the drama "Jiraiya".
May 1859: Kuzô plays the role of Issun Tokubei in the drama "Zôho Natsu Matsuri Otoko Kagami", which is staged at the Moritaza. His stage partners in the roles of Danshichi Kurobei, Tsuribune Sabu and Otatsu are Nakamura Fukusuke I, Ichikawa Danzô VI and Arashi Hinasuke VII.
August 1861: premiere at the Moritaza of of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Sakura Sôshi Gonichi no Bundan", a revised version of Segawa Jokô III's drama "Higashiyama Sakura Sôshi"; Kuzô plays the roles of Orikoshi Masatomo and Ogata Nagatonosuke [casting].
October 1861: premiere at the Moritaza of Segawa Jokô III's drama "Zôho Futatsu Domoe"; Kuzô plays the role of Saeda Inukiyo [casting].
April 1864: première at the Moritaza of the play "Wakaba Ume Ukina no Yokogushi", commonly called "Kirare Otomi" ("Scarface Otomi"), in which Kuzô plays the role of Kômori Yasu; his stage partners are Sawamura Tanosuke III (Otomi), Sawamura Tosshô II (Yosaburô) and Nakamura Shikan IV (Genzaemon).
August 1879: Kuzô takes part in the opening ceremony of the Hisamatsuza [more details].
March 1886: première at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Mekura Nagaya Ume-ga-Kagatobi" in which Kuzô plays the roles of Matsuzô and Kaisuke [casting].
January 1888: Kuzô plays at the Azumaza the role of Sasaki Moritsuna in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".
1888: quarrel with Ichikawa Danjûrô IX.
1895: reconciliation with Ichikawa Danjûrô IX.
June 1897: Ichikawa Kuzô III takes the name of Ichikawa Danzô VII at the Meijiza, playing several roles in the Kabuki program "Yumiharizuki Genke no Kaburaya", including the eponymous role of the short bombastic play "Kagekiyo", the villain Matsunaga Daizen in "Gion Sairei Shinkôki" and Ichisuke in "Kaidan Tsuki no Kasamori".
August 1897: tour in Kanazawa. Danzô plays the roles of Tokaiya Gimpei, Taira no Tomomori and Igami no Gonta in the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which is staged at the Inariza. His stage partners are Nakamura Kangorô and Nakamura Tomijûrô III.
May 1898: Danzô plays at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the roles of Tokaiya Gimpei, Taira no Tomomori and Igami no Gonta in the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
July 1899: Danzô is the head of a Kabuki troupe touring in Kanazawa.
January 1900: Danzô plays at the Harukiza the role of the villain Nikki Danjô in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi". The roles of Hosokawa Katsumoto and Arajishi Otokonosuke are played by Ichikawa Ennosuke I and Ichimura Kakitsu VI.
February 1900: Danzô plays the role of Tôma Saburôemon in the revenge drama "Tengajaya-Mura", which is staged at the Engiza (Tôkyô); his stage partners are Nakamura Shikaku (Iori), Sawamura Tosshi VII (Motoemon, Kôemon) and Seki Hanasuke II (Genjirô).
January 1901: Danzô plays at the Kumoiza (Yokohama) the roles of Tokaiya Gimpei and Taira no Tomomori in the "Tokaiya" and "Daimotsu no Ura" scenes of the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura". The role of Suke-no-Tsubone is played by Iwai Matsunosuke IV.
October 1901: Danzô plays at the Naniwaza (Ôsaka) the roles of the villain Kô no Moronô and the hero Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The role of En'ya Hangan is played by Arashi Kitsusaburô IV.
December 1901: Danzô plays at the Kabukiza (Kyôto) the roles of the villain Kô no Moronô and Teraoka Heiemon in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
February 1902: Danzô plays at the Naniwaza (Ôsaka) the role of the villain Nikki Danjô in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi". The role of Hosokawa Katsumoto is played by Ichikawa Udanji I.
