Stage names:
Ichikawa Sôzaburô I
Ichikawa Katsugorô
Guild: Kôchiya
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Wajô (?), Wai (?), Wachû (?)
Existence: 1687 ~ 11 May 1752
Connection:
Master: Ichikawa Danjûrô I
Disciple: Ichikawa Sôzaburô II
Career:
1687~1713: born in Ôsaka. He settles in Edo at an unknown time and becomes disciple of the Edo star Ichikawa Danjûrô I, who gives him the name of Ichikawa Katsugorô. He performs in the precincts of the Ichigaya Hachiman shrine.
Fall 1713: Katsugorô goes back to Ôsaka.
November 1713: Sôzaburô performs as a tachiyaku in the kaomise drama "Saiwai Musume Takara no Yome Banzei Muko", which is produced at Ôsaka Tazaemon's theater by Shinozuka Shômatsu.
February 1716: Ichikawa Katsugorô takes the name of Ichikawa Sôzaburô.
November 1717: Sôzaburô becomes jitsuaku and plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Ôhara Bannai in the kaomise drama "Inari Yashiki Daikoku Bashira"; he also changes the writing of his first name:
| Previous writing | New writing |
| 惣三郎 | 宗三郎 |
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Fall 1724: Sôzaburô goes to Kyôto.
November 1724: Sôzaburô performs as a katakiyaku in the kaomise drama "Ôjigawa Kogane no Mizuguruma", which is produced at Miyako Mandayû's theater by Segawa Kikunojô I.
November 1725: Sôzaburô becomes jitsuaku.
January 1725: Sôzaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent).
November 1726: Sôzaburô plays at Kameya Kumenojô's theater (Kyôto) the role of Takashina Nan'emon in the kaomise drama "Karanishiki Imose no Shitone".
January 1727: Sôzaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1728: Sôzaburô plays in the kaomise program "Daimyô Kogane no Uroko", which is produced by Sanogawa Mangiku at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater in Kyôto. His stage partners are Arashi San'emon III, Segawa Kikunojô I, Segawa Kikujirô I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô I, Arashi Sangorô I and Nakamura Shingorô I.
Summer 1731: Sôzaburô goes to Edo and performs at the Ichimuraza.
November 1731: Sôzaburô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise program "Higashiyama Dono Eiga Butai"; his stage partners are Ôtani Hiroji I, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Ichimura Takenojô IV, Sanjô Kantarô II and Segawa Kikujirô I.
January 1732: Sôzaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
November 1732: Sôzaburô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays in the kaomise drama "Yamato Kotoba Imagawajô", which welcomes in Edo the 2 Kamigata stars Anegawa Shinshirô I and Sakakiyama Koshirô I.
November 1733: Sôzaburô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Nagi no Hana Asahi Genji".
January 1734: Sôzaburô plays at the same theater the role of Kudô Saemon Suketsune in the new year drama "Jûhakkô Imayô Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari are played by Ogino Izaburô I and Sanjô Kantarô II.
November 1738: Sôzaburô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise program "Mitsugibune Taiheiki".
March 1739: Sôzaburô plays in the same theater the role of Ikyû in the drama "Sukeroku Jômon no Hanabusa"; the roles of Sukeroku and Agemaki are played by Ichikawa Ebizô II and Tomizawa Montarô I.
November 1740: Sôzaburô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Miya Bashira Taiheiki".
January 1741: Sôzaburô plays in the same theater the role of Kudô Saemon Suketsune in the new year sogamono "Na no Hana Akebono no Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari are played by Ichikawa Ebizô II and Nakamura Shichisaburô II.
May 1747: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" is produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time; Sôzaburô plays the role of Shiratayû in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" [casting].
January 1748: Sôzaburô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Kudô Suketsune Saemon and Kawazu Reikon in the drama "Kazari Ebi Yoroi Soga".
May 1748: the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura" is performed for the first time in Edo, at the Nakamuraza; Sôzaburô plays the role of Kawatsura Hôgen [casting].
November 1748: Sôzaburô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Onna Moji Heike Monogatari", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of the Kamigata actor Nakamura Kumetarô I.
March 1749: Sôzaburô plays in the same theater the role of Ikyû in the drama Sukeroku Kuruwa no Ie Zakura; the roles of Sukeroku and Agemaki are played by Ichikawa Ebizô II and Segawa Kikujirô I. The Yoshiwara pleasure quarter of Edo started in early Spring 1749 to display cherry trees in pots in the heart of the precinct (Naka no Chô) in order to draw the crowds for cherry-blossom-viewing and more. It is reproduced on stage with fake cherry trees all along the stage.
June 1749: the play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" is produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time; Sôzaburô plays the roles of Kakogawa Honzô and Hara Goemon [casting].
April 1752: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki", which is staged in Edo at the Moritaza; Sôzaburô plays the roles of Midaroku, Taira no Tsunemori and Hayashi [casting]; this is his last stage appearance for he dies the 11th of May.
Comments:
Ichikawa Sôzaburô I was a talented and popular jitsuaku actor, who was trained in Kamigata and achieved success for himself in Edo from the beginning of the 1730s to the beginning of the 1750s. He was called "Edo zuiichi no jitsuaku", which means the greatest jitsuaku of Edo, and excelled in the role of Kudô Saemon Suketsune in new year sogamono.
Ichikawa Sôzaburô I playing the roles of Noge no Shôhei in the drama "Kurofune Deiri Minato", which was performed in January 1733 in Edo at the Nakamuraza in a print made by Nishimura Shigenobu