Stage names:
| Ichikawa Raizô I |  |
| Ichikawa Masuzô I | |
| Arashi Tamagashiwa | |
Guild: Kashiwaya
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Hakusha (?)
Existence: 1724 ~ 12 April 1767
Connection:
Uncle: Arashi Kanshirô I
Master: Ichikawa Ebizô II
Son: Ichikawa Raizô II
Disciple: Ichikawa Tsunazô
Career:
1724: born in Kyôto. His father is a man named Ôgiya Seijûrô and his mother is the sister of the actor Arashi Kanshirô I. He starts his career in kodomo shibai, performing as a wakaonnagata under the name of Arashi Tamagashiwa.
Fall 1742: Tamagashiwa goes to Edo.
November 1742: Tamagashiwa plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise program "Furisode Shinoda no Zuma". His stage partners are Bandô Hikosaburô I, Onoe Kikugorô I, Segawa Kikunojô I, Ichimura Uzaemon VIII, Bandô Matatarô III, Nakajima Mihoemon I, Tomizawa Tatsujûrô, Ichikawa Sôzaburô I, Sanogawa Senzô, Tamazawa Saijirô I, Sawamura Utagiku and Ichimura Manzô.
Fall 1753: he becomes disciple of Ichikawa Ebizô II and tachiyaku actor.
November 1753: Arashi Tamagashiwa takes the name of Ichikawa Masuzô I at the Nakamuraza, playing the role of Uemura Hikoshirô in the kaomise drama "Hyakumanki Tsuwamono Taiheiki".
24 September 1758: his master Ichikawa Ebizô II dies.
November 1761: Ichikawa Masuzô I takes the name of Ichikawa Raizô I at the Nakamuraza, playing the roles of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, the superhero of the "Shibaraku" scene and Kumai Tarô in the kaomise drama "Nihongahana Hôgan Biiki".
January 1764: Raizô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Kyô no Jirô and Kudô Saemon Suketsune in the new year drama "Hitokidori Harutsuge Soga".
March 1764: Raizô achieves a great success in the same theater by playing the prestigious role of Sukeroku in the nibanme part of the new year drama; the roles of Sukeroku's lover Agemaki and Sukeroku's enemy Ikyû are played by Nakamura Matsue I and Ôtani Hiroemon III.
May 1764: Raizô plays in the same theater the role of Umeômaru in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; the roles of Matsuômaru and Sakuramaru are played by Ichikawa Danjûrô IV and Ichikawa Komazô II.
May 1765: Raizô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Momoi Wakasanosuke and Amakawaya Gihei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
March 1766: Raizô plays at the Moritaza the roles of Tokaiya Gimpei and Taira no Tomomori in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
January 1767: Raizô appears on stage for the last time, at the Nakamuraza, playing the roles of Yamada Saburô and Honmachi no Tsunagorô in the new year drama "Hatsu Akinai Ômise Soga". He suddenly falls ill and has to be replaced by Ichikawa Komazô II.
Comments:
Ichikawa Raizô I was a popular actor, who was trained in Kamigata as a wakaonnagata and made a great career in Edo in the 1750s and 1760s as a tachiyaku. He was able to perform either wagoto or aragoto roles and excelled in budôgoto roles. His most notable performances were in the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune, Sukeroku and Kudô Saemon Suketsune. He unfortunately died too young, before reaching the jô-jô-kichi rank (his last rank was slightly below).
The actor Ichikawa Raizô I playing the role of Tokaiya Gimpei in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which was staged in March 1766 at the Moritaza (print made by Kitao Shigemasa)
Print made by Kitao Shigemasa in 1766
The Ichikawa Raizô line of actors