Stage names:

Arashi Ganshô
Jitsukawa Enjô
Jitsukawa Ikujaku

Real name: Kitamura Yasujirô

Guild: Komuraya

Poetry name: Kikudô

Existence: 15 October 1862 ~ 19 November 1930

Connection:

Master: Arashi Rikan IV

Career:

October 1852: born in Kyôto in the famous Gion pleasure quarter. His father is a weaver in the district of Nishijin.

September 1870: he starts his career playing under the name of Jitsukawa Ikujaku.

June 1876: Jitsukawa Ikujaku takes the name of Jitsukawa Enjô.

1877: he joins the actor Arashi Rikan IV and takes the name of Arashi Ganshô in December in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai.

November 1890: Ganshô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Kameya Chûbei in the drama "Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ôrai"; the role of the courtesan Umegawa is played by Kataoka Gadô III.

June 1894: tour in the cities of Onomichi, Hiroshima and Matsue.

January 1903: Ganshô plays at the Horieza the role of Fujiya Izaemon in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô"; the role of the courtesan Yûgiri is played by Kataoka Gadô IV.

June 1904: Ganshô plays at the Fukuiza (Ôsaka) the role of Tamate Gozen in the drama "Sesshû Gappô-ga-Tsuji"; the roles of Gappô and Shuntokumaru are played by Kuroya Ichizô and Arashi Ritoku.

November 1906: Ganshô plays at the Bentenza (Ôsaka) the roles of Benkei, Yasuke and Shizuka Gozen in the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura"; his stage partners are Ichikawa Danzô VII (Tomomori, Gonta), Onoe Taminosuke (Yoshitsune), Ichikawa Udanji I (Tadanobu, Kajiwara) and Nakamura Fukusuke III (Suke-no-Tsubone, Kokingo).

January 1916: Ganshô plays at the Naniwaza (Ôsaka) the role of Matsunaga Daizen in the drama "Kinkakuji"; the roles of Tôkichi and Princess Yuki are played by Arashi Tokusaburô V and Kataoka Gadô IV. The play is staged with the same casting in April in Nagoya at the Suehiroza.

December 1921: Ganshô plays at the Naniwaza (Ôsaka) the role of Shigetada in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki"; the role of Akoya is played by Kataoka Gadô IV.

Comments:

Arashi Ganshô was a talented and popular Kamigata actor, excelling in wagotoshi and jitsugotoshi roles. He was also able to play both onnagata and katakiyaku. He never performed in Tôkyô.

Arashi Ganshô in the drama "Sekitori Senryô Nobori"