Stage names:
Ichimura Uzaemon IX
Ichimura Kamezô I
Ichimura Manzô
Other name: Ichimura Kakitsu I
Guilds: Tachibanaya, Kikuya
Line number: KUDAIME (IX)
Poetry name: Kakitsu (1)
Existence: 1725 ~ 25 August 1785
Connections:
Father: Ichimura Uzaemon VIII
Brothers: Ichimura Zenzô, Bandô Hikosaburô III
Son: Ichimura Uzaemon X
Disciple: Bandô Matatarô IV
Career:
July 1731: he makes his first appearance on stage, at the Ichimuraza, where he receives the name of Ichimura Manzô a play a child role in the drama "Ôzumô Fujito Genji".
February 1745: he is forced to change his first name because it is like the first name of the Shôgun's new son; Ichimura Manzô takes the name of Ichimura Kamezô I at the Ichimuraza, playing in the drama "Sato Gayoi Fujimi Saigyô".
March 1747: premiere in Edo at the Ichimuraza of the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; Kamezô plays the role of Sakuramaru [casting].
July 1753: premiere in Edo at the Ichimuraza of the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki"; Kamezô plays the role of Kajiwara Genta Kagesue [casting].
November 1760: Kamezô achieves a great success at the Ichimuraza by playing the role of Tachibanaya Hikomune in the kaomise drama "Ume Momiji Date no Ôkido".
1761: short tour in Ise and in Kamigata.
November 1761: Kamezô is back in Edo and achieves a great success at the Ichimuraza by playing in the drama "Wakamusha Kokyô no Nishiki".
7 May 1762: his father Ichimura Uzaemon VIII dies.
August 1762: Ichimura Kamezô I takes the name of Ichimura Uzaemon IX and becomes the new zamoto of the Ichimuraza.
November 1762: Uzaemon produces his first kaomise program, titled "Kisoe Uta Sakae Komachi"; he plays the role of Narihira.
November 1764: Uzaemon plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Minamoto Yoshitsune and Taira Tadanori in the kaomise drama "Wakaki no Hana Suma no Hatsuyuki".
November 1766: Uzaemon plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Nagoya Sanza in the kaomise drama "Higashiyama Dono Kabuki no Tsuitachi".
January 1767: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the new year drama "Soga Yawaragi Soga".
February 1767: first Kabuki adaptation, at the Ichimuraza, of Chikamatsu Hanji's puppet theater drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku"; Uzaemon plays the role of Ishidô Nuinosuke [casting].
August 1768: Uzaemon plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Kan Shôjô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
November 1768: Uzaemon plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Minamoto Yoshiie in the kaomise drama "Otokoyama Yunzei Kurabe". This is also the premiere of the dance "Oshiegusa Yoshiwara Suzume", the first version of "Yoshiwara Suzume" [more details].
November 1772: Uzaemon plays at the Ichimuraza 4 roles, including Minamoto Yorimitsu, in the kaomise drama "Edo Katagi Hikeya Tsunazaka", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Danzaburô III.
November 1777: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the Tomimoto-based dance-drama "Meotozake Kawaranu Nakanaka" (commonly called "Kurama Jishi"); Uzaemon plays the role of the male fox [casting].
November 1777: Uzaemon finances the erection of a stone lantern decorated with the mon (the mandarin orange tree) of the Ichimuraza in the precinct of the Enoshima shrine.
November 1781: Uzaemon plays the role of the yakko Matahei in the kaomise drama "Mukashi Otoko Yuki no Hinagata".
January 1784: last program produced by Uzaemon at the Ichimuraza; the debt of the theater is huge (around 164,400 ryô) and the Ichimuraza goes bankrupt. Uzaemon transfers his license for Kabuki performances to his hikae yagura, the Kiriza.
November 1784: Uzaemon moves to the Moritaza and plays 4 roles in the kaomise drama "Sakura ga Mine Tennyo no Yomeiri".
February ~ April 1785: Uzaemon appears on stage for the last time, at the Nakamuraza, playing in the drama "Mitsu Ningyô Yayoi no Hinagata". He dies a few months later, the 25th of August 1785.
Comments:
Ichimura Uzaemon IX was a talented tachiyaku actor, excelling in hengemono and sogamono. He was also the zamoto of the Ichimuraza for 22 years. He inherited a huge debt from his father and did not hesitate to get deeper into debt in order to engage the best Edo actors. Crippled by this heavy burden, he suffered great hardship during his latter years and could not avoid to go bankrupt.
Ichimura Uzaemon playing the role of Hachiman Tarô Yoshiie in the drama "Otokoyama Yunzei Kurabe", which was staged in November 1768 at the Ichimuraza (print made by Ippitsusai Bunchô)
Print made by Torii Kiyomasu in the 1750s
Print made by Torii Kiyomitsu in 1759
Print made by Torii Kiyotsune in 1761
Print made by Torii Kiyotsune in 1763
Print made by Ippitsusai Bunchô in 1768
Print made by Katsukawa Shunshô in 1776
The Ichimura Kamezô line of actors
The Ichimura Uzaemon line of actors and theater managers