Stage names:
Ichikawa Ebijûrô IV
Ichikawa Gangyoku I
Bandô Jutarô II
Ichikawa Shinshô I
Ichikawa Ichijûrô I
Matsushima Minosuke
Guild: Kobeniya
Line number: YODAIME (IV)
Poetry name: Gangyoku
Existence: 1809 ~ 19 October 1858
Connection:
Masters: Ichikawa Ebizô V, Matsushima Seizô
Disciples: Ichikawa Gangyoku II, Arashi Hinasuke VII
Career:
Before 1814: he starts his career at an early age as a disciple of the actor Matsushima Seizô, who gives him the name of Matsushima Minosuke.
1814: Minosuke becomes zamoto in Ôsaka at the Wakadayû no Shibai, a hama shibai venue.
1814 ~ 1829: he joins a troupe of kodomo shibai in Ôsaka, performing with Nakamura Tamanosuke and Nakamura Komanosuke I. He spends many years performing with some success in hama shibai (Ôsaka) or miyaji shibai (Kyôto). He is finally spotted by the star Ichikawa Danjûrô VII, who takes him on as a disciple and gives him the name of Ichikawa Ichijûrô I in 1830.
February 1830: he goes to Edo and plays at the Kawarazakiza the roles of Kokingo and Yoshitsune in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
1830 ~ 1840: he takes the name of Ichikawa Shinshô I at an unknown date.
November 1843: Ichikawa Shinshô I takes the name of Ichikawa Ebijûrô IV in Ôsaka.
January 1847: Ichikawa Ebijûrô IV takes the name of Bandô Jutarô II at the Kado no Shibai.
January 1848: Jutarô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
Spring 1848: tour in Ise.
Summer 1848: tour in Nagoya.
Spring 1849: Jutarô goes to Edo.
May 1849: he takes the name of Ichikawa Gangyoku I and plays at the Kawarazakiza the roles of Momoi Wakasanosuke, Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Sadakurô and Takubei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
January 1850: Ichikawa Gangyoku I takes the name of Ichikawa Ebijûrô IV and plays at the Kawarazakiza in the new year drama "Yamawarai Haru no Kiyomizu". His rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
January 1851: Ebijûrô goes to Kyôto and plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Dôshin and Onnanosuke in the drama "Karukaya Dôshin Tsukushi no Iezuto". He also plays the role of Tokijirô in the drama "Akegarasu Hana no Nureginu".
November 1852: Ebijûrô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Hosokawa Katsumoto and Sôroku in the dramas "Meiboku Sendai Hagi" and "Go Taiheiki Shiraishi Banashi".
January 1853: Ebijûrô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is hakushi-jô-jô-kichi (almost unique - superior - superior - excellent).
April 1853: Ebijûrô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Momoi Wakasanosuke, Sadakurô, Teraoka Heiemon, Takubei, Amakawaya Gihei and Ôhashi Gengo in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
January 1854: Ebijûrô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Shundô Jirôemon in the drama "Oriawase Tsuzure no Nishiki". He also plays the role of Sukeroku in the drama "Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura".
February 1855: Ebijûrô plays at the Chikugo no Shibai the roles of Tokaiya Gimpei, Taira no Tomomori, Igami no Gonta and Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which is produced by Arashi Kitsunosuke; his stage partners are Arashi San'emon IX (Shizuka Gozen) and Arashi Rikaku II (Satô Tadanobu, Genkurô, Kokingo, Kajiwara Kagetoki).
May 1858: Ebijûrô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the roles of Dôshin and Mitsugi in the dramas "Karukaya Dôshin Tsukushi no Iezuto" and "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba".
August 1858: Ebijûrô appears on stage for the last time, in Ôsaka at the Takeda no Shibai.
Comments:
Ichikawa Ebijûrô IV was a talented 19th century tachiyaku actor, who was trained in Kamigata but also learnt a lot in the company of his master, the Edo star Ichikawa Ebizô V. He perfectly delivered his lines and his field of excellence was budôgoto in jidaimono.
Ichikawa Ebijûrô IV playing the role of Sukeroku in the drama "Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura", which was staged in January 1854 at the Kitagawa no Shibai
Print made by Utagawa Hirosada in 1852
The Ichikawa Ichijûrô line of actors
The Ichikawa Ebijûrô line of actors