Stage names:
Ichikawa Kodanji IV
Ichikawa Yonejûrô I
Ichikawa Yonezô III
Ichikawa Eizô I
Real name: Takashimaya Eita
Guild: Takashimaya
Line number: YODAIME (IV)
Existence: 1812 ~ 8 May 1866
Connections:
Master: Ichikawa Danjûrô VII
Sons: Ichikawa Sai'nyû, Ichikawa Kodanji V
Adopted sons: Ichikawa Sadanji I, Ichikawa Yonejûrô II
Grandson: Ichikawa Udanji II
Great-grandson: Ichikawa Unosuke II
Great-great-grandson: Ichikawa Unosuke III
Disciples: Ichikawa Arajirô I, Ichikawa Yonejûrô III, Nakamura Jusaburô III
Career:
1812: born in Edo. He is the son of Takashimaya Eizô, a fireworks-seller at the Ichimuraza.
1820: he becomes a disciple of the actor Ichikawa Danjûrô VII.
April 1821: he makes his first appearance on stage, at the Nakamuraza, where he receives the name of Ichikawa Eizô I.
1822: Ichikawa Eizô I takes the name of Ichikawa Yonezô III.
August 1829: Ichikawa Yonezô III takes the name of Ichikawa Yonejûrô I.
Spring 1844: Ichikawa Yonejûrô I takes the name of Ichikawa Kodanji IV at the Kado no Shibai, playing in the drama "Keisei Ishikawazome".
February 1847: Kodanji plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Tadanobu in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura". His stage partners are Ichikawa Ebizô V (Yoshitsune), Arashi Kichisaburô III (Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan) and Arashi Rikaku II (Shizuka Gozen). He performs the same role in the same play in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai in May.
November 1847: Kodanji plays at the Ichimuraza all the roles of a 7-role hengemono titled "Shiki Utsushi Tosae no Futsutsuka".
September 1850: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the drama "Minoriyoshi Kogane no Kikuzuki"; Kodanji plays the role of the koshimoto Okiku [more details].
April 1851: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the Tokiwazu-based dance "Kioi Jishi Kabuki no Hanakago", commonly called "Kioi Jishi", starring Bandô Takesaburô I, Onoe Kikujirô II, Iwai Kumesaburô III and Kodanji.
August 1851: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Segawa Jokô III's drama "Higashiyama Sakura Sôshi" (commonly called "Sakura Giminden"); Kodanji plays the roles of Asakura Tôgo, Sumahei and Shinonome [casting].
July 1856: Kodanji plays at the Ichimuraza the three major male roles of the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", namely Tadanobu, Tomomori and Gonta.
September 1856: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's 9-act drama "Tsuta Momiji Utsunoya Tôge". The 2 leading stars are Kodanji (the blind masseur Bun'ya and the thief Niza) and Bandô Kamezô I (Itamiya Jûbei).
November 1856: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the dance "Joro no Makoto Osada no Chûkô"; Kodanji plays the role of the tengû [casting].
July 1857: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Ami Moyô Dôro no Kikukiri" (commonly called "Kozaru Shichinosuke"). The roles of Shichinosuke and Takigawa are played by Kodanji and Onoe Kikugorô IV.
February 1859: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Kosode Soga Azami no Ironui" (commonly called "Izayoi Seishin"); Kodanji plays the role of the priest Seishin, who becomes the thief Seikichi, [casting].
September 1859: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's Kiyomoto-based dance "Jitsugetsusei Chûya no Oriwake", commonly called "Ryûsei". The leading roles are played by Kawarazaki Gonjûrô I, Iwai Kumesaburô III and Kodanji.
January 1860: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Sannin Kichisa Kuruwa no Hatsugai"; Kodanji plays the roles of Oshô Kichisa and Kiya Bunri [casting].
March 1860: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Kagamiyama Gonichi no Iwafuji"; Kodanji plays the roles of the ghost of Iwafuji and Torii Matasuke [casting].
July 1860: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Hachiman Matsuri Yomiya no Nigiwai" (commonly called "Chijimiya Shinsuke"); Kodanji plays the role of Shinsuke [casting].
August 1861: premiere at the Moritaza of of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Sakura Sôshi Gonichi no Bundan", a revised version of Segawa Jokô III's drama "Higashiyama Sakura Sôshi"; Kodanji plays the roles of Asakura Tôgo, Katagiri Saizô and Kôzen [casting].
October 1861: premiere at the Moritaza of Segawa Jokô III's drama "Zôho Futatsu Domoe"; Kodanji plays the roles of the farmer Yonesaku and Ishikawa Goemon [casting].
August 1862: revival at the Moritaza of the drama "Miyajima no Danmari", with a new script written by Kawatake Mokuami and starring Kodanji in the leading roles of the courtesan Ukifune and the thief Kesatarô.
February 1864: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome"; Kodanji plays the roles of Gosho no Gorozô and Yuri-no-Kata [casting].
November 1864: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Koharunagi Okitsu Shiranami" (commonly called "Kogitsune Reiza"); Kodanji plays the role of Nippon Daemon [casting].
February 1866: Kodanji appears on stage for the last time, at the Moritaza, playing the roles of Oniô Shinzaemon, Kudô Saemon Suketsune, the ghost of Kawazu Saburô Sukeyasu, Chichibu no Shôji Shigetada and Ikakeya Matsugorô in the new year drama "Fuji to Mimasu Suehiro Soga".
Comments:
Ichikawa Kodanji IV was a short-sized actor, who had none of the physical features, which are essential for Kabuki stars (great voice, fine eyes, beautiful face) but became one of the best tachiyaku of the nineteenth century. He excelled in hayagawari and was a pionner for many keren like spectacular chûnori. It is his association with the leading playwright Kawataki Mokuami, which makes him of interest in the history of pre-Meiji Kabuki. The two formed a very close partnership and Mokuami wrote some of his best sewamono for Ichikawa Kodanji IV.
Ichikawa Kodanji IV playing the role of Danshichi Kurobei in the drama "Hana Shôbû Otoko Kagami", which was staged in May 1855 at the Nakamuraza (print made by Utagawa Toyokuni III)
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1854
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1856
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1858
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1859
Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1861
The Ichikawa Kodanji line of actors