ONOE KIKUGORÔ V

1st lunar month of 1851: the actors Ichimura Uzaemon XII and Ichimura Kurôemon respectively take the names of Ichimura Takenojô V and Ichimura Uzaemon XIII; the new Uzaemon becomes the manager of the Ichimuraza.

1st lunar month of 1857: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Nezumi Komon Haru no Shingata" (commonly called "Nezumi Kozô"); Uzaemon plays the role of the shijimi-uri Sankichi [casting].

7th lunar month of 1857: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Ami Moyô Tôro no Kikukiri" (commonly called "Kozaru Shichinosuke"); Uzaemon plays the role of Shichinosuke's younger sister Onami [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1858: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Edo Zakura Kiyomizu Seigen"; the nibanme of this drama is now entitled "Kurotegumi Kuruwa no Tatehiki" in the Kabuki repertoire (commonly called "Kurotegumi Sukeroku"); Uzaemon plays the role of Sakichi [more details].

2nd lunar month of 1859: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Kosode Soga Azami no Ironui" (commonly called "Izayoi Seishin"); Uzaemon plays the roles of Koizuka Motome and the karuwazashi Kamekichi [casting].

1st lunar month of 1860: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Sannin Kichisa Kuruwa no Hatsugai"; Uzaemon plays the role of Jûzaburô [casting].

2nd lunar month of 1861: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the dance "Chigiru Koi Haru no Awa Mochi"; Uzaemon plays the role of an awa mochi maker [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1862: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Aoto Zôshi Hana no Nishikie" (commonly called "Shiranami Gonin Otoko"); Uzaemon plays the role of Benten Kozô [casting].

Spring 1863: Ichimura Uzaemon XIII takes the name of Ichimura Kakitsu IV.

2nd lunar month of 1864: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome"; Kakitsu plays the role of Hototogisu [casting].

11th lunar month of 1864: première at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Koharunagi Okitsu Shiranami"; Kakitsu plays the role of Kogitsune Reizaburô [casting].

2nd lunar month of 1867: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's new year sogamono "Keisei Soga Kuruwa Kagami", in which was premiered the drama "Oshizu Reiza"; Kakitsu plays the roles of Soga Jûrô Sukenari, the spirit of the husband and wife pine tree of the Hakone mountain, Kosui no Nabematsu, the Okushûya tedai Reizaburô and the shinzô Hatsugiku [more details].

8th lunar month of 1868: the actors Ichimura Kakitsu IV and Ichimura Takematsu III respectively take the names of Onoe Kikugorô V and Ichimura Uzaemon XIV at the Ichimuraza.

1869: Kikugorô becomes zagashira at the Nakamuraza.

7th lunar month of 1869: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Kichisama Mairu Yukari no Otozure"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Yukanba Kichisa, Tabatake Jûzaburô, the koshimoto Osugi and Dozaemon Denkichi [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1870: premiere at the Nakamuraza of "Ume Goyomi Tatsumi no Sono", an adaptation to Kabuki by Kawatake Shinshichi II and Segawa Jokô III of Tamenaga Shunsui's 1833 novel "Shunshoku Ume Goyomi"; Kikugorô plays the role of Karakotoya Tanjirô [casting]. Premiere at the Moritaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Kusunoki-ryû Hanami no Makuhari" (commonly called "Keian Taiheiki" or "Marubashi Chûya"); Kikugorô plays the roles of Budô Gorô Mitsukuni, Sekiguchi Hayato and Daikokuya Sôroku [more details].

1st lunar month of 1872: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the drama "Ume Kyôdai Naniwa Senki" (one act has survived and became the independent drama "Kimura Nagato-no-Kami"); Kikugorô plays the roles of Kimura Shigenari, Anayama Kosuke and Katagiri Katsumoto [casting].

7th lunar month of 1872: Kikugorô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Oiwa, Kohei and Yomoshichi in the drama "Oiwa Inari Rishô no Tamagushi" (similar to Tsuruya namboku IV's masterpiece "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan"); the role of Iemon is played by Nakamura Shikan IV.

March 1873: premiere at the Murayamaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Taiko no Oto Chiyû Sanryaku"; Kikugorô plays the role of Naruse Tôzô [casting].

