Guild: Sakaiya
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Eishi
Existence: 1737 ~ 19 February 1781
Connection:
Father: Ogawa Goroshirô (a disciple of Ogawa Zengorô I)
Disciples: Ogawa Kichitarô II, Ogawa Fusamatsu, Ogawa Otojirô, Ogawa Sengiku, Ogawa Shozô
Career:
1737 ~ 1748: born in Kamigata as the son of Ogawa Goroshirô, a disciple of Ogawa Zengorô I.
1748: Kichitarô performs at the Takeda no Shibai, a hama shibai venue.
November 1754: Kichitarô becomes wakashugata at the Naka no Shibai, performing in the kaomise drama "Amaterasu Ômikami Iwado no Akebono", which is produced by Arashi San'emon IV.
November 1760: Kichitarô becomes tachiyaku.
Fall 1761: Kichitarô goes to Kyôto to perform at the Kitano no Shibai.
November 1763: Kichitarô plays in Kyôto the role of Ariwara no Narihira in the kaomise drama "Shôchikubai Ôshimadai", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I.
January 1764: Kichitarô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent). He shares the same ranking with Nakamura Jûzô II.
November 1764: Kichitarô plays in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Gempei Tsûrikimaru".
January 1765: Kichitarô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent). He shares the same ranking with Fujimatsu Sanjûrô I and Onoe Montarô.
November 1765: Kichitarô becomes zamoto and produces in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai the kaomise drama "Takara-Kita-Yama Kogane no Ishizue".
November 1766: Kichitarô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Komurasaki Tôji, in reality Ibukiyama Tôjirô, in the kaomise drama "Yuki no Asa Daimonjitsu Miyako no Fuku", which is produced by Yamashita Kyônosuke and Ichiyama Sukegorô.
January 1767: Kichitarô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent). He shares the same ranking with Edosaka Kyôemon.
November 1767: Kichitarô plays in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of Hanayama Iorinosuke in the kaomise drama "Shinchoku Fukki no Kanatoko", which is produced by Ichiyama Sukegorô II and celebrates the shûmei of Sakakiyama Koshirô IV and Sakakiyama Shirotarô IV.
November 1768: Kichitarô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Kaeribana Misao Taiheiki", which celebrates the shûmei of Nakamura Noshio I, Nakamura Tsutaemon and Arashi Kasen. The main stage partners are Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Onoe Kikugorô I, Nakamura Jûzô II, Onoe Shinshichi I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô III, Kirishima Gizaemon and Matsuya Shinjûrô.
Fall 1769: Kichitarô goes to Ôsaka.
November 1769: Kichitarô plays at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Tora no Itten Sanryaku no Maki", which is produced by Nakayama Yosaburô II. Kichitarô's stage partners are Nakayama Bunshichi I, Fujikawa Hachizô I, Ichinokawa Hikoshirô II, Mimasu Daigorô I, Bandô Iwagorô, Yoshizawa Ayame III, Sawamura Kunitarô I and Hanagiri Toyomatsu III.
January 1770: Kichitarô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent). He shares the same ranking with Arashi Kichisaburô I and Fujimatsu Sanjûrô I.
May 1770: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Hanji's Gidayû Kyôgen "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata". The play is staged in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai; Kichitarô plays the roles of Minamoto no Yoriie, Miuranosuke and Bonta [casting].
September 1770: Kichitarô plays in the same theater the role of Abe no Yasuna in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami"; the role of Kuzu-no-Ha is played by Sawamura Kunitarô I.
November 1770: Kichitarô becomes zamoto and produces in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai the kaomise drama "Ma'ichimonjiya Sakigake Hyôban".
December 1770: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Namiki Shôzô's drama "Kuwanaya Tokuzô Irifune Monogatari"; Kichitarô produces it and plays the role of Takamaru Kamejirô [casting].
August 1771: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", in which he plays the roles of Makura no Kiyoku and Fujiwara no Tankai.
November 1771: Kichitarô produces in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai the kaomise drama "Ganjitsu Eiga no Toshikoshi".
December 1771: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Sanjukkoku Yobune no Hajimari", in which he plays the roles of Nuinosuke and Yokurô.
March 1772: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna", in which he plays the role of Date no Yosaku.
July 1772: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", in which he plays the roles of Yoshitsune and Yasuke.
September 1772: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Monogusa Tarô", which celebrates the isse ichidai performance of Nakayama Shinkurô I.
November 1772: Kichitarô produces at the Kado no Shibai the kaomise drama "Hi-no-Moto Banzei no Hôrai", in which he plays the roles of Wakiya Gisuke and Saheiji. From the 25th of November, he produces the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", in which he plays the role of Sakuramaru; the roles of Matsuômaru and Sakuramaru's spouse Yae are played by Nakayama Raisuke I and Arashi Hinasuke I.
September 1773: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Keisei Hangonkô", in which he plays the role of Shirojirô.
November 1773: Kichitarô produces at the Kado no Shibai the kaomise drama "Medetai Uchimashô".
December 1773: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki", in which he plays the roles of Yoshitsune and the fortune teller (Tsuji Hôin).
September 1774: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Kume no Sennin Yoshino Zakura", in which he plays the role of Hata no Kanjirô and Atsumibô; this is also the last stage performances of the star Yoshizawa Ayame III.
November 1774: Kichitarô produces at the Kado no Shibai the kaomise drama "Isagiyoshi Kusunoki Banashi".
December 1774: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku", in which he plays the roles of Nuinosuke and Okumi.
August 1775: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the dramas "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki" and "Sekitori Senryô Nobori"; he plays the role of the young master Reizaburô in the latter one.
November 1775: Kichitarô produces at the Kado no Shibai the kaomise drama "Hachitanashi Hyaku Monogatari", which welcomes in Ôsaka the onnagata Yoshizawa Sakinosuke III (coming back from Edo).
December 1775: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki", in which he plays the role of Yogorô.
March 1776: Kichitarô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He shares the same ranking with Arashi Hinasuke I.
April 1776: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki", in which he plays the role of Kanônosuke Naonobu.
July 1776: premiere of Iso Isosuke's drama "Yamato Kotoba Suikoden", which is produced at the Kado no Shibai by Kichitarô; he plays the role of Sôshichi [casting].
October 1776: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the play "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami", which is the onagori kyôgen of Yoshizawa Sakinosuke III, who is about to go to Edo; Kichitarô plays the role of Abe no Yasuna.
November 1776: Kichitarô produces at the Kado no Shibai the kaomise drama "Ehôgura Sankai Meisho", which welcomes in Ôsaka the star Onoe Kikugorô I (coming from Kyôto).
December 1776: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Shin Usuyuki Monogatari", in which he plays the roles of Saemon and Rai Tarô Kunitoshi.
April 1777: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Tenmangû Natane no Gokû", in which he plays the role of Sukune Tarô.
September 1777: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", in which he plays the roles of Kokingo and Yasuke.
November 1777: Kichitarô produces at the Kado no Shibai the kaomise drama "Ôiri Kabuki no Tsuitachi".
April 1778: premiere in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai of Namiki Gohei I's play "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri", which is produced by Kichitarô, with Arashi Hinasuke I and Onoe Kikugorô I playing the roles of Ishikawa Goemon and Mashiba Hisayoshi.
September 1778: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the play "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura", which is the onagori kyôgen of the actor Onoe Kikugorô I, who is about to go to Edo.
November 1778: Kichitarô produces at the Kado no Shibai the kaomise drama "Gempei Tatoezukushi", which welcomes in Ôsaka the star Nakamura Tomijûrô I (coming back from Edo); Kichitarô plays the role of Mannô Kyûhei.
January 1779: Kichitarô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, sôkanjiku section ("all kanjiku"), is hakushi-jô-jô-kichi (almost unique - superior - superior - excellent).
July 1779: Kichitarô produces in the same theater the play "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami", in which he plays the role of Izuminosuke.
November 1779: Kichitarô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Urashima Tarô in the kaomise drama "Senshû Banzei Chibako no Tamamono", which is produced by Yoshizawa Iroha I and celebrates the shûmei of Nakamura Noshio II.
End of November 1779 ~ January 1780: Kichitarô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of En'ya Hangan in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; the roles of Kô no Moronô and Ôboshi Yuranosuke are played by Yamamoto Giemon and Miogi Gizaemon II.
November 1780: Kichitarô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Wakushichi, in reality Tôkurô Morinaga, in the kaomise drama "Ujigami Sairai Sukedono no Kachidoki".
January 1781: Kichitarô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is hakudai-jô-jô-kichi (almost grand - superior - superior - excellent).
19 February 1781: Kichitarô dies in Ôsaka.
Comments:
Ogawa Kichitarô I was an outstanding 18th century tachiyaku, who achieved in Kyôto and Ôsaka a reputation as an expert on wagoto. This amazing yatsushigata was compared by connoisseurs to the great actor Somematsu Shichisaburô I and was considered as his equal.
Ogawa Kichitarô I
The Ogawa Kichitarô line of actors