Stage names:
Ichikawa Yaozô II
Nakamura Denzô I
Others names:
Ichikawa Chûsha II
Dennojô
Toyotake Izumidayû
Guilds: Tachibanaya, Hôraiya, Yoshimuraya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry name: Chûsha (2)
Existence: 1735 ~ 3 July 1777
Connections:
Father-in-law: Nakamura Kanzaburô VI
Wife: Ichikawa Yaozô I's sister
Masters: Ichikawa Danjûrô IV, Nakamura Denkurô II (Kanzaburô VIII)
Grandsons: Nakamura Kanzaburô XII, Nakamura Katsujûrô II
Great-grandsons: Nakamura Kanzaburô XIII, Nakamura Jusaburô II
Great-great-grandson: Nakamura Akashi V (Kanzaburô XV)
Great-great-great-granddaughter: Nakamura Fujiko (Kanzaburô XVI)
Career:
1735: born in Edo. He starts his career as a puppet theater singer. His stage name is Toyotake Izumidayû.
1751: he becomes disciple of the actor Nakamura Denkurô II, who gives him the name of Nakamura Denzô I.
August 1756: Denzô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Terukuni in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
Fall 1761: Denzô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Araoka Genta in the drama "Tsuizen Nana Komachi", which commemorates the 2nd anniversary (3rd memorial service) of late Ichikawa Yaozô I. People are amazed by the striking physical resemblance between Ichikawa Yaozô I and Denzô. His master Nakamura Denkurô II introduces him to the family of the late actor and Denzô gets married with the sister of Ichikawa Yaozô I.
February 1763: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara", which is staged at the Moritaza; Denzô plays the role of Ikomanosuke [casting].
November 1763: he becomes disciple of Ichikawa Danjûrô IV and takes the name of Ichikawa Yaozô II at the Nakamuraza, playing in the kaomise drama "Daijôbu Takadachi Jikki".
May 1764: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Terukuni in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
November 1764: Yaozô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Azuma no Hana Sôma no Dairi", which celebrates the shûmei of Yoshizawa Ayame III.
May 1765: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Hayano Kampei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1765: Yaozô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Han'ya Gorô in the kaomise drama "Kagura Uta Amagoi Komachi", which celebrates the shûmei of Iwai Hanshirô IV.
May 1766: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the play "Yaoya Oshichi Koi no Edozome"; Yaozô plays the role of Goshaku Somegorô.
November 1766: Yaozô moves to the Ichimuraza and plays the roles of Hashiba Hisayoshi and the superhero of the "Shibaraku" scene in the kaomise drama "Higashiyama Dono Kabuki no Tsuitachi".
January 1767: Yaozô plays in the same theater the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Kichisa in the new year drama "Soga Yawaragi Soga". The roles of Soga Jûrô Sukenari and Yaoya Oshichi (the girl in love with Kichisa) are played by Ichimura Uzaemon IX and Segawa Kikunojô II.
February 1767: first Kabuki adaptation, at the Ichimuraza, of Chikamatsu Hanji's puppet theater drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku"; Yaozô plays the roles of En'ya Hangan and Hayano Kampei [casting].
March 1767: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Hiranoya Tokubei in the drama "Yoni Ôsaka Nitsui Meoto", which mixes Chikamatsu Monzaemon's dramas "Sonezaki Shinjû" and "Shinjû Yoi Kôshin"; the role of Tokubei's lover, the courtesan Temmaya Ohatsu, is played by Segawa Kikunojô II.
July 1767: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
November 1767: Yaozô moves to the Nakamuraza and plays the role of Shinozuka Iga-no-Kami (the superhero of the "Shibaraku" scene) in the kaomise drama "Taiheiki Shizu no Furisode".
January 1768: Yaozô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).
April 1768: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Hayano Kampei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; the role of Okaru is played by Segawa Kikunojô II.
July 1768: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Umeômaru in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; the roles of Matsuômaru and Sakuramaru are played by Matsumoto Kôshirô III and Ichikawa Komazô II.
November 1768: Yaozô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Ima o Sakari Suehiro Genji", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of Nakamura Utaemon I.
January 1769: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the new year drama "Soga Moyô Aigo no Wakamatsu". The roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Kudô Saemon Suketsune (Soga brothers' enemy) are played by Matsumoto Kôshirô III and Nakamura Utaemon I.
November 1769: Yaozô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Kawaranu Hanasakae Hachinoki".
January 1770: Yaozô plays in the new year drama "Kagamigaike Omokage Soga".
June 1770: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Chûbei in Sakurada Jisuke I's drama "Katakiuchi Chûkô Kagami".
November 1770: Yaozô plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Nue no Mori Ichiyô no Mato", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Danjûrô V, Matsumoto Kôshirô II, Nakamura Shôchô, Ichikawa Monnosuke II and Nakamura Shichisaburô III.
January 1771: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Kyô no Jirô in the new year drama "Sakaichô Soga no Nendaiki".
March 1771: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Hiranoya Tokubei in the Miyakoji-based dance-drama "Oborozuki Tsui no Someginu", which puts in the same michiyuki the couples of lovers Tokubei/Ohatsu ("Sonezaki Shinjû"), Ochiyo/Hanbei ("Shinjû Yoi Kôshin") and Osome/Hisamatsu; the role of Tokubei's lover, the courtesan Temmaya Ohatsu, is played by Iwai Hanshirô IV.
