Stage names:
Bandô Hikosaburô III
Ichimura Kichigorô I
Others names:
Hansôan Rakuzen
Bandô Shinsui III
Rakuzenbô
Guild: Otowaya, Yorozuya
Line number: SANDAIME (III)
Poetry names: Shinsui (3), Rakuzen, Kisshi
Existence: 1754 ~ 18 February 1828
Connection:
Father: Ichimura Uzaemon VIII
Brothers: Ichimura Uzaemon IX, Ichimura Zenzô
Master: Onoe Kikugorô I
Adopted son: Bandô Kamezô I (Bandô Hikosaburô IV)
Career:
1754: born in Edo. He is the third son of the actor and zamoto Ichimura Uzaemon VIII.
March 1759: he makes his first stage appearance, at the Ichimuraza where he receives the name of Ichimura Kichigorô I and plays a child role in the drama in the drama "Hiru-ga-Kojima Buyû Mondô".
May 1760: his father Ichimura Uzaemon VIII dies.
August 1768: Kichigorô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Prince Tokiyo in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
November 1770: he becomes disciple of the actor Onoe Kikugorô I, who allows him to take the name of Bandô Hikosaburô III and to use his yagô Otowaya; The new Hikosaburô achieves a great success at the Ichimuraza by playing in the kaomise drama "Meoto Giku Izu no Kisewata", which welcomes in Edo the Kamigata star Arashi Sangorô II and celebrates also the shûmei of Bandô Sampachi II and Segawa Kichiji III.
January 1772: Hikosaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakashugata section, is jô-jô (superior - superior).
September 1773: Hikosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Ôboshi Rikiya in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The role of Rikiya's father Yuranosuke is played by Onoe Kikugorô I.
August 1774: Hikosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Ise no Saburô in "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
August 1777: Hikosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Ôboshi Mondo and Momoi Wakasanosuke in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
March 1781: Hikosaburô plays at the Moritaza the role of Ishidô Umanojô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
January 1782: Hikosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Terukuni in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
Fall 1782: Hikosaburô and Ôtani Tokuji I go together to Kamigata.
December 1783: his master Onoe Kikugorô I dies.
January 1788: Hikosaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).
August 1790: Hikosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Momoi Wakasanosuke and Ishidô Umanojô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
September 1790: the play "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô" is staged for the first time in Edo, at the Ichimuraza; it celebrates the onagori kyôgen of the Kamigata star Asao Tamejûrô I; Hikosaburô plays the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune [more details].
June 1791: Hikosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune in "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
May 1793: Hikosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Hayano Kampei and Ishidô Umanojô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The role of Okaru is played by Nakayama Tomisaburô I.
May 1794: Hikosaburô plays at the Kawarazakiza the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune in the "Shi-no-Kiri" scene of the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
September 1794: Hikosaburô plays in the same theater the roles of En'ya Hangan and Kakogawa Honzô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The roles of Kô no Moronô and Yuranosuke are played by Ichikawa Ebizô.
October 1794: due to some financial difficulties, the salaries of all the actors are drastically reduced. Hikosaburô's yearly salary for the coming season is set to 520 ryô after a reduction of 40 ryô.
November 1794: Hikosaburô moves to the Miyakoza and plays the role of Godai Saburô in Namiki Gohei I's kaomise drama "Uruô Tosshi Meika no Homare", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of Kataoka Nizaemon VII and Nakamura Noshio II.
April 1795: Hikosaburô plays in the same theater the role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The roles of En'ya Hangan and Yuranosuke's wife Oishi are played by Sawamura Sôjûrô III and Segawa Kikunojô III.
November 1795: Hikosaburô plays the role of Kajiwara Genta Kagesue in the Miyakoza kaomise drama "Kaeribana Yuki no Yoshitsune".
July 1796: Hikosaburô plays at the Miyakoza the role of Kan Shôjô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
November 1796: Hikosaburô moves to the Kiriza and plays 3 roles in the kaomise drama "Ginsekai Matsu ni Yukihira".
September 1797: Hikosaburô plays at the Kiriza the roles of Kakuju and Takebe Genzô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". The roles of Kan Shôjô and Matsuômaru are played by Segawa Kikunojô III and Sawamura Sôjûrô III.
November 1797: Hikosaburô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays in the kaomise drama "Kaikei Kokyô no Nishikigi".
January 1798: Hikosaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
April 1798: Hikosaburô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Daihanji no Kiyosumi in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".
November 1798: Hikosaburô moves to the Moritaza and plays in the kaomise drama "Taiheiki Mitsugi no Funauta", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Aragorô I.
May 1799: Hikosaburô plays at the Moritaza the roles of Kan Shôjô and Takebe Genzô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". The roles of Matsuômaru and Kakuju are played by Ichikawa Danzô IV.
September 1799: Hikosaburô plays at the Moritaza the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke and Hayano Kampei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The role of Okaru is played by Nakamura Noshio II.
November 1799: Hikosaburô moves to the Ichimuraza and plays in the kaomise drama "Utsukushiki Yuki no Sekai", which celebrates the shûmei of Ogino Izaburô II.
