Stage names:
Jitsukawa Gakujûrô II
Jitsukawa Enzaburô I
Asao Enzaburô
Asao Kazuyoshi
Nickname: Mekura no Gakujûrô (Gakujûrô the blind)
Guild: Izutsuya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry name: Enjaku
Existence: 1813 ~ 22 February 1867
Connections:
Master: Jitsukawa Gakujûrô I
Son: Jitsukawa Enzaburô II
Disciples: Jitsukawa Enjaku I, Jitsukawa Yaozô I, Jitsukawa Enzaburô III
Career:
1813 ~ 1821: born in Kyôto. He starts his career at an early age, becoming a disciple of the actor Asao Yûjirô I, who gives him the name of Asao Kazuyoshi. He is adopted by his master in 1817 and takes the name of Asao Enzaburô at an early age.
January 1822: his adopted father takes the name of Asao Gakujûrô.
January 1833: Asao Gakujûrô and Asao Enzaburô take the respective names of Jitsukawa Gakujûrô I and Jitsukawa Enzaburô I. This is the foundation of the Jitsukawa clan.
June 1835: the play "Sesshû Gappô-ga-Tsuji", which was originally written for the puppet theater and staged in February 1773, is adapted to Kabuki for the first time, in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai; Enzaburô plays the role of the yakko Irihei [casting].
January 1846: Enzaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Tômanojô, Gengorô and Mashiba Hisayoshi in the drama "Keisei Hama no Masago", which is produced by the zamoto Ichikawa Yonezô and celebrates the shûmei of Mimasu Daigorô IV.
March 1847: Enzaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Hachiman Tarô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara"; his stage partners are Mimasu Daigorô IV (Abe no Sadatô), Kataoka Ichizô I (Abe no Munetô), Arashi Rikan III (Sodehagi) and Arashi Wasaburô II (Okimi).
January 1848: Enzaburô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, Hanagata Sampukutsui section ("A trio of young stars"), is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). The two others actors in this trio are Arashi Rikan III and Kataoka Gadô II.
January 1849: Enzaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Hiranoya Tokubei in the drama "Sonezaki Shinjû"; the role of the courtesan Temmaya Ohatsu is played by Nakayama Nanshi II.
May 1850: Enzaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Tsuribune Sabu in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; his stage partners are Nakamura Utaemon IV (Danshichi Kurobei) and Mimasu Daigorô IV (Issun Tokubei).
November 1851: Enzaburô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Hachiman Tarô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara"; his stage partners are Nakamura Tomijûrô II (Sodehagi), Kataoka Ichizô I (Abe no Sadatô) and Arashi Rikaku II (Abe no Munetô).
January 1853: Enzaburô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, Tokokazari Sampukutsui section ("A trio of perfect decorations for a Toko no Ma"), is shi-jô-jô-kichi (unique - superior - superior - excellent). The two others actors in this trio are Kataoka Gadô II and Arashi Rikaku II.
March 1853: Enzaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of En'ya Hangan, Teraoka Heiemon, Hayano Kampei and Yomoshichi in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
March 1854: Enzaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Mohei in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Daikyôji Mukashi Goyomi"; the role of Osan is played by Nakayama Nanshi II.
November 1854: Enzaburô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Mohei in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Daikyôji Mukashi Goyomi"; the role of Osan is played by Arashi San'emon IX. He also plays the role of Moritsuna in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".
January 1859: Enzaburô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is hakudai-jô-jô-kichi (almost grand - superior - superior - excellent).
March 1860: Enzaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Amakawaya Gihei, Tashiro Yasubei, Yashichi and Takubei in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
April 1860: Enzaburô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Yorikane in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi"; the role of Yorikane's lover Takao is played by Onoe Kikujirô II.
September 1860: Enzaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Tsukimoto Enshû and Tamashima Kôbei in the drama "Akiba Gongen Kaisen Banashi"; the role of Nippon Daemon is played by Arashi Kichisaburô III.
January 1861: Enzaburô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent).
September 1864: Enzaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Momoi Wakasanosuke, Ichimonjiya Osai and Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; his stage partners are Arashi Kichisaburô III, Nakamura Jakuemon I, Ogino Senjo and Arashi Hinasuke VII.
January 1865: Enzaburô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is hakugoku-jô-jô-kichi (almost extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
February 1865: Jitsukawa Enzaburô I takes the name of Jitsukawa Gakujûrô II at the Naka no Shibai, playing in the drama "Keisei Koi no Sekifuda".
January 1866: Gakujûrô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
May 1866: Gakujûrô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Tsuribune Sabu in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; his stage partners in the roles of Danshichi Kurobei and Issun Tokubei are Jitsukawa Enjaku I and Nakamura Komanosuke V.
November 1866: Gakujûrô appears on stage for the last time, at the Horie Ichigawa no Shibai in Ôsaka. He loses his eyesight and has to retire.
February 1867: Gakujûrô dies in Ôsaka. His tombstone is located in the precinct of the Honshôji Temple in the district of Tanimachi.
Comments:
Jitsukawa Gakujûrô II was a talented Kamigata tachiyaku and the worthy heir of Jitsukawa Gakujûrô I, excelling in wagotoshi and jitsugotoshi roles.
"In the early 1840s he became ill and went on a temple-visiting pilgrimage to pray for recovery, which is said to have resulted in sudden convalescence." (Samuel Leiter in "New Kabuki Encyclopedia")
Jitsukawa Gakujûrô II playing the role of Oda Sanshichirô Nobutaka in the drama "Keisei Haru no Tori", which was staged in May 1865 at the Naka no Shibai (print made by Sadahiro)
Jitsukawa Gakujûrô II's prints