Stage names:

Seki Sanjûrô IV
Ichikawa Yaozô VI
Seki Hanasuke I [3]

Other name:

Ichikawa Chûsha VI

Real name: Seki Kihê

Guild: Owariya

Poetry names: Chûsha (6), Kijaku, Kazan

Line number: YODAIME (IV)

Existence: 1835 ~ 10 July 1889

Connection:

Adoptive father: Seki Sanjûrô III

Son: Seki Sanjûrô V

Career:

1835: born in Edo.

28th day of the 9th lunar month of 1839 ^[1]: Seki Sanjûrô II died.

1st lunar month of 1851: adopted by Seki Sanjûrô III, he received the name of Seki Hanasuke I ^[3] and appeared on stage for the first time, in Edo at the Nakamuraza, where he performed as a wakashugata in the new year sogamono drama "Konoshita Soga Megumi no Masagoji".

3rd lunar month of 1862: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Aoto Zôshi Hana no Nishikie" (commonly called "Shiranami Gonin Otoko"); Hanasuke played the role of Sônosuke [casting].

1st lunar month of 1863: Seki Hanasuke I took the name of Ichikawa Yaozô VI at the Nakamuraza, playing the roles of Danzaburô, Kinuya Yaichi, Sukeichi and the otokodate Mamushi no Jirokichi in the drama "Tamakushige Akebono Soga".

9th lunar month of 1865: Yaozô performed at the Nakamuraza in the dances "Kadomatsu" [print], "Tsuri Gitsune", "Saruwaka" and "Shinbochi Taiko".

18th day of the 12th lunar month of 1870 ^[2]: his adoptive father Seki Sanjûrô III died.

March 1873: Ichikawa Yaozô VI took the name of Seki Sanjûrô IV at the Murayamaza, playing 3 roles in the drama "Taiko no Oto Chiyû Sanryaku" and the role of Gengo in the drama "Wakaidori Kasamatsu Tôge". He also performed in the dance "Yanagi ni Kaze Fukiya no Itosuji", which mixed Tomimoto, Kiyomoto and Gidayû musical ensembles. His stage partners were Kawarasaki Gonnosuke VII, Onoe Kikugorô V, Bandô Kakitsu I, Nakamura Tokizô I, Bandô Mitsugorô VI, Ichikawa Monnosuke V, Kawarasaki Kunitarô II, Yamazaki Ennosuke, Onoe Kikunosuke II and Nakamura Karoku II (who celebrated also his shûmei).

July 1874: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Kawatake Kinsaku I's Nagauta-based dance-drama "Kotobuki Ninin Shôjô"; Sanjûrô played the role of a shôjô [more details].

October 1874: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Kumo no Ueno San'e no Sakumae"; Sanjûrô played the roles of Kataoka Naojirô, Sakurai Shinnojô (in reality Kataoka Naojirô) and Katagi Kozaemon [casting].

October 1875: premiere at the Nakamuraza and the Shinboriza of Takeshiba Kinsaku I's drama "Minori no Aki Seishô Denki"; Sanjûrô played the roles of Satô Denzô and Fukumatsu [more details].

September 1878: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Takeshiba Kinsaku I's drama "Tsûzoku Saiyûki"; Sanjûrô played the role of Cho Hakkai [casting].

February 1886: Sanjûrô played the role of Senoo Tarô at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Heike Nyogo no Shima"; his stage partners were Nakamura Fukusuke IV (Chidori), Nakamura Shikan IV (Shunkan) and Kataoka Gadô III (Tanzaemon Motoyasu).

April 1886: Sanjûrô appeared on stage for the last time in Tôkyô, at the Ichimuraza, playing the roles of Sudahei and Nishikito in the drama "Shin Kiyomizu Hana no Goshozome".

1886 ~ 1889: Sanjûrô was either on sick leave or on tour.

10 July 1889: he died in the city of Mito.

Comments:

Seki Sanjûrô IV was a good tachiyaku actor, able to perform in either jidaimono or sewamono dramas. His field of excellence was jitsuaku.

[1] The 28th day of the 9th lunar month of the 10th year of the Tenpô era was the 3rd of November 1839 in the western calendar.

[2] The 18th day of the 12th lunar month of the 3rd year of the Meiji era was the 7th of February 1871 in the western calendar.

[3] Seki Hanasuke I in Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten" but Seki Hanasuke IV in the latest edition (2012) of "Kabuki Haiyû Meiseki Benran".

Seki Sanjûrô IV playing the role of Baba Mino-no-Kami in the drama "Taiko no Oto Chiyû Sanryaku", which was staged in March 1873 at the Murayamaza (print made by Toyohara Kunichika)

Prints & Illustrations

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1865

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1873

The Ichikawa Chûsha line of actors

The Seki Hanasuke line of actors

The Ichikawa Yaozô line of actors

The Seki Sanjûrô line of actors