July 1800: Hikosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke and Hayano Kampei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The role of En'ya Hangan and Okaru are played by Ogino Izaburô II and Segawa Kikusaburô I.
September ~ October 1800: Hikosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Kan Shôjô and Sakuramaru in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danzô IV (Shihei, Genzô, Shiratayû, Kakuju), Arashi Hinasuke II (Matsuômaru), Segawa Kikunojô III (Sakuramaru's wife Yae) and Ogino Izaburô II (Umeômaru)
November 1800: Hikosaburô moves to the reopening Kawarazakiza and plays in the kaomise drama "Modoribashi Tsuna-ga-Kaomise".
July 1801: Hikosaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Daihanji no Kiyosumi, Kamatari and Fujiwara Tankai in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".
September 1801: Hikosaburô plays at the Kawarazakiza the roles of En'ya Hangan, Kakogawa Honzô and Horibe Yajibei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1801: Hikosaburô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays several roles in the kaomise drama "Date Dôgutsui no Ôtori", which celebrates the shûmei of Bandô Hikozaemon I.
March 1802: Hikosaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Kan Shôjô, Shiratayû and Takebe Genzô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
June 1802: Hikosaburô plays in the same theater the roles of the yakko Ippei, Takemura Sadanoshin and Sanai in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".
August 1802: Hikosaburô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Sasaki Tan'emon, Ishidome Busuke and Honda Dainaiki in the drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa".
November 1802: Hikosaburô moves to the Kawarazakiza and plays the roles of Kawagoe Tarô, Tokaiya Gimpei, Taira no Tomomori, Taira no Koremori, Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan, the fox Genkurô, Satô Shirobyôei Tadanobu and Minamoto no Yoritomo in the "Shi-no-Kiri" scene of the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
February 1803: Hikosaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Shunkan and Fukuoka Mitsugi in the dramas "Hime Komatsu Ne-no-Hi no Asobi" and "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba". Hikosaburô and Nakamura Daikichi I, who plan to go together to Kamigata, leave suddenly the Kawarazakiza, which has to close its doors up to August because of the lack of stars in its troupe.
September 1803: Hikosaburô moves temporarily to the Ichimuraza and plays the role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
Fall 1803: Hikosaburô and Nakamura Daikichi I go to Ôsaka.
November 1803: Hikosaburô takes part in the kaomise drama "Sôzoku Ishibashiyama", which is staged at the Naka no Shibai and celebrates the shûmei of Asao Tamejûrô II. He also performs in duo with Nakamura Daikichi I in the shosagoto "Saiwai Narukana Iro no Yumitori".
December 1803: Hikosaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Kan Shôjô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
January 1804: Hikosaburô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Kan Shôjô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
June 1804: tour in Nagoya with Nakamura Daikichi I, Onoe Shinshichi II and Mimasu Daigorô III; Hikosaburô plays the role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which is staged at the Miyawaka no Shibai.
November 1804: Hikosaburô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Kan Shôjô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
December 1804: Hikosaburô plays the roles of the fox Genkurô and Satô Shirobyôei Tadanobu in the "Yoshinoyama" and "Shi-no-Kiri" scenes of the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which is staged in Ôsaka at the Horie Shibai. The roles of Yoshitsune and Shizuka Gozen are played by Seki Sanjûrô I and Nakamura Daikichi I.
January 1805: Hikosaburô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, sôkanjiku section ("all kanjiku"), is shi-jô-jô-kichi (unique - superior - superior - excellent).
March 1805: Hikosaburô plays the roles of the fox Genkurô and Satô Shirobyôei Tadanobu in the "Yoshinoyama" and "Shi-no-Kiri" scenes of the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which is produced by Yoshizawa Enjirô in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai. The roles of Yoshitsune and Shizuka Gozen are played by Arashi Sangorô III and Nakamura Daikichi I. Hikosaburô also plays the roles of Momoi Wakasanosuke and Ôboshi Yuranosuke in "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
April 1805: Hikosaburô plays the roles of the fox Genkurô and Satô Shirobyôei Tadanobu in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which is staged in Kyôto at the Minamigawa no Shibai. Hikosaburô also plays the role of Momoi Wakasanosuke in "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1805: Hikosaburô plays the roles of Tokaiya Gimpei and Taira no Tomomori in the "Tokaiya" and "Daimotsu no Ura" scenes of the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which is staged in Kyôto at the Minamigawa no Shibai.
December 1805: Hikosaburô plays the roles of Tokaiya Gimpei and Taira no Tomomori in the "Tokaiya" and "Daimotsu no Ura" scenes of the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which is produced by Yamashita Tokujirô in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai.
March 1806: Hikosaburô plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Kanki and Fukuoka Mitsugi in the dramas "Kokusen'ya Gassen" and "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba"; the roles of Watônai and Kinshôjo are played by Nakamura Utaemon III and Yoshizawa Iroha I. This is the last performance in Ôsaka for Hikosaburô, who plans to go back to Edo. He performs at the end of the program a great 7-roles hengemono called "Yuiyanagi Kumo no Ito Asobi".
