Stage names:

Onoe Kurôemon II
Onoe Ukon I

Real name: Terashima Kiyoaki

Guild: Otowaya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Sanchô

Existence: 22 January 1922 ~ 28 March 2004

Connections:

Great-great-grandfathers: Onoe Kikugorô III, Ichimura Uzaemon XI

Great-grandfather: Ichimura Takenojô V

Grandfather: Onoe Kikugorô V

Father: Onoe Kikugorô VI

Career:

22 January 1922: born in Tôkyô.

May 1926: he made his first stage appearance, at the Ichimuraza, where he received the name of Onoe Ukon I and performed in the drama "Sukeroku".

November 1928: premiere at the Kabukiza of Oka Onitarô's dance-drama "Kakuju Senzai"; Ukon played the role of a boy [more details].

October 1940: he became nadai and took the name of Onoe Kurôemon II at the Kabukiza, playing the bombastic role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the drama "Kotobuki Soga no Taimen".

10 July 1949: his father Onoe Kikugorô VI died; the Onoe Kikugorô Gekidan troupe was created and Kurôemon became its administrator.

March 1951 ~ May 1953: first long stay in the USA.

March 1954: premiere at the Kabukiza of the 1st part of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Kurôemon played the role of the zamoto Yamamura Chôdayû V [more details].

October 1954: premiere at the Kabukiza of the 2nd part of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Kurôemon played the role of the zamoto Yamamura Chôdayû V [more details].

1954 ~ 1956: Kurôemon played the role of the priest Takuan in the series of 3 movies directed by Inagaki Hiroshi depicting the life and deeds of the hero Miyamoto Musashi (played by the star Mifune Toshirô). The 3 movies were "Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto" (1954), "Samurai II: Duel at Ichijôji Temple" (1955) and "Samurai III: Duel on Ganryû Island" (1956).

June ~ July 1960: Kurôemon took part in the first Kabuki tour in the USA [more details].

November 1962: revival at the Kabukiza of the drama "Fudô", which belonged to the Kabuki Jûhachiban; Kurôemon played the role of the karô Hata no Minbu [more details].

June 1963: premiere at the Kabukiza of Hagiwara Yukio's Nagauta-based dance-drama "Ôeyama Shuten Dôji"; Kurôemon played the role of Hirai Yasumasa [casting].

October 1963: Kurôemon settled in Hawai and became teacher at the University of Hawai.

February 1989: Kurôemon appeared on stage for the last time, in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza with the Onoe Kikugorô Gekidan, where he played the roles of Kiritsubo and Tadanobu Rihei in the drama "Genji Monogatari Emaki" and the shibai mae "Kasane Ôgi Yukari no Ekurabe" ^[1].

28 March 2004: Kurôemon died in Hawai.

Comments:

Onoe Kurôemon II made a short career as a Kabuki actor in Japan but spent most of his life in Hawai and in the USA, teaching and promoting Kabuki. Although he was not as talented as his father and grandfather, he was said to be a good aragotoshi.

[1] These dramas were part of a program celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Onoe Kikugorô Gekidan.

Onoe Kurôemon II playing the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the drama "Soga no Taimen", which was staged in October 1940 at the Kabukiza

The Onoe Ukon line of actors