Stage names:
Arashi Kichisaburô I
Takeda Kichisaburô
Guild: Okajimaya
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Rikan
Existence: 1737 ~ 8 December 1780
Connection:
Master: Arashi Kanzaburô (Arashi Kanshirô I's disciple)
Sons: Arashi Izaburô I, Takemoto Nakadayû II, Arashi Kitsusaburô I
Grandsons: Arashi Kichisaburô III, Arashi Yoshisaburô I
Great-grandsons: Arashi Kichisaburô, Arashi Izaburô III, Arashi Torasaburô
Disciples: Arashi Imazô, Arashi Nakazô, Arashi Hidesuke
Career:
1737 ~ 1757: he starts his career in Ôsaka in kodomo shibai at the Takeda no Shibai, performing under the name of Takeda Kichisaburô. He later on moves to hama shibai.
1757: he becomes disciple of Arashi Kanzaburô (a disciple of Arashi Kanshirô I).
January 1758: he makes his debut in ôshibai, taking the name of Arashi Kichisaburô I and playing the role of Kumano no Benjô in the new year drama "Gempei Chitose no Matsu", which is produced at the Ônishi no Shibai by Kirinoya Hidematsu.
November 1758: he becomes zamoto and produces at the Naka no Shibai the kaomise drama "Shitennô Chikara Kurabe", which stars Ichikawa Danzô III, Yamashita Matatarô I, Yamamoto Kyôshirô I, Ichinokawa Hikoshirô II, Yoshizawa Sakinosuke II and Nakamura Kumetarô I.
January 1759: Kichisaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô (superior - superior).
November 1759: Kichisaburô produces at the Naka no Shibai the kaomise drama "Mibae Soga Azuma Tanzen".
Fall 1760: Kichisaburô goes to Kyôto.
November 1760: Kichisaburô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Tosa Matahei in the kaomise drama "Ôshimadai Kitsune no Mukoiri", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I.
January 1761: Kichisaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô (superior - superior).
January 1762: Kichisaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).
February 1762: Kichisaburô plays the role of the sumô wrestler Nuregami Chôgorô in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki", which is produced in Kyôto by Sawamura Kunitarô I; his stage partner in the role of the rival sumô wrestler Hanaregoma Chôkichi is Arashi Shichigorô II.
Fall 1764: Kichisaburô goes back to Ôsaka.
November 1764: Kichisaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Tatsu no Miya Yunzei Kotobuki".
December 1764: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the role of the yakko Tsumahei in the drama "Shin Usuyuki Monogatari".
January 1765: Kichisaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).
January 1766: Kichisaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).
May 1766: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Honchô Nijûshikô", which is performed in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai; Kichisaburô plays the role of Jihizô [casting].
November 1766: Kichisaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai in Namiki Jûsuke's kaomise drama "Yamato Uta Hikime no Yaguruma", which is produced by Nakamura Utaemon I.
November 1767: Kichisaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Shitennô Maizuru Ôgi", which is produced by Mimasu Tanin I.
November 1768: Kichisaburô moves to the Kado no Shibai and plays the role of Momoi Gengo in the kaomise drama "Shin-yakata Banzei no Kotobuki", which is produced by Yamashita Yaozô I.
Fall 1770: Kichisaburô goes to Kyôto.
November 1770: Kichisaburô plays the role of Kagekiyo in the kaomise drama "Sakigake Yashima no Kachidoki", which is produced by Onoe Kumesuke for the nadai Ebisuya Kichirôbei and Kameya Kumenojô.
Fall 1772: Kichisaburô goes back to Ôsaka.
November 1772: Kichisaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Yoshitsune in the kaomise drama "Onoe Kikugorô no Baranu Banashi", which is produced by Nakamura Utaemon I.
April 1773: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the role of Issun Tokubei in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; his stage partners are Fujikawa Hachizô I (Danshichi Kurobei) and Nakamura Utaemon I (Sabu).