June 1873: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Tsuyu Kosode Mukashi Hachijô", commonly called "Kamiyui Shinza"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Shinza and Ôka Echizen [casting].

January 1875: premiere at the Moritaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Ôgi Byôshi Ôoka Seidan" (commonly called "Ten'ichibô"); Kikugorô played the roles of Hôtaku (later Ten'ichibô) and Hiraishi Jiemon [casting].

June 1876: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Hototogisu Date no Kikigaki"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Katagiri Kojûrô, Sadô Chinga and Kannami Sanzaemon (in reality Narukami Mineemon) [casting].

October 1878: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Jitsugetsusei Kyôwa Seidan"; Kikugorô plays the roles of travelling actor Miyagawa Ushinosuke (later the priest Enmeiin Nittô) and the hinin Oguri no Umakichi [casting].

February 1879: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Ningen Banji Kane no Yo no Naka"; Kikugorô played the role of Efu Rinnosuke [casting].

16 July 1879: Kikugorô takes part in the gala night at the Shintomiza in the honor of the General Ulysses S. Grant [more details].

March 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Kumo ni Magou Ueno no Hatsuhana"; Kikugorô plays the role of Kataoka Naojirô [casting].

June 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's jidaimono "Youchi Soga Kariba no Akebono" [casting]; Kikugorô plays the role of Oniô Shinzaemon (Jûrô's retainer). Premiere in the same theater of Kawatake Shinshichi II's dance-drama "Tsuchi-gumo", which is staged to commemorate the 32nd anniversary (33rd memorial service) of late Onoe Kikugorô III; Kikugorô plays the roles of the priest Chichû and the spirit of the ground spider [casting].

November 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's zangirimono drama "Shima Chidori Tsuki no Shiranami"; Kikugorô plays the role of Akashi no Shimazô, later Akashiya Shimazô [casting].

January 1883: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Medeshi Yanagi Midori no Matsumae"; Kikugorô plays the role of Matsumae Gorobei [casting].

April 1883: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's Nagauta-based matsubamemono "Ibaraki"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Mashiba and the demon of Mount Atago [casting].

May 1883: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Shin Sarayashiki Tsuki no Amagasa"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Sôgorô and Otsuta [casting].

November 1883: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Zôho Tenjiku Tokubê", a revision of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's "Tenjiku Tokubê Ikoku Banashi"; Kikugorô plays the roles of the sendô Tenjiku Tokubê, Dainichimaru, the teppô smith Kakuzô, the zatô Tokuichi and Shiba Saemon Yoshiteru [casting].

October 1884: Kikugorô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Oiwa, Kohei and Yomoshichi in the drama "Katamigusa Yotsuya Kaidan" (similar to Tsuruya namboku IV's masterpiece "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan"); the role of Iemon is played by Kataoka Gadô III.

January 1885: two dances are staged at the Chitoseza, about to reopen in February 1885 with a new name. From the 4th to the 7th of January, two auspicious dances and a kôjô with the troupe led by Ichikawa Danjûrô IX are staged. The sanbasô is staged with Ichikawa Sadanji I (Okina), Bandô Kakitsu I (Senzai) and Kikugorô (Sanbasô). This is also the premiere of the Nagauta-based dance-drama "Tsuru Kame" [more details].

February 1885: Kikugorô takes part in the opening ceremony of the Chitoseza [more details]. Premiere at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Suitengû Megumi no Fukagawa"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Funazu Kôbê and the thief Kotengû Yôjirô [casting].

November 1885: premiere at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Shisen Ryô Koban no Ume-no-Ha"; Kikugorô plays the roles of the mushuku Yashû no Tomizô and Daimoku no Shichibê (a member of the Chitose kôjû) [more details].

March 1886: première at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Mekura Nagaya Ume-ga-Kagatobi"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Umekichi, Dôgen and Shinigami [casting].

26 April 1887: the emperor views Kabuki for the first time at the residence of Inoue Kaoru, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The casting includes the three leading stars Kikugorô, Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Ichikawa Sadanji I.

March 1890: premiere at the Kiriza of Takeshiba Kisui's drama "Kami no Megumi Wagô no Torikumi"; Kikugorô plays the role of the tobigashira Tatsugorô [more details].