September 1902: Danzô plays at the Meijiza (Kyôto) the role of the villain Nikki Danjô in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi". The role of Hosokawa Katsumoto is played by Arashi Ganshô.
April 1903: Danzô plays at the Kabukiza (Kyôto) the role of Yosaburô in the drama "Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi". The roles of Otomi and Kômori Yasu are played by Nakamura Kaoru and Jitsukawa Enjirô I.
November 1903: Danzô plays at the Bentenza (Ôsaka) the role of Sasaki Moritsuna in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".
December 1903: Danzô plays at the Meijiza (Kyôto) the role of Sasaki Moritsuna in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".
November 1904: Danzô plays at the Meijiza (Kyôto) the roles of Tokaiya Gimpei and Taira no Tomomori in the "Tokaiya" and "Daimotsu no Ura" scenes of the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura". The roles of Suke-no-Tsubone and Yoshitsune are played by Arashi Ganshô and Nakamura Shibajaku IV.
November 1906: Danzô plays at the Bentenza (Ôsaka) the roles of Tokaiya Gimpei, Taira no Tomomori and Igami no Gonta in the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
September 1907: Danzô plays at the Bentenza (Ôsaka) the role of the villain Nikki Danjô in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi". The role of Hosokawa Katsumoto is played by Arashi Kitsusaburô IV.
November 1907: Danzô plays at the Nakaza (Ôsaka) the role of Kômori Yasu in the drama "Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi". The roles of Yosaburô and Otomi are played by Arashi Tokusaburô V and Nakamura Naritarô I.
March 1908: Danzô achieves a great success at the Kabukiza by playing the role of the villain Nikki Danjô in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi". The roles of Hosokawa Katsumoto and Arajishi Otokonosuke are played by Ichimura Uzaemon XV and Matsumoto Komazô VIII.
May 1908: Danzô plays at the Kabukiza the roles of Tokaiya Gimpei and Taira no Tomomori in the "Tokaiya" and "Daimotsu no Ura" scenes of the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura". The roles of Suke-no-Tsubone and Yoshitsune are played by Nakamura Shikan V and Matsumoto Komazô VIII.
June 1908: Danzô plays at the Kirakuza (Yokohama) the role of Igami no Gonta in the "Sushiya" scene of the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
July 1908: Danzô plays at the Kirakuza (Yokohama) the roles of Sadakurô and Hayano Kampei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The role of Okaru, Kampei's wife is played by Danzô's son Ichikawa Kuzô IV.
May 1909: Danzô plays at the Suehiroza (Nagoya) the role of Kômori Yasu in the drama "Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi". The roles of Yosaburô and Otomi are played by Ichikawa Yaozô VII and Nakamura Shikan V.
July 1909: Danzô plays at the Tôkyôza the role of Matsuômaru in the "Terakoya" scene of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
October 1909: Danzô plays at the Tôkyôza the role of Kô no Moronô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The role of En'ya Hangan is played by Onoe Baikô VI.
November 1909: Danzô plays at the Kabukiza the role of Kô no Moronô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The role of En'ya Hangan is played by Sawamura Sôjûrô VII.
June 1911: Danzô plays at the Imperial Theater the great role of the king of thieves Ishikawa Goemon in the drama "Sanmon Gosan no Kiri". The role of Mashiba Hisayoshi is played by Onoe Baikô VI.
September 1911: Danzô falls seriously ill and dies. His tombstone is located in the Yanaka cemetery in Tôkyô.
Comments:
Ichikawa Danzô VII was an excellent jitsugotoshi and katakiyaku of the Meiji era. His ranking in term of fame was just one rank below the stars Ichikawa Danjûrô IX, Onoe Kikugorô V or Ichikawa Sadanji I.
Ichikawa Danzô VII playing the role of Ichisuke in the play "Kaidan Tsuki no Kasamori" staged in June 1897 at the Meijiza (print made by Kôchôrô Hôsai)
Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1884
The Ichikawa Kuzô line of actors
The Ichikawa Danzô line of actors