Stage names:

Ichikawa Yaozô IX
Matsumoto Komagorô I
Matsumoto Kin'ichi I

Real name: Matsumoto Sei'ichi

Guild: Tachibanaya

Line number: KUDAIME (IX)

Poetry name: Teika

Existence: 31 July 1906 ~ 1 January 1987

Connections:

Master: Matsumoto Kôshirô VII

Career:

January 1913: first stage appearance at the Imperial Theater, where he receives the name of Matsumoto Kin'ichi I.

April 1929: Matsumoto Kin'ichi I becomes nadai and takes the name of Matsumoto Komagorô I at the Imperial Theater.

June 1953: Ichikawa Yaozô VIII and Matsumoto Komagorô respectively take the names of Ichikawa Chûsha VIII and Ichikawa Yaozô IX at the Kabukiza. The new Yaozô plays the role of Satô Masakiyo in the drama "Ehon Taikôki".

November 1959: revival at the Kabukiza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", which is supervised by Mishima Yukio; Yaozô plays the role of Iruma Akugorô [casting].

March 1967: revival at the National Theater of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", which is supervised by Gunji Masakatsu; Yaozô plays the role of the priest Zangetsu [casting].

December 1983: Yaozô appears on stage for the last time, at the Kabukiza, playing the role of Sagisaka Bannai in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

Comments:

Ichikawa Yaozô IX was a good tachiyaku actor, who was able to play a broad range of supporting roles, from katakiyaku to sanmaime, in either jidaimono or sewamono dramas. He often played roles like Shundô Gemba ("Terakoya"), Tosa Shôgen Mitsunobu ("Domo Mata"), Kumasuke ("Irezumi Chôhan") and Narita Gorô ("Onna Shibaraku").

The Ichikawa Yaozô line of actors