April 1806: last performance in Kyôto; Hikosaburô plays the role of Ishioka Sazen in the drama "Akatsuki Garasu Gion Bayashi". He also performs at the end of the program the great 7-roles hengemono "Yuiyanagi Kumo no Ito Asobi".
November 1806: Hikosaburô is back in Edo and plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Kajiwara Genta Kagesue, Okazaki Akushirô and Taira no Shigemori in the kaomise drama "Wakazakari Heike Monogatari".
January 1807: Hikosaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is shi-jô-jô-kichi (unique - superior - superior - excellent).
October 1807: Hikosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Matahei in the drama "Keisei Hangonkô". The role of Matahei's wife Otoku is played by Osagawa Tsuneyo II.
November 1807: Hikosaburô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays in the kaomise drama "Kaikei Yuki no Konoshita", which celebrates the shûmei of Segawa Senjo and Segawa Rokô IV.
January 1808: Hikosaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Daihanji no Kiyosumi, Soga no Iruka and Fujiwara Tankai in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".
May 1808: Hikosaburô plays in the same theater the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune in "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
July 1808: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Segawa Jokô II's drama "Zôho Izari no Adauchi"; Hikosaburô plays the role of Tsukumo Shinzaemon [casting].
August 1808: Hikosaburô plays in the same theater the role of Kan Shôjô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" [print].
October 1808: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô"; Hikosaburô plays the role of Fujiya Izaemon [casting].
November 1808: Hikosaburô moves to the Ichimuraza and plays in the kaomise drama "Irosoyuru Nidai Genji".
January 1809: the Ichimuraza is destroyed by a fire.
April 1809: the theater is rebuilt and Hikosaburô plays the role of Kobayashi no Asaina in the drama "Reigen Soga no Kamigaki".
May 1809: Hikosaburô plays in the same theater the role of Futami Jûzaemon in the drama "Kameyama no Adauchi"; the performance is a big success.
August 1809: Hikosaburô moves to the Moritaza and plays the roles of Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Yazaemon ("Sushiya") in "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura". He also plays the role of Matahei in Chikamatsu Monzaemon I's drama "Keisei Hangonkô"; the role of Otoku is played by Ichikawa Dannosuke III.
November 1809: Hikosaburô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays in the kaomise drama "Ôshû Dachiyuki no Kurogoma".
January 1810: Hikosaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is shin-jô-jô-kichi (truly - superior - superior - excellent).
March 1810: Hikosaburô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Mashiba Hisayoshi in the drama "Sanmon Gosan no Kiri". The role of Ishikawa Goemon is played by Nakamura Utaemon III.
July 1811: Hikosaburô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Momoi Wakasanosuke, Ôboshi Yuranosuke and Hayano Kampei's mother in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The roles of En'ya Hangan, Okaru, Heiemon and Kampei are played by Sawamura Gennosuke II, Sawamura Tanosuke II,Nakamura Utaemon III and Onoe Eizaburô I. Hikosaburô also plays the roles of Kan Shôjô and Shiratayû in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
January 1812: Hikosaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
November 1812: Hikosaburô goes to Ôsaka and plays the role of Sekihara Yoichi in the drama "Hirugaesu Nishiki no Tamoto", which is staged at the Naka no Shibai. He also plays the roles of En'ya Hangan and Kakogawa Honzô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke is played by Nakamura Utaemon III.
January 1813: Hikosaburô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
September ~ October 1813: Hikosaburô plays for the last time (isse ichidai) the roles of Kan Shôjô, Takebe Genzô and Shiratayû in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", which is staged in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai.
November 1813: Hikosaburô appears on stage for the last time, at the Kitagawa no Shibai in Kyôto, playing the role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
1813 ~ 1828: Hikosaburô retires and takes the tonsure in a Temple located in Kurodani (Kyôto). He goes back to Edo and lives a hermit life in a small hut called Hansôan and located in Mukôjima.
Comments:
Bandô Hikosaburô III was an outstanding tachiyaku and dancer, who excelled in wajitsu and budôgoto roles. He was one of the first actors to promote realism in Kabuki.
Bandô Hikosaburô III's 2 best roles were Ôboshi Yuranosuke ("Kanadehon Chûshingura") and Kan Shôjô ("Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami").
"the star of Yedo during the corresponding period of Bunka and Bunsei was the third Bandô Hikosaburô, youngest son of the eighth Ichimura Uzaemon. In later years he shaved his head, retired from the world, and lived in Honjô, a Yedo ward, where he posted up a notice on the gate to the effect that waste-paper dealers and actors were not allowed in. He was handsome and gifted, and died at the age of 75." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")
Bandô Hikosaburô III in a print made by Tôshûsai Sharaku
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1796
Print made by Utagawa Kunimasa in 1796
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1798
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1808
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni (1862~1863)
The Bandô Shinsui line of actors
The Bandô Hikosaburô line of actors