Stage names:
Segawa Kikunojô I
Segawa Kichiji I
Hamamuraya Kichiji
Other name: Segawa Rokô I
Nickname: Hamamuraya Rokô
Guild: Hamamuraya
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Rokô (1)
Crest: Yui Wata
Existence: 1693 ~ 2 September 1749
Connections:
Master: Segawa Takenojô I
Brother: Segawa Kikujirô I
(Adopted/illegitimate ?) son: Segawa Kikunojô II
Career:
1693 ~ 1708: born in Kyôto (born in 1691 according to some documents). He starts his career in Ôsaka in a little theater on the Dôtonbori managed by Kaizukaya Nizaburô, performing under the name of Hamamuraya Kichiji. He becomes disciple of Segawa Takenojô I at an unknown date and receives the name of Segawa Kichiji I.
January 1709: Segawa Kichiji I becomes wakaonnagata and takes the name of Segawa Kikunojô I in Kyôto, playing in the drama "Nishi no Miya Hiruko no Inochi", which is produced by Arashi Sanjûrô I.
November 1713: Kikunojô plays in Ôsaka the role of Iwachiyo in the kaomise drama "Yoyo Meoto Tsuru no Mago" [more details], which was staged in November 1713 at Shioya Kuroemon's theater.
1722: Kikunojô becomes zamoto in Kyôto.
November 1728: Kikunojô plays the role of Okane in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Kogane no Uroko", which is produced by Sanogawa Mangiku at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater.
October 1730: Kikunojô settles in Edo. He achieves a great success at the Nakamuraza by performing the leading role of the Shakkyô dance "Aioi Jishi".
November 1730: Kikunojô plays in the same theater in the kaomise drama "Irifune Hiru-ga-Kojima". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danjûrô II, Sawamura Sôjûrô I, Ôtani Hiroji I, Ogino Izaburô I, Nakajima Mihoemon I and Sodesaki Miwano I.
January 1731: Kikunojô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He plays at the Nakamuraza the role of the courtesan Katsuragi in the drama "Keisei Fukubiki Nagoya" [casting].
March 1731: Kikunojô plays in the same theater the leading role of the first dôjôjimono of Kabuki history, called "Mugen no Kane Shindôjôji".
November 1731: Kikunojô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Shinobu in the kaomise drama "Wagô Ichiji Taiheiki", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of the Kamigata star Sadoshima Chôgorô I.
November 1732: Kikunojô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Yamato Kotoba Imagawajô", which is written by Sawamura Sôjûrô I. This kaomise program welcomes in Edo the 2 Kamigata stars Anegawa Shinshirô I and Sakakiyama Koshirô I.
November 1733: Kikunojô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Nagi no Hana Asahi Genji".
January 1734: Kikunojô plays at the Nakamuraza in the new year drama "Jûhakkô Imayô Soga". He also plays the leading role of the spirit of the shishi for the premiere of the dance "Fûryû Aioi Jishi". The hat he used on stage becomes the latest fashion in the city of Edo and is called "Segawa Bôshi" ("the Segawa hat").
November 1734: Kikunojô moves to the Ichimuraza and plays the role of Kunitae's wife Matsushima in the kaomise drama "Michi-no-Ku Yunzei Genji". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danjûrô II (who plays Kunitae), Ôtani Hiroji I, Segawa Kikujirô I, Ichikawa Danzô I, Tsuruya Namboku I, Ichikawa Sôzaburô I, Sakata Hangorô I and Ichimura Takenojô IV.
November 1735: Kikunojô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Ono no Komachi in the kaomise drama "Kongen Nana Komachi", which celebrates the great shûmei of Ichikawa Ebizô II, Ichikawa Danjûrô III and Matsumoto Kôshirô II.
January 1736: the trio made up of Kikunojô, Ichimura Takenojô IV and Ichimura Manzô perform together at the Ichimuraza in "Sayo no Nakayama Asamagadake", the first Tokiwazu-based dance-drama in Kabuki history.
November 1736: Ôtani Hiroji I and the Segawa brothers, Kikunojô and Kikujirô, move together to the Nakamuraza and perform in the kaomise program "Kuni no Tomi Sesshôseki".
September 1737: Kikunojô celebrates his coming departure from Edo, achieving a great success at the Nakamuraza by playing the role of Kuzu-no-Ha (a female fox disguised as a woman who has to depart from his human child) in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami".
Fall 1737: Ôtani Hiroji I and the Segawa brothers, Kikunojô and Kikujirô, go together to Kamigata.
November 1737: Kikunojô and his brother Kikujirô settle in Kyôto and perform in the kaomise drama "Yamato Uta Kamiyo no Kagami", which is produced by Mizuki Tatsunosuke I at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater. Their stage partners are Anegawa Shinshirô I, Shinozuka Kazaemon, Yamanaka Heijûrô II, Arashi Sanshirô and Somenoi Utamatsu.
February 1738: the Segawa brothers perform in the same theater in the play "Shimada Kagekiyo", which is a big audience failure.
March 1738: Kikunojô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent).
November 1738: Kikunojô moves to Ôsaka and plays in the kaomise program, which is produced by Yoshizawa Ayame II at the Ônishi no Shibai and celebrates also the arrival in Ôsaka of Bandô Hikosaburô I. The line-up includes also the actors Tsuuchi Monzaburô, Ichiyama Sukegorô I, Ichiyama Dengorô and Matsushima Moheiji.
January 1739: Kikunojô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent). He plays in the same theater the leading role of the dance-drama "Mugen no Kane".
December 1739: Kikunojô plays in the same theater the role of the courtesan Tôyama in the drama "Kewai Musha Ômi Genji". His stage partners are Yoshizawa Ayame II (Okichi), Nakamura Sôjûrô (Shôgen), Sakakiyama Shirotarô I (Nagoya Sanza), Arashi Shichigorô I (Fuwa Banzaemon) and Anegawa Shinshirô I (Matahei).
November 1740: Kikunojô plays in the kaomise drama "Yaguruma Yakata no Fuji", which is produced by Nakamura Tomijûrô I at the Ônishi no Shibai. His stage partners are Yamamoto Kyôshirô I, Nakamura Shingorô I, Nakayama Shinkurô I, Sanogawa Mangiku, Onoe Kikugorô I, Nakamura Sôjûrô and Arashi Shichigorô I.
December 1740: Kikunojô plays in the same theater the leading role of the dôjôjimono "Keisei Imayô Dôjôji".
January 1741: Kikunojô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
May 1741: Kikunojô plays in the same theater the role of Ochô in the drama "Onna Hinin Adauchi".
July 1741: Kikunojô achieves a great success in the same theater by playing in the drama "Sôen Musha Makura Gundan"; the performance is a 100 days long run.
November 1741: Kikunojô goes back to Edo and plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Iwato Saemon's wife Uraba in the kaomise drama "Sugatae Onna Narihira". His stage partners are Ôtani Hiroji I (playing Iwato Saemon), Bandô Hikosaburô I, Segawa Kikujirô I, Bandô Matatarô III, Ichimura Uzaemon VIII, Nakajima Mihoemon I, Miyazaki Jûshirô II, Ichiyama Dengorô, Tamazawa Saijirô and Ichimura Manzô.
March 1742: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the dance "Hanabusa Shishi no Rangyoku", the third part (sanbanme) of the program "Fuji Miru Sato Sakae Soga"; Kikunojô plays the leading role of this Lion dance, still in the Kabuki repertoire and commonly called "Makura Jishi".
November 1742: Kikunojô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Miyagino in the kaomise drama "Furisode Shinoda no Zuma", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of the actor Onoe Kikugorô I.
November 1743: Kikunojô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays in the kaomise drama "Funayosooi Mitsugi Taiheiki".
January 1744: Kikunojô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
February 1744: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the Nagauta-based dôjôjimono "Momo Chidori Musume Dôjôji". The leading female role is played by Kikunojô and his two stage partners are Ichikawa Ebizô II and Ôtani Hiroji I.
November 1744: Kikunojô performs at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Kachô Taiheiki".
November 1745: Kikunojô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Suehiro Izu Nikki", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of the Kamigata actor Fujikawa Heikurô.
January 1746: Kikunojô plays in the same theater the leading role of the Miyakoji-based dance "Mugen no Kane Omoi no Akatsuki", which is based on the Mugen no Kane legend.
November 1746: Kikunojô moves to the Ichimuraza and plays the role of Ofuji in the kaomise drama "Aioi Izu Nikki", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of the Kamigata actors Yamamoto Kyôshirô I and Iwai Hanshirô III.
May 1747: Kikunojô plays in the same theater the role of Onna Kan Shôjô, the female Kan Shôjô (the hero of the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"), in the drama "Onna Kan Shôjô Utsutsu no Narukami".
November 1747: Kikunojô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays the roles of Sanemori's daughter Kumano and the courtesan Nishikigi in the kaomise drama "Izu Gunzei Sumô no Nishiki", sharing the top of the bill with the 2 stars Sawamura Chôjûrô III and Ichikawa Ebizô II.
January 1748: Kikunojô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of the courtesan Akoya in the drama "Kazari Ebi Yoroi Soga".
February 1748: Kikunojô appears on stage for the last time, at the Nakamuraza, playing with success the role of Onna Kan Shôjô, the female Kan Shôjô, in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". He suddenly falls ill in March and dies more than one year later, in September 1749.
Comments:
Segawa Kikunojô I was the best onnagata in Edo during the first half of the eighteenth century. He was an excellent dancer and the author of a book, "Onnagata Hiden" ("the secrets of an onnagata") in which he wrote that in order to be successful, an onnagata had to live his daily life as a woman. He was also the owner of a prosperous cosmetics shop located in Edo in the district of Ningyô-chô.
Segawa Kikunojô I portraying Mizue Gozen (1740~1745)
Prints and illustrations of Segawa Kikunojô I
Print made by Ishikawa Toyonobu
The Segawa Kikunojô line of actors