Stage names:
Onoe Kikunosuke II
Onoe Shôkô
Real name: Terashima Hidesaku
Guild: Otowaya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Existence: 1868 ~ 28 June 1897
Connection:
Adopted father: Onoe Kikugorô V
Career:
1868: born in Edo in the district of Mukôjima.
1870: he is adopted by Onoe Kikugorô V.
March 1871: he makes his debut at the Nakamuraza, where he receives the name of Onoe Kikunosuke II.
June 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's dance-drama "Tsuchi Gumo"; Kikunosuke plays the role of Kochô [casting].
February 1885: Kikunosuke takes part in the opening ceremony of the Chitoseza [info].
March 1886: première at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Mekura Nagaya Ume-ga-Kagatobi"; Kikunosuke plays the role of Otami [casting].
1886: quarrel with his adopted father Onoe Kikugorô V.
February 1887: he takes the name of Onoe Shôkô in Ôsaka, where he tries to give a boost to his career.
September 1890: Shôkô plays at the Kitaza the role of the courtesan Sumizome, in reality the spirit of Komachi's cherry tree, in the dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no Seki no To"; the roles of Sekibei/Ôtomo no Kuronushi is played by Nakamura Shikan IV.
January 1891: he goes back to Tôkyô, where he becomes reconciled with his adopted father Onoe Kikugorô V. He takes back the name of Onoe Kikunosuke II.
February 1897: Kikunosuke appears on stage for the last time, in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Nishikawa Sôzaburô, Nishio Kazuenosuke and Oshizu in the drama "Gojûsan Tsugi Ôgi no Shukuzuke". He also plays the role of Ono no Komachi in the dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no Seki no To". His stage partners in this dance are Onoe Kikugorô V (Sumizome, the spirit of Komachi's cherry tree), Ichikawa Danjûrô IX (Sekibei/Ôtomo no Kuronushi) and Ichikawa Somegorô IV (Yoshimine Munesada).
28 June 1897: Kikunosuke dies in Tôkyô; his tombstone is located in the precinct of the Daiunji Temple in the district of Oshiage.
Comments:
Onoe Kikunosuke II was a promising actor of the Otowaya guild, who unfortunately died at the end of his 20s. His life was dramatized in the novel "Zangiku Monogatari" (literally "Late Chrysanthemums"). In this story written by Muramatsu Shôfû, Kikunosuke was openly praised for his stage performances, only because he was his father's heir. Otoku, the wet-nurse of his brother, was the only one to be sincere enough to tell Kikunosuke the truth about his performances but she also had faith in his talent. Kikunosuke fell in love with her, but the possible mesalliance provoked the wrath of his adopted father Onoe Kikugorô V. Kikunosuke left the Onoe clan to try to become an accomplished actor by himself in Ôsaka, where he struggled for a long time. Thanks to the help of Otoku, he finally became a famous actor and regained the recognition of his adopted father. This novel became a theatre hit (screenplay written by Iwaya San'ichi) and a movie masterpiece, directed in 1939 by Mizoguchi Kenji.
Onoe Kikunosuke II playing the role of Ono no Komachi
in the dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no Seki no To",
which was staged in February 1897 at the Kabukiza
(print made by Toyohara Kunichika)
Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1897
The Onoe Kikunosuke line of actors