Stage names:
Segawa Kikunojô II
Segawa Kichiji II
Segawa Gonjirô
Other name: Segawa Rokô II
Nickname: Ôji Rokô
Guild: Hamamuraya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry name: Rokô (2)
Crest: Yui Wata
Existence: 1741 ~ 13 March 1773
Connections:
Adoptive father: Segawa Kikunojô I
Adopted son: Segawa Senjo
Disciples : Segawa Yûjirô I, Segawa Kichiji III, Segawa Jôkô I
Career:
1741: born in the village of Ôji (close to Edo). He is likely to be the illegitimate son of Segawa Kikunojô I. His first name is Tokuji.
1745 ~ 1749: he is adopted by Segawa Kikunojô I and receives the name of Segawa Gonjirô at an unknown date.
September 1749: his adoptive father Segawa Kikunojô I dies.
September 1750: Segawa Gonjirô takes the name of Segawa Kichiji II at the Nakamuraza, performing the leading role of a Lion dance in the drama "Aki no Chô Katami no Tsubasa", which commemorate the 1st anniversary (2nd memorial service) of late Segawa Kikunojô I.
July 1751: Kichiji achieves a great success at the Nakamuraza, playing the role of Sankichi in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna" [casting].
November 1756: Segawa Kichiji II takes the name of Segawa Kikunojô II at the Ichimuraza, performing in the dance "Momo Chidori Musume Dôjôji" in duo with Ichimura Uzaemon VIII. His performance is a huge success.
November 1757: Kikunojô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Koshizuka in the kaomise drama "Onna Musha Kaijin Yashima".
January 1758: Kikunojô plays in the same theater the role of Osome in the drama "Osome Hisamatsu", included in the new year program "Toki Tsukaze Irifune Soga", sharing the stage with Ichikawa Danjûrô IV and Nakamura Kiyosaburô in the roles of Kyûsaku and Hisamatsu.
September 1758: Kikunojô plays in the same theater the role of Onui in the drama "Ono no Tôfû Aoyagi Suzuri". His stage partner in the role of Ono no Tôfû is Ichikawa Danjûrô IV.
March 1761: Kikunojô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of the courtesan Agemaki in the drama "Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura". His stage partners are Ichimura Kamezô I (Sukeroku), Ichikawa Danjûrô IV (the sake seller Shimbei) and Sawamura Sôjûrô II (Ikyû).
April 1762: Kikunojô achieves a great success at the Ichimuraza, dancing the seven roles of the program "Yanagi Hina Shochô no Saezuri". One of these roles is the first version of the famous dance "Sagi Musume".
Automne 1762: Kikunojô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Okaru in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". His stage partner in the roles of Yuranosuke and Hayano Kampei is Onoe Kikugorô I.
February 1763: Kikunojô plays at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Fûjibumi Sakae Soga".
January 1764: Kikunojô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
August 1765: Kikunojô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of the courtesan Katsuragi in the drama "Keisei Fukubiki Nagoya", which commemorates the 16th anniversary (17th memorial service) of the death of Segawa Kikunojô I. His stage partners are Ichikawa Danjûrô IV (the prostitutes-trader (zegen) Hachibei, Yoshiigahama no Tadanori), Matsumoto Shichizô II (Katsuragi's daughter Omina) and Ichikawa Komazô II (Nagoya Sanzaburô).
November 1766: Kikunojô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Okuni and the courtesan Katsuragi in the kaomise drama "Higashiyama Dono Kabuki no Tsuitachi".
January 1767: Yaozô plays in the same theater the roles of the servant Otae, Kagekiyo's daughter Hitomaru, the Goddess Benzaiten and Yaoya Oshichi in the new year drama "Soga Yawaragi Soga".
February 1767: first Kabuki adaptation, at the Ichimuraza, of Chikamatsu Hanji's puppet theater drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku"; Kikunojô plays the roles of Osono, Okumi and Orie [casting].
March 1767: Kikunojô plays in the same theater the role of the courtesan Tenmaya Ohatsu in the drama "Yoni Ôsaka Nitsui Meoto", which mixes Chikamatsu Monzaemon I's dramas "Sonezaki Shinjû" and "Shinjû Yoi Kôshin"; the role of Ohatsu's lover Hiranoya Tokubei is played by Segawa Kikunojô II.
April 1768: Kikunojô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Okaru in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". His stage partners are Nakamura Shichisaburô II (Ôboshi Yuranosuke) and Ichikawa Danjûrô IV (Teraoka Heiemon).
July 1768: the play "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" is produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time; Kikunojô plays the role of Otatsu [casting]. He also plays the role of Princess Yuki in the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki"; the roles of Matsunaga Daizen and Tôkichi are played by Ichikawa Danjûrô IV and Nakamura Denkurô II.
February 1769: Kikunojô plays at the Nakamuraza the leading role of the Lion dance "Aioi Jishi".
March 1770: Kikunojô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is hakudai-jô-jô-kichi (almost grand - superior - superior - excellent).
January 1771: Kikunojô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent).
August 1771: Kikunojô plays at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Keisei Nagoya Obi" but he suddenly falls ill and has to rest up to February 1772.
February 1772: Kikunojô appears on stage for the last time, at the Ichimuraza, playing in the drama "Wakaba no Kiku Kasumi no Wagaki". He falls ill and dies one year later in March 1773.
Comments:
Segawa Kikunojô II made a dazzling career in Edo, becoming tateonnagata in 1758 at the age of seventeen, reaching the jô-jô-kichi and dai-jô-jô-kichi ranks respectively in 1764 and in 1771. From the beginning of the sixties, his popularity was so great that many features he used on stage became the latest fashion in the city of Edo, all of them named from his haimyô Rokô: a brown color (rokô cha, Rokô's brown), a hairstyle (rokô mage, Rokô's bun), a comb (rokô kushi) and a kimono belt (rokô obi).
Segawa Kikunojô II in a print made by Ippitsusai Bunchô (1769~1772)
Print made by Ishikawa Toyonobu in 1757
Print made by Kitao Shigemasa in 1767
Print made by Ippitsusai Bunchô in 1770
The Segawa Kichiji line of actors
The Segawa Kikunojô line of actors