November 1773: Kichisaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Itari Yaitari Mukadeyama", which is produced by Arashi Matsujirô.
December 1773: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the roles of En'ya Hanagan and Teraoka Heiemon in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
May 1774: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the role of Sasaki Takatsuna in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".
September 1774: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Sukune Tarô and Takebe Genzô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
November 1774: Kichisaburô moves to the Kado no Shibai and plays in the kaomise drama "Isagiyoshi Kusunoki Banashi".
August 1775: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the role of the sumô wrestler Imagawa Jirokichi in the drama "Sekitori Senryô Nobori".
November 1775: Kichisaburô moves to the Naka no Shibai and plays the role of Tanuki-no-Kimpachi ("Kimpachi the badger") in the kaomise drama "Gohiiki Tenmokuzan".
December 1775: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Ishidô Umanojô, Hayano Kampei and Teraoka Heiemon in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
May 1776: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the role of Issun Tokubei in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; his stage partners are Arashi Hinasuke I (Danshichi Kurobei) and Mimasu Daigorô I (Sabu).
July 1776: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the role of Midaroku in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".
August 1776: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the role of the yakko Ippei in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".
October 1776: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the role of Shunkan in the drama "Hime Komatsu Ne-no-Hi no Asobi".
Fall 1776: Kichisaburô goes to Kyôto.
November 1776: Kichisaburô plays the roles of Kajiwara Genta and a priest in the kaomise drama "Saiwai Gura Manpô no Irifune", which is produced by Ogurayama Toyosaki at Hoteiya Umenojô's theater.
Fall 1777: Kichisaburô goes back to Ôsaka.
November 1777: Kichisaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Daijizai Kaminari no Kodakara", which is produced by the zamoto Ichiyama Tajirô.
September 1778: Kichisaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Shiratayû, Genzô and Terukuni in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; his stage partners are Nakamura Utaemon I (Matsuômaru), Yamashita Kamenojô IV (Tatsuta-no-Mae, Haru), Sawamura Kunitarô I (Tonami, Kakuju, Yae), Arashi Shichisaburô II (Umeômaru), Bandô Iwagorô (Shihei, Shundô Genba), Mimasu Tokujirô I (Kan Shôjô, Chiyo), Arashi Sangorô II (Sakuramaru) and Nakamura Jiroza II (Hyôei, Mareyo).
November 1778: Kichisaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Kajiwara Genta and a priest in the kaomise drama "Toki-ni Tôdai Sennin Kagami".
Fall 1779: Kichisaburô goes to Kyôto.
November 1779: Kichisaburô plays in the kaomise drama "Miyako Han'ei Nanshi no Hiraki Hajime", which is produced by Nakayama Ihachi I at the theater of Kameya Kumenojô and Hayagumo Chôdayû.
November 1780: Kichisaburô appears on stage for the last time, playing in the kaomise drama "Hoshi Matsuri Fukki no Kurairi", which is produced by Nakayama Ihachi I at the theater of Kameya Kumenojô and Ebisuya Kichirôbei.
8 December 1780: Kichisaburô suddenly dies in Kyôto. His tombstone is located in Ôsaka in the precinct of the Yûkôji temple in the district of Shimoteramachi.
Comments:
Arashi Kichisaburô I was a talented Kamigata tachiyaku actor, who made all his career in Ôsaka and Kyôto between the 1760s and the 1770s. He was a jitsugotoshi and a wagotoshi but he also excelled in sumôtori, otokodate or yakko roles. He died in 1780, at the beginning of his 40s and his last ranking was only one little one rank below jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). If he had lived a little longer, he would have reached without trouble this prestigious rank at the beginning of the 1780s.
Arashi Kichisaburô I playing the role of Asaina Tôbei in a caricature from the book "Ehon Mizu ya Sora", which was drawn by Matsuya Nichôsai and published in Ôsaka in 1780 by Hachimonjiya Hachizaemon