Stage names:

Ichikawa Sôzaburô II
Ichikawa Shôgorô

Guild: Kawachiya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Wai (?)

Existence: ??? ~ 1776

Connection:

Master: Ichikawa Sôzaburô I

Son: Ichikawa Kichitarô

Career:

Before 1751: he starts his career as a disciple of Ichikawa Sôzaburô I, who gives him the name of Ichikawa Shôgorô.

November 1751: Shôgorô becomes tachiyaku and plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Aizuchi Jûnidan".

11 May 1752: his master Ichikawa Sôzaburô I dies.

November 1753: Ichikawa Shôgorô takes the name of Ichikawa Sôzaburô II at the Moritaza, playing the katakiyaku role of Kaidô no Saburô in the kaomise drama "Masakado Kokyô no Nishiki". His stage partners are Suketakaya Takasuke I, Morita Kan'ya VI, Sawamura Kijûrô I, Sawamura Utagiku, Tsuruya Namboku II and Ogino Yaegiri II.

Fall 1754: Sôzaburô goes to Ôsaka.

October 1754: Sôzaburô plays at the Kita-Shinchi no Shibai (Ósaka) the role of Yokampei in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami".

Fall 1760: Sôzaburô goes to Kyôto.

November 1760: Sôzaburô plays in Kyôto the roles of Yamana Gundayû and Tôbei in the kaomise drama "Kiku Nagashi Kokka Taiheiki", which is produced by Nakamura Senzô.

January 1761: Sôzaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô (superior - superior).

Fall 1772: Sôzaburô goes to Ôsaka.

November 1772: Sôzaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Lord Bizen-no-Kami in the kaomise drama "Onoe Kikugorô no Baranu Banashi".

January 1773: Sôzaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).

November 1773: Sôzaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Itari Yaitari Mukadeyama", which is produced by Arashi Matsujirô.

January 1774: Sôzaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).

October 1776: Sôzaburô appears on stage for the last time, at the Naka no Shibai, where he plays the role of Jirokurô in the drama "Hime Komatsu Ne-no-Hi no Asobi". He falls ill and dies before the end of the year.

Comments:

Ichikawa Sôzaburô II was a born and trained in Edo, but he spent his last 22 years in Kamigata, where he gained some fame as a katakiyaku. He had quite an ugly face, which was a plus for villain roles.

Onoe Montarô (left) and Ichikawa Sôzaburô II (right) performing in the new year drama "Keisei Kanekake no Matsu", which was staged in January 1762 at the Kitagawa no Shibai