Stage names:

Jitsukawa Enjaku II
Jitsukawa Enjirô I

Real name: Amaboshi Shôemon

Guild: Kawachiya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Shôgan

Existence: 11 December 1877 ~ 22 February 1951

Connections:

Father: Jitsukawa Enjaku I

Sons: Jitsukawa Enjaku III, Jitsukawa Ennosuke III

Disciples: Jitsukawa Enju, Jitsukawa Yaozô III

Family map: the Jitsukawa Clan

Career:

11 December 1877: born in Ôsaka in the district of Nanba Shinchi.

September 1885: his father Jitsukawa Enjaku I dies.

March 1886: he makes his first appearance on stage in Ôsaka; he receives the name of Jitsukawa Enjirô I.

1894: Enjirô becomes zagashira of a troupe of children-actors.

December 1896: Enjirô plays at the Sakaiza (Ôsaka) the role of Fujiya Izaemon in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô"; the role of the courtesan Yûgiri is played by Arashi Umenosuke.

1899: Enjirô goes to Tôkyô and plays at the Tôkyôza.

August 1904: Enjirô plays at the Kadoza the role of the smuggler Kezori in the drama "Koi Minato Hakata no Hitofushi"; his stage partners are Arashi Tokusaburô V (Sôshichi) and Nakamura Shibajaku IV (the courtesan Kojorô).

1909: Enjirô plays the role of Igami no Gonta in the "Sushiya" scene of the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura", in March at the Meijiza (Kyôto), in June at the Misonoza (Nagoya) and in September at the Asahiza (Ôsaka).

November 1909: revival of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Onna Goroshi Abura no Jigoku", in Ôsaka at the Asahiza, which is based on a new script written by Watanabe Katei; Enjirô plays the role of Kawachiya Yohê [casting].

January 1910: Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Onna Goroshi Abura no Jigoku" is staged for the first time in Kyôto, at the Minamiza; Enjirô plays the role of Kawachiya Yohê [casting].

May 1910: Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Onna Goroshi Abura no Jigoku" is staged for the first time in Tôkyô, at the Shintomiza; Enjirô plays the role of Kawachiya Yohê [casting].

July 1911: Enjirô plays at the Asahiza (Ôsaka) the role of Danshichi Kurobê in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami". His stage partners are Nakamura Naritarô I (Issun Tokubê, Otatsu) and Arashi Kitsusaburô IV (Tsuribune Sabu).

November 1911: Enjirô plays at the Nakaza the roles of Yokozô and Katsuyori in the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô". His stage partners are Nakamura Naritarô I (Nureginu, Jihizô) and Arashi Tokusaburô V (Princess Yaegaki).

October 1914: Enjirô plays at the Matsushima Yachiyoza (Ôsaka) the role of Tamate Gozen in the drama "Sesshû Gappô-ga-Tsuji". His stage partners are Arashi Kitsusaburô IV (Gappô) and Arashi Hirosaburô (Takayasu Shuntokumaru).

August 1915: the drama "Kaidan Chibusa no Enoki" revised by Enjirô is staged for the first time in Tôkyô, at the Kabukiza; Enjirô plays the roles of Hishikawa Shigenobu, the ghost of Shigenobu, the servant Shôsuke and Uwabami no Sanji [casting].

October 1915: Jitsukawa Enjirô I takes the name of Jitsukawa Enjaku II at the Naniwaza (Ôsaka).

August 1917: the play "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" is produced at the Kabukiza for the first time; Enjaku plays the role of Danshichi Kurobê [casting].

December 1917: Enjaku plays at the Nakaza the role of Rokusuke in the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; the roles of Osono and Kyôgoku no Takumi are played by Kataoka Gadô IV and Arashi Kichisaburô VI.

April 1919: Enjaku plays at the Nakaza the role of Mashiba Hisayoshi in the drama "Sanmon Gosan no Kiri"; the role of Ishikawa Goemon is played by Ichikawa Gangyoku.

December 1919: Enjaku plays at the Naniwaza (Ôsaka) the roles of Kô no Moronô, Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Hayano Kanpei, Sadakurô, Yoichibê, Teraoka Heiemon and Tonase in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

April 1920: Enjaku plays at the Minatoza (Nagoya) the role of Gappô in the drama "Sesshû Gappô-ga-Tsuji"; the role of Tamate Gozen is played by Nakamura Jakuemon III.

September 1920: Enjaku plays at the Nakaza the role of Rokusuke in the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; the roles of Osono and Kyôgoku no Takumi are played by Sawamura Sônosuke I and Arashi Kichisaburô VI.

March 1923: Enjaku plays at the Minamiza the role of Kezori in the drama "Koi Minato Hakata no Hitofushi". His stage partners are Nakamura Fukusuke IV (Sôshichi) and Arashi Hirosaburô (the courtesan Kojorô).