April 1890: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the drama "Hitotsuya"; Kikugorô plays the leading role of the old woman Ibara.

October 1890: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kawatake Mokuami's Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Modoribashi"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Sayuri and the demon of Mount Atago [casting].

November 1891: the title "Oto ni Kiku Tenjiku Tokubê" is used for the first time, in Tôkyô at the Fukanoza; Kikugorô plays the roles of the sendô Tenjiku Tokubê, Dainichimaru, Fuwa Banzaemon and the zatô Tokuichi [casting].

January 1892: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's drama "Shiobara Tasuke Ichidaiki"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Shiobara Tasuke and Michizure Kohei [casting].

July 1892: premiere at the Kabukiza of the drama "Kaidan Botan Dôrô", adapted for Kabuki from a famous Rakugo story created by San'yûtei Enchô; Kikugorô plays the roles of Tomozô and Oyone's ghost [casting]. Premiere also in the same theater of the dance "Makura Jidô", which stars Kikugorô in the role of Kikujidô.

January 1894: Kikugorô plays at the Kabukiza the prestigious role of Princess Yaegaki in the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô" [print].

January 1898: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's dance-drama "Hagoromo"; Kikugorô plays the role of the celestial creature [casting].

May 1898: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's drama "Edo Sodachi Omatsuri Sashichi"; Kikugorô plays the role of Omatsuri Sashichi [casting].

April 1899: Kikugorô plays at the Kabukiza the role of Togashi in the dance-drama "Kanjinchô"; the roles of Benkei and Yoshitsune are played by Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Ichikawa Metora II.

January 1900: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's dance-drama "Yami no Ume Hyaku Monogatari"; Kikugorô plays the roles of Shiraume, a kasa ippon ashi, a gaikotsu and a yomiuri [more details].

October 1902: premiere at the Kabukiza of Enokido Kenji's drama "Ninjô Banashi Bunshichi Mottoi"; Kikugorô plays the role of Chôbê [casting].

November 1902: Kikugorô appears on stage for the last time, at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Kinai, Shizue and Benten Kôzô Kikunosuke in the drama "Chûshin Kanagaki Kôshaku".

18 February 1903: Kikugorô dies.

Comments:

Onoe Kikugorô V belonged to the triumvirat of stars who dominated the Kabuki world during the Meiji era (the two others were Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Ichikawa Sadanji I). He created with Kawatake Mokuami a new genre called zangirimono.

Onoe Kikugorô V's best roles: Benten Kozô Kikunosuke ("Shiranami Gonin Otoko"), Kataoka Naojirô ("Naozamurai"), Kamiyui Shinza ("Tsuyu Kosode Mukashi Hachijô"), Saitô Bettô Sanemori ("Sanemori Monogatari"), Satô Tadanobu/the fox Genkurô ("Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"), Gosho no Gorozô ("Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome"), Hayano Kanpei ("Kanadehon Chûshingura"), Masaoka ("Meiboku Sendai Hagi"), Oiwa/Kohei/Yomoshichi ("Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan").

Onoe Kikugorô V gathered his favourite dance-dramas in a collection named Shinko Engeki Jûsshu: "Rakan", "Kodera no Neko" (these 2 items were performed for the first time by his grandfather Onoe Kikugorô III), "Tsuchi-gumo", "Ibaraki", "Hitotsuya", "Modoribashi", "Kikujidô" and "Hagoromo". His son Onoe Kikugorô VI completed later on the collection by adding "Migawari Zazen" and "Osakabe Hime".

"He succeeded to the headship of the Onoe family, ranked with the ninth Danjûrô, and in some respects surpassed him. It was in drama of everyday life that Kikugorô most excelled, the sentimental and realistic having the greatest appeal for him." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")

Onoe Kikugorô V playing the role of Benten Kozô in the drama "Yoko Shimada Kanoko Furisode", whose plot and character belong to "Shiranami Gonin Otoko" world and which was performed in June 1889 at the Moritaza (print made by Toyohara Kunichika)

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1859

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1861

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1863

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1865 (courtesy of V.)

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1868

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1874

Print made by Yôshû Chikanobu in 1881

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1883

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1892

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1894

The Ichimura Uzaemon line of actors

The Ichimura Kakitsu line of actors

The Onoe Kikugorô line of actors