April 1771: Yaozô plays in the same theater the roles of En'ya Hangan and Amakawaya Gihei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1771: Yaozô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Munesada in the kaomise drama "Kuni no Hana Ono no Itsumoji".
November 1772: Yaozô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Oyamada Tarô, Katagiri Yashichi and Ashikaga Motouji in the kaomise drama "Ôyoroi Ebidô Shinozuka", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Ebizô III, Matsumoto Kôshirô IV and Ichikawa Komazô III.
January 1773: Yaozô plays in the same theater the roles of Midajirô and Soga Gorô Tokimune in the new year drama "Wada Sakamori Eiga Kagami". He also plays the role of Hiranoya Tokubei in the second part (nibanme) of the new year program, which is similar to Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Sonezaki Shinjû"; the role of Tokubei's lover, the courtesan Temmaya Ohatsu, is played by Iwai Hanshirô IV.
September 1773: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Takebe Genzô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; the roles of Matsuômaru and Kan Shôjô are played by Matsumoto Kôshirô IV and Nakamura Shôchô.
November 1773: Yaozô moves to the Moritaza and plays the roles of Harata Rokurô (the superhero of the "Shibaraku" scene), Naniwa Saburô and Aoto Magosaburô Fujitsuna in the kaomise drama "Onna Aruji Hatsuyuki no Sekai".
April 1774: Yaozô plays in the same theater the roles of Teraoka Heiemon and Hayano Kampei in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1774: Yaozô moves to the Ichimuraza and plays the roles of Hachiômaru Aratora and Ôdate Samanosuke (most likely the superhero of the "Shibaraku" scene) in the kaomise drama "Chigo Sakura Jûsangane".
September 1775: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Abe no Yasuna in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami"; the role of Kuzu-no-Ha is played by Yoshizawa sakinosuke III.
November 1775: Yaozô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Oyafune Taiheiki". His stage partners are Ichikawa Ebizô III, Matsumoto Kôshirô IV, Iwai Hanshirô IV and Nakamura Noshio I. This kaomise is a huge success, starting the 1st of November and ending the 15th December.
January 1776: Yaozô plays in the same theater the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Danzaburô in the new year drama "Kamuri Kotoba Soga no Yukari"; the roles of Soga Jûrô Sukenari and Kudô Saemon Suketsune are played by Matsumoto Kôshirô IV and Ichikawa Ebizô III.
March 1776: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Sukeroku in the drama "Sukeroku Yukari no Hatsuzakura". The roles of Agemaki and the villain Ikyû are played by Iwai Hanshirô IV and Sakata Hangorô II. The performance is a huge success and a long run but, in the middle of May, both Yaozô and Sakata Hangorô II fall sick and have to be replaced by Ichimura Uzaemon IX and Ichikawa Ebizô III.
July 1776: Yaozô plays in the same theater the role of Sakuramaru in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". His stage partners are Ichimura Uzaemon IX (Umeômaru), Ichikawa Ebizô III (Matsuômaru, Kan Shôjô), Nakamura Noshio I (Matsuômaru's wife Chiyo), Sakata Hangorô II (Matsuômaru's father Shiratayû) and Nakajima Mihoemon II (Fujiwara no Shihei).
November 1776: Yaozô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Sugata no Hana Yuki no Kuronushi". This is also the premiere at the Ichimuraza of Sakurada Jisuke I's Tomimoto-based dance-drama "Momo Yogiku Iro no Yo no Naka"; Yaozô plays the role of Shii no Shôshô [casting].
January 1777: Yaozô plays in the same theater the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune, Akogi Heiji, Kajiwara Heiji Kagetaka and the otokodate Ume no Yoshibei in the new year program "Tsukisenu Haru Hagoromo Soga. The roles of Kudô Saemon Suketsune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari are played by Ichikawa Danjûrô V and Ichimura Uzaemon IX. For the first time in Kabuki history, chiwata threads are used in the bloody murder of the priest Dainichibô by Akoya. This new technique is very well received by the audience.
May 1777: Yaozô plays in the same theater the roles of Minamoto Yoshiie (Hachiman Tarô) and Bunji in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara".
Summer 1777: the book "Yakusha Sensakuron" ("About actors prying") is published in Edo. It gives some private information on actors. Edo readers learn that Yaozô lives in the district of Izumi-chô and his yearly salary is 700 ryô.
July 1777: Yaozô is expected to play at the Ichimuraza the roles of Mikawaya Kanzaburô and Issun Tokubei in the drama "Naniwagata Imose no Irifune" but he suddenly falls ill and quickly dies.
Comments:
Ichikawa Yaozô II was a popular and talented tachiyaku, excelling in aragoto and wagoto, 2 opposite styles. He died before reaching the peak of his career and his last rank in the Edo hyôbanki was slightly below jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). His popularity among the female audience was such that the water he dived into while playing the role of Sukeroku was sold to his fans at high prices.
Ichikawa Yaozô II's best roles: Hayano Kampei ("Kanadehon Chûshingura"), the superhero of the "Shibaraku" scene, Hiranoya Tokubei ("Sonezaki Shinjû"), Soga Gorô Tokimune (sogamono).
Ichikawa Yaozô II in a print made by Katsukawa Shunshô
Print made by Kitao Shigemasa in 1767
Print made by Katsukawa Shunshô in 1774
Print made by Katsukawa Shunshô in 1776
The Ichikawa Chûsha line of actors
The Ichikawa Yaozô line of actors