February 1924: Enjaku plays at the Minamiza the role of Sasaki Takatsuna in the drama "Kamakura Sandaiki"; the roles of Princess Toki and Miuranosuke are played by Nakamura Jakuemon III and Sawamura Sôjûrô VII.

February 1925: Katsu Hyôzô I's drama "Kachi Zumô Ukina no Hanabure", commonly called "Shirafuji Genta", is revived at the Hongôza, under the supervision of the writer Nagai Kafû; Enjaku plays the role of the sumô wrestler Shirafuji Genta [casting].

April 1927: Enjaku plays at the Naniwaza (Ôsaka) the role of Rokusuke in the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; the roles of Osono and Kyôgoku no Takumi are played by Kataoka Gadô IV and Arashi Ganshô.

May 1927: Enjaku plays at the Nakaza the role of Katsuyori in the "Jusshukô" scene of the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô"; the roles of Princess Yaegaki and Nureginu are played by Nakamura Fukusuke IV and Nakamura Jakuemon III.

November 1928: Enjaku plays at the Nakaza the role of Motoemon in the drama "Tengajaya-mura". His stage partners are Nakamura Fukusuke IV (Iori), Nakamura Ganjirô I (Tôma Saburôemon) and Nakamura Senjaku I (Somenoi).

December 1929: Enjaku plays at the Misonoza (Nagoya) the roles of Kô no Moronô, Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Hayano Kanpei, Sadakurô, Yoichibê and Teraoka Heiemon in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

May 1933: Ikeda Daigo's bakumatsumono drama "Saigô to Buta-hime" is staged for the first time in ôshibai, in Tôkyô at the Meijiza; Enjaku plays the role of the nakai Otama [more details].

November 1935: Enjaku plays at the Nakaza the role of Rokusuke in the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; the role of Osono is played by Nakamura Kaisha.

January 1936: Enjaku plays at the Nakaza the roles of Kô no Moronô, Ôboshi Yuranosuke and Tanuki no Kakuhei in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

19 December 1937: his younger son Jitsukawa Ennosuke dies at the age of 16.

April 1938: premiere at the Meijiza of "Kira Yashiki Uramon" and the first act of "Sengoku Yashiki" [casting], the seventh and ninth plays of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Enjaku plays the role of Lord Sengoku in "Sengoku Yashiki".

May 1938: Enjaku plays at the Nakaza the role of Rokusuke in the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; the role of Osono is played by Nakamura Kaisha.

November 1942: Enjaku plays at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the roles of Tokaiya Ginpei, Taira no Tomomori and Igami no Gonta in the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

January 1944: Enjaku plays at the Nakaza the role of Rokusuke in the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; the role of Osono is played by Nakamura Baigyoku III.

March 1944: Enjaku plays at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the role of Sasaki Takatsuna in the drama "Kamakura Sandaiki"; the roles of Princess Toki and Miuranosuke are played by Nakamura Baigyoku III and Ichimura Uzaemon XV.

January 1945: Enjaku plays at the Nakaza the role of Yokozô in the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô"; the role of Jihizô is played by Kataoka Gatô IV.

October 1949: Enjaku plays at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the prestigious role of the king of thieves Ishikawa Goemon in the drama "Sanmon Gosan no Kiri"; the role of Mashiba Hisayoshi is played by Bandô Jusaburô III.

1950: the duo Enjaku/Jusaburô performs the roles of Goemon and Hisayoshi in the drama "Sanmon Gosan no Kiri" in February at the Ôsaka Kabukiza, in May at the Tôkyô Gekijô and in November at the Ôsaka Kabukiza.

Comments:

Jitsukawa Enjaku II was one of two best tachiyaku actors in Kamigata during the first half of the twentieth century, often sharing the top of the bill with the other one, Nakamura Ganjirô I. From 1935 to 1950, he was the undisputed leader of Kabuki in Kamigata. His fame was not limited to Ôsaka or Kyôto and he did many successful stays in Tôkyô. His field of excellence was wagoto, as the worthy heir of his father Jitsukawa Enjaku I. He was also outstanding in jitsugotoshi or budôgoto roles in maruhonmono dramas. His extravagant offstage life as a womanizer was very well-known.

Jitsukawa Enjaku II's best roles: Ishikawa Goemon ("Sanmon Gosan no Kiri"), Sanigoroshichi ("Kari no Tayori"), Danshichi Kurobê ("Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"), Kanô Shirojirô ("Chichi Morai"), Rokusuke ("Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"), Heisaku ("Numazu"), Shundô Jirôemon ("Daianji Zutsumi"), Nikki Danjô ("Meiboku Sendai Hagi") and Yokozô ("Honchô Nijûshikô").

Jitsukawa Enjaku II playing the role of Danshichi Kurobê in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" (print made by Natori Shunsen in 1926)

The Jitsukawa Enjirô line of actors

The Jitsukawa Enjaku line of actors