Stage names:

Ichikawa Monnosuke VII
Ichikawa Shôchô III
Ichikawa Takashi

Real name: Sôma Takashi

Guild: Takinoya

Line number: SHICHIDAIME (VII)

Poetry name: Hakugyo

Crest: four maple leaves

Existence: 7 September 1928 ~ 13 October 1990

Connections:

Adopted father: Ichikawa Shôchô II

Master: Ichimura Uzaemon XV

Son: Ichikawa Monnosuke VIII

Son-in-law: Ichikawa Komazô XI

Career:

April 1935: first stage appearance at the Tôkyô Gekijô, where he receives the name of Ichikawa Takashi and plays in the dance "Onatsu Kyôran".

August 1940: his adopted father Ichikawa Shôchô II dies.

May 1945: his master Ichimura Uzaemon XV dies.

August 1946: Ichikawa Takashi becomes nadai and takes the name of Ichikawa Shôchô III.

July 1951: premiere at the Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Jiisan Baasan"; Shôchô plays the role of Kyûya's wife Kiku [casting].

May 1954: Shôchô achieves a great success at the Kabukiza with his performance in the drama "Genji Monogatari".

October 1955: first Kabuki tour in the Popular Republic of China, in Beijing (2~13 october), Shanghai (17~18 october) and Guangzhou (24~25 october); Shôchô plays the role of Hanako in the dance "Meoto Dôjôji" [more details]. Shôchô has the opportunity to meet the stars of the Chinese Traditional Opera like the famous Mei Lan-Fang.

February 1963: Ichikawa Shôchô III takes the name of Ichikawa Monnosuke VII at the Kabukiza, playing in "Izumo Okuni" and "Kusazuribiki".

October 1965: Monnosuke takes part in the first Kabuki tour in Western Europe, playing the roles of Chidori and Kaoyo Gozen in the dramas "Heike Nyogo-ga-Shima" and "Kanadehon Chûshingura" [casting].

March 1967: revival at the National Theater of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", which is supervised by Gunji Masakatsu; Monnosuke plays the role of Yoshida Matsuwaka [casting].

April 1977: revival at the Meijiza of Katsu Genzô II's drama "Kimi-wa-Fune Nami no Uwajima"; Monnosuke plays the roles of Hatsune and Otatsu [casting].

June 1983: Monnosuke receives a special cultural prize awarded by the city of Bolognia in Italy.

April 1987: Monnosuke takes part in the revival at the Meijiza of the play "Jûni Hitoe Komachi Zakura", which includes the famous Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no seki no To" [more details].

Comments:

Ichikawa Monnosuke VII was an outstanding supporting onnagata and nimaime, trained by two great actors, Ichikawa Shôchô II for the onnagata roles and Ichimura Uzaemon XV for the tachiyaku roles. He performed a lot with Ichikawa Ennosuke II from 1945, became a leading actor at the Tôyoko Hall (Tôkyô) and later on the tateonnagata of the troupe led by Ichikawa Ennosuke III. He was a well-cultivated man who took part in many TV Quizz shows.

Ichikawa Monnosuke VII playing the role of the courtesan Shiratama in the drama "Kurotegami Kuruwa no Tatehiki" in a print made by Tsuruya Kôkei in September 1989
Print courtesy of Castle Fine Arts, Inc. (all rights reserved)

The Ichikawa Shôchô line of actors

The Ichikawa Monnosuke line of actors