Stage names:
Ichikawa Shôchô II
Ichikawa Enjaku
Ichikawa Sakimatsu
Real name: Suzuki Tetsuya
Guild: Wakamatsuya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Existence: 23 September 1886 ~ 19 August 1940
Connections:
Master (and father-in-law): Ichikawa Sadanji I
Brother-in-law: Ichikawa Sadanji II
Adopted son: Ichikawa Monnosuke VII
Career:
23 September 1886: born in Tôkyô. His father is the owner of a brothel located in the district of Shinjuku.
September 1896: he becomes a disciple of Ichikawa Sadanji I and makes his first stage appearance, at the Meijiza, where he receives the name of Ichikawa Sakimatsu and plays as a koyaku in the drama "Kiichi Hôgen Sanryaku no Maki".
7 August 1904: his master Ichikawa Sadanji I dies.
September 1906: Ichikawa Sakimatsu takes the name of Ichikawa Enjaku.
September 1909: revival at the Meijiza of the drama "Kenuki", a long-forgotten play belonging to the kabuki jûhachiban; Enjaku plays the role of Hata no Hidetarô [casting].
May 1911: premiere at the Meijiza of the Okamoto Kidô's drama "Shuzenji Monogatari"; Enjaku plays the role of Kaede [casting].
January 1912: Ichikawa Enjaku takes the name of Ichikawa Shôchô II. Shôchô is a haimyô used by Ichikawa Sadanji I. It is worth noting that Yukiko, the daughter of Ichikawa Sadanji I, made a short career in a Kabuki women troupe, playing under the name of Ichikawa Shôchô but she was not considered as the first holder of this name. It was Ichikawa Sadanji I who was acknowledged as Ichikawa Shôchô I, although he never held this name during his career.
Fall 1913: Shôchô gets married with Ichikawa Sadanji I's daughter Yukiko.
January 1914: revival at the Hongôza of the bombastic drama "Gedatsu", a long-forgotten play belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban. The roles of the warrior Taira no Kagekiyo and his lover Akoya are played by Ichikawa Sadanji II and Shôchô.
September 1915: premiere at the Hongôza of Okamoto Kidô's drama "Toribeyama Shinjû"; Shôchô plays the role of the Wakamatsuya courtesan Osome [casting].
February 1916: premiere at the Hongôza of Okamoto Kidô's drama "Banchô Sarayashiki"; Shôchô plays the role of Okiku [casting].
February 1925: Tsuruya Namboku IV's drama "Kachi Zumô Ukina no Hanabure", commonly called "Shirafuji Genta", is revived at the Hongôza, under the supervision of the writer Nagai Kafû; Shôchô plays the role of the courtesan Oshun [casting].
January 1926: Shôchô plays for the first time the role of Princess Taema in the drama "Narukami", which is staged at the Kabukiza; the role of the wicked priest Narukami is played by Ichikawa Sadanji II.
Summer 1928: Shôchô joins the troupe led by Ichikawa Sadanji II, who organizes the first tour of a Kabuki troupe outside Japan. The destination is the USSR and the troupe performs in Moscow and Leningrad [more details].
September 1930: revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", produced under the title "Tôryû Azuma Bunshô"; Shôchô plays the roles of Princess Sakura and Fûrin Ohime [casting].
January 1935: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of Uno Nobuo's drama "Fubuki Tôge"; Shôchô plays the role of Oen [casting].
January 1937: Shôchô plays for the last time the role of Princess Taema in the drama "Narukami", which is staged at the Tôkyô Gekijô; the role of the wicked priest Narukami is played by Ichikawa Sadanji II.
23 February 1940: his best stage partner Ichikawa Sadanji II dies. Shôchô follows him in the afterlife a few months later, dying the 19th of August 1940
Comments:
Ichikawa Shôchô II was a talented and popular onnagata and a great stage partner of the star Ichikawa Sadanji II. He symbolized the Tôkyô onnagata of the Taishô era.
Ichikawa Shôchô II playing the role of Oman in a print made by Yamamura Toyonari in 1920