Stage names:

Ichikawa Danzô VIII
Ichikawa Kuzô IV
Ichikawa Momotarô III
Ichikawa Ginzô II

Guild: Mikawaya

Line number: HACHIDAIME (VIII)

Poetry names: Juen, San'en, Shikô

Existence: 15 May 1882 ~ 4 June 1966

Connection:

Father: Ichikawa Danzô VII

Adopted son: Ichikawa Kuzô V

Grandson (and adopted son): Ichikawa Danzô IX

Career:

1882: born in Tôkyô in the district of Nihombashi Hisamatsu.

1885: he makes his first stage appearance at the Torigoeza, under his real name, playing a child role in the drama "Nichirenki".

1896: Ichikawa Ginzô II becomes Ichikawa Momotarô III at the Asakusaza.

1897: Momotarô joins a children-actors troupe, in which plays Nakamura Kichiemon I.

March 1908: Ichikawa Momotarô III takes the name of Ichikawa Kuzô IV at the Kabukiza by playing the role of Shirai Gompachi in the drama "Suzu-ga-Mori".

March 1910: Kuzô plays at the Miyatoza the role of Miuranosuke in the drama "Kamakura Sandaiki". His stage partners in the roles of Sasaki Takatsuna and Princess Toki are Arashi Yoshisaburô IV and Bandô Shûchô III.

September 1911: his father Ichikawa Danzô VII dies. Kuzô plays at the Kirakuza (Yokohama) the roles of Sodehagi and Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara".

January 1914: Kuzô plays at the Tôkyôza the roles of En'ya Hangan and Hayano Kampei in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura". His stage partners are Ichikawa Kudanji (Moronô), Sawamura Tosshi VII (Yuranosuke) and Ichikawa Kigan V (Okaru).

July 1920: Kuzô plays at the Hongôza the prestigious role of Shunkan in Chikamatsu Monzaemon I's "Heike Nyogo-ga-Shima". His stage partners are Nakamura Kamon I (Chidori), Kawarazaki Gonjûrô II (Tanzaemon) and Ichikawa Ichijûrô V (Senoo Tarô). Shunkan is an important role for the Ichikawa Danzô line of actors.

April 1926: Kuzô plays at the Hongôza the role of Yakushiji Jirôzaemon in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

October 1927: revival at the Hongôza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", produced under the title "Kiyomizudera Azuma Bunshô", which has not been staged since March 1817; Kuzô plays the role of Iruma Akugorô [casting].

May 1932: Kuzô plays at the Kabukiza the roles of Ono no Kudayû and Kakogawa Honzô in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

September 1935: Kuzô plays at the Kabukiza (Nagoya) the roles of Moronô and Fuwa Kazuemon in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

October 1943: Ichikawa Kuzô IV takes the name of Ichikawa Danzô VIII.

January 1953: Danzô plays at Kabukiza the role of Yasôzaemon in the drama "Shigenoi Kowakare". The role of Shigenoi is played by Nakamura Tokizô III.

November 1954: premiere at the Kabukiza of Mishima Yukio's comical play "Iwashi Uri Koi no Hikiami"; Danzô plays the role of the proprietor [casting].

February 1955: Izumi Kyôka's drama "Tenshu Monogatari" is staged for the first time with Kabuki actors, at the Kabukiza; Danzô plays the role of Ôminojô Tôroku [casting].

October 1955: Danzô plays at the Misonoza (Nagoya) the role of Ikyû in the drama "Sukeroku Kuruwa no Momoyogusa". The roles of Sukeroku and Agemaki are played by Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII and Nakamura Utaemon VI.

November 1959: revival at the Kabukiza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", which is supervised by Mishima Yukio; Danzô plays the role of Tsunaemon [casting].

June 1961: Danzô plays at the Kabukiza the role of Shôgen in Chikamatsu Monzaemon I's "Keisei Hangonkô". The roles of Matahei and Otoku are played by Onoe Shôroku II and Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII.

October 1962: Danzô plays for the last time the role of Yazaemon, at Kabukiza, in the "Sushiya" scene of the play "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".

September 1963: Danzô plays for the last time the role of Soga no Iruka, at the Misonoza (Nagoya), in the "Mikasayama Goten" scene of the classic "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".

April 1966: Danzô appears on stage for the last time, at Kabukiza, playing the roles of Kiichi Hôgen and Ikyû in the "Kikubatake" scene of "Kiichi Hôgen Sanryaku no Maki" and "Sukeroku Kuruwa no Momoyogusa" (the role of Sukeroku is played by Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII). Danzô retires because of health problems.

May ~ June 1966: Danzô makes a pilgrimage, visiting the 88 temples on Shikoku Island.

June 1966: Danzô jumps from the boat, which brings him back from Shikoku to Ôsaka, and drowns in the Seto Nankai Sea.

Comments:

Ichikawa Danzô VIII was a talented supporting tachiyaku and katakiyaku.

Ichikawa Danzô VIII's best roles: Soga no Iruka ("Imoseyama Onna Teikin"), Nagao Kenshin ("Honchô Nijûshikô"), Hansai ("Obiya"), Karainu Gombei ("Yudono no Chôbei"), Rokurôdayû ("Ishikiri Kajiwara"), Tsuribune Sabu ("Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"), Hôjô Tokimasa ("Moritsuna Jin'ya"), Gonshirô ("Hirakana Seisuiki") and Ikyû ("Sukeroku").

"Ichikawa first appeared on stage as a child in arms. When he retired in April 1966, it was celebrated as eighty-two years on stage. After the fetes and final farewell performance, he traveled to Shikoku and set off, alone, to follow the Eighty-eight Temple Route of Kôbô Daishi. It was a remarkable undertaking for a man in his late years, and there are suggestions that he never expected to finish the pilgrimage, that he expected to die on the road. But Ichikawa finished his trek at the end of May, after the sakura had fallen and the circle had closed. He was at a loss over what to do. He sailed for Shôdo, apparently to complete that island's Pilgrimage as well - but something changed his mind. Why he chose to leave the final circle unfinished remains a mystery. Perhaps he was simply tired. --- --- Ichikawa's death became legend, the ultimate act of autonomy, the pilgrim deciding for himself how the journey would end. In Japanese Pilgrimage, Oliver Statler writes,"His was not an act of desperation but of resolution. He walked out of life he had walked off the stage, with composure" (Will Ferguson in "Hokkaidô Highway Blues: Hitchhiking Japan")

The Ichikawa Kuzô line of actors

The Ichikawa Danzô line of actors