SEGAWA KIKUNOJÔ V

Stage names:

Segawa Kikunojