Stage names:

Ichikawa Monnosuke I
Ichikawa Benjirô
Ichikawa Chônosuke

Nickname: Maruichi

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Shinsha

Crest: a horizontal stroke (the ideogram for "one") in a circle

Existence: 1691 ~ 25 January 1729

Connections:

Master: Ichikawa Danjûrô II

Career:

1691 ~ 1713: born in Edo. He starts his career as a disciple of Ichikawa Danjûrô II, playing under the name of Ichikawa Chônosuke. He takes later the name of Ichikawa Benjirô at an unknown date.

November 1713: Ichikawa Benjirô takes the name of Ichikawa Monnosuke I by playing a wakashugata role at the Moritaza in the play "Yorimasa Daikyoku no Mato".

November 1714: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Shinra Saburô in the kaomise program "Onna Ryûko Futatsu Gashira".

February 1716: Monnosuke achieves a great success by performing in the same theater the role in the drama "Rakuyô Aigo no Waka".

November 1717: Monnosuke performs at the Moritaza in the kaomise program "Hônô Taiheiki". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danjûrô II, Hayakawa Dengorô, Ôtani Hiroemon I, Ogawa Zengorô I and Asao Jûjirô.

September 1718: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Onatsu in the drama "Shikirei Imagawajô". The role of Seijûrô is played by Ichikawa Danjûrô II.

November 1718: Monnosuke performs in the same theater in the kaomise program "Zenkunen Yoroi Kurabe". His stage partners are Matsumoto Kôshirô, Sawamura Sôjûrô, Ôtani Hiroemon I, Mizuki Takejûrô, Tomizawa Hanzaburô I, Tamazawa Rin'ya and Asao Jûjirô.

January 1721: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of the courtesan Ôiso no Tora in the new year sogamono "Nigiwai Suehiro Soga". His stage partner in the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari, Tora's lover, is Mimasuya Sukejûrô I.

November 1721: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Semimaru in the kaomise program "Semimaru Yôrô no Taki".

January 1722: Monnosuke's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakashugata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).

November 1722: Monnosuke moves to the Nakamuraza and plays the role of Kusunoki Masayuki in the kaomise program "Hônen Taiheiki". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danjûrô II (Nitta Yoshisada), Ôtani Hiroji I (Nagasaki Kageyu Saemon), Mimasuya Sukejûrô (Shinozuka Iga no Kami) and Tsuruya Namboku I (Hata Rokurô Saemon).

January 1723: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Kyô no Jirô in the new year sogamono "Soga Koyomi Biraki".

November 1723: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Hôjô Tokimune in the kaomise program "Sono Enpô Onna Migyôsho", which celebrates the arrival at the Nakamuraza of the Kamigata actors Yamashita Kinsaku I and Sanogawa Senzô.

January 1724: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of the flowers seller Mikinosuke in the new year program "Matsu Kazari Kamakura Biraki".

March 1724: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Matsuwakamaru in the drama "Irifune Sumidagawa".

November 1724: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Ashikaga Yoshimasa in the kaomise program "Taiheiki Okuni Kabuki".

January 1725: Monnosuke performs in the same theater in the new year program "Funadama Izu Nikki".

November 1725: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Oniji in the kaomise program "Oguri Chôseiden".

January 1726: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Minamoto no Raikô in the new year program "Kadomatsu Shitennô", which commemorates the 22nd anniversary of the death of Ichikawa Danjûrô I.

November 1726: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Minamoto no Yoshiie in the kaomise program "Kaomise Jûnidan". His stage partner in the role of Wada Saemon is Matsumoto Kôshirô I.

January 1727: Monnosuke performs in the same theater in the new year sogamono "Yuzuri Gongen Soga".

November 1727: Monnosuke moves to the Moritaza and plays one more time the role of Kusunoki Masayuki in the kaomise program "Hônen Taiheiki". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danzô I (Hata Rokurô Saemon), Tomizawa Hanzaburô I (Moronô), Sakata Hangorô I (Nagasaki Kageyu Saemon), Tamazawa Kôjûrô (Nitta Yoshisada), Fujimura Handayû II (Kusunoki Kikusui), Sodesaki Miwano I (Manjû no Mae), Tsuruya Namboku I (Shinozuka Iga no Kami) and Yamamoto Hanazato (Kôtô-no-Naishi). This performance also celebrates the shûmei of the actor Tamazawa Kôjûrô.

January 1728: Monnosuke is supposed to play in the same theater in the new year program "Hatsu Midori Aioi Soga" but, because of health problem (?), he has to stop acting and rest for a while.

November 1728: Monnosuke is back on stage, at the Nakamuraza, playing the role of Ema no Koshirô in the kaomise program "Hoshi Kabuto Goban Tadanobu".

January 1729: Monnosuke dies in Edo. His tombstone is located in the Honseiji temple in the district of Fukagawa.

Comments:

Ichikawa Monnosuke I was a wakashugata actor reputed for his beauty and his powerful voice. He was referred in the Kabuki chronicles as "wakashugata no Kaisan" ("the founder of the young boys roles") or "wakashugata no Meijin" ("the master/expert of the young boys roles").

Ichikawa Monnosuke I in a print made by Torii Kiyotsune

Print made by Torii Kiyomasu

Print made by Torii Kiyonobu (1716 ~ 1720)

Print made by Okumura Toshinobu (1723 ~ 1729)

The Ichikawa Monnosuke line of actors