ONOE KIKUGORÔ V

January 1851: the actors Ichimura Uzaemon XII and Ichimura Kurôemon respectively take the names of Ichimura Takenojô V and Ichimura Uzaemon XIII; the new Uzaemon becomes the manager of the Ichimuraza.

February 1859: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Kosode Soga Azami no Ironui" (commonly called "Izayoi Seishin"); Uzaemon plays the role of Motome [casting].

January 1860: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Sannin Kichisa Kuruwa no Hatsugai"; Uzaemon plays the role of Jûzaburô [casting].

March 1862: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Aoto Zôshi Hana no Nishikie" (commonly called "Shiranami Gonin Otoko"); Uzaemon plays the role of Benten Kozô [casting].

Spring 1863: Ichimura Uzaemon XIII takes the name of Ichimura Kakitsu IV.

February 1864: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome"; Kakitsu plays the role of Hototogisu [casting].

November 1864: première at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Koharunagi Okitsu Shiranami"; Kakitsu plays the role of Kogitsune Reizaburô [casting].

August 1868: the actors Ichimura Kakitsu IV and Ichimura Takematsu III respectively take the names of Onoe Kikugorô V and Ichimura Uzaemon XIV at the Ichimuraza.

1869: Kikugorô becomes zagashira at the Nakamuraza.

July 1869: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Kichisama Mairu Yukari no Otozure"; the two leading roles are played by Kikugorô and Bandô Mitsugorô VI.

March 1870: premiere at the Nakamuraza of "Ume Goyomi Tatsumi no Sono", an adaptation to Kabuki by Kawatake Mokuami and Segawa Jokô III of Tamenaga Shunsui's 1833 novel "Shunshoku Ume Goyomi"; Kikugorô plays the role of Karakotoya Tanjirô [casting].

July 1872: Kikugorô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Oiwa, Kohei and Yomoshichi in the drama "Oiwa Inari Rishô no Tamagushi" (similar to Tsuruya namboku IV's masterpiece "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan"); the role of Iemon is played by Nakamura Shikan IV.

March 1873: premiere at the Murayamaza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Taiko no Oto Chiyû Sanryaku"; Kikugorô plays the role of Naruse Tôzô [casting].

June 1873: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Tsuyu Kosode Mukashi Hachijô", commonly called "Kamiyui Shinza"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Shinza and Ôka Echizen [casting].

16 July 1879: Kikugorô takes part in the gala night at the Shintomiza in the honor of the General Ulysses S. Grant [more details].

March 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Kumo ni Magou Ueno no Hatsuhana"; Kikugorô plays the role of Kataoka Naojirô [casting].

June 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's dance-drama "Tsuchi Gumo", which is staged to commemorate the 32nd anniversary (33rd memorial service) of late Onoe Kikugorô III; Kikugorô plays the roles of the priest Chichû and the spirit of the ground spider [casting].

November 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's zangirimono drama "Shima Chidori Tsuki no Shiranami"; Kikugorô plays the role of Akashi no Shimazô [casting].

January 1883: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Medeshi Yanagi Midori no Matsumae"; Kikugorô plays the role of Matsumae Gorobei [casting].

April 1883: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's Nagauta-based matsubamemono "Ibaraki"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Mashiba and the demon of Mount Atago [casting].

May 1883: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Shinsarayashiki Tsuki no Amagasa"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Sôgorô and Otsuta [casting].

October 1884: Kikugorô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Oiwa, Kohei and Yomoshichi in the drama "Katamigusa Yotsuya Kaidan" (similar to Tsuruya namboku IV's masterpiece "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan"); the role of Iemon is played by Kataoka Gadô III.

February 1885: Kikugorô takes part in the opening ceremony of the Chitoseza [more details].

March 1886: première at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Mekura Nagaya Ume-ga-Kagatobi"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Umekichi, Dôgen and Shinigami [casting].

21 April 1887: the emperor views Kabuki for the first time at the residence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The casting includes the three leading stars Kikugorô, Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Ichikawa Sadanji I.

April 1890: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the drama "Hitotsuya"; Kikugorô plays the leading role of the old woman Ibara.

October 1890: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kawatake Mokuami's Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Modoribashi"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Sayuri and the demon of Mount Atago [casting].

July 1892: premiere at the Kabukiza of the drama "Kaidan Botan Dôrô", adapted to Kabuki from a famous Rakugo story created by San'yûtei Enchô; Kikugorô plays the roles of Tomozô and Oyone's ghost [casting].

January 1894: Kikugorô plays at the Kabukiza the prestigious role of Princess Yaegaki in the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô" [print].

April 1899: Kikugorô plays at the Kabukiza the role of Togashi in the dance-drama "Kanjinchô"; the roles of Benkei and Yoshitsune are played by Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Ichikawa Metora II.

October 1902: premiere at the Kabukiza of Enokido Kenji's drama "Ninjô Banashi Bunshichi Mottoi"; Kikugorô plays the role of Chôbei [casting].

November 1902: Kikugorô appears on stage for the last time, at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Kinai, Shizue and Benten Kôzô Kikunosuke in the drama "Chûshin Kanagaki Kôshaku".

Comments:

Onoe Kikugorô V belonged to the triumvirat of stars who dominated the Kabuki world during the Meiji era (the two others were Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Ichikawa Sadanji I). He created with Kawatake Mokuami a new genre called zangirimono.

Onoe Kikugorô V's best roles: Benten Kozô Kikunosuke ("Shiranami Gonin Otoko"), Kataoka Naojirô ("Naozamurai"), Kamiyui Shinza ("Tsuyu Kosode Mukashi Hachijô"), Saitô Bettô Sanemori ("Sanemori Monogatari"), Satô Tadanobu/the fox Genkurô ("Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura"), Gosho no Gorozô ("Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome"), Hayano Kampei ("Kanadehon Chûshingura"), Masaoka ("Meiboku Sendai Hagi"), Oiwa/Kohei/Yomoshichi ("Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan").

Onoe Kikugorô V gathered his favourite dance-dramas in a collection named shinko engeki jûsshu: "Rakan", "Kodera no Neko" (these 2 items were performed for the first time by his grandfather Onoe Kikugorô III), "Tsuchi Gumo", "Ibaraki", "Hitotsuya", "Modoribashi", "Kikujidô" and "Hagoromo". His son Onoe Kikugorô VI completed later on the collection by adding "Migawari Zazen" and "Osakabe Hime".

"He succeeded to the headship of the Onoe family, ranked with the ninth Danjûrô, and in some respects surpassed him. It was in drama of everyday life that Kikugorô most excelled, the sentimental and realistic having the greatest appeal for him." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")

Onoe Kikugorô V playing the role of Benten Kozô in the drama "Yoko Shimada Kanoko Furisode", whose plot and character belong to "Shiranami Gonin Otoko" world and which was performed in June 1889 at the Moritaza (print made by Toyohara Kunichika)

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1859

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1861

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1863

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1865 (courtesy of V.)

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1868

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1874

Print made by Yôshû Chikanobu in 1881

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1883

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1892

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1894

The Onoe Kikugorô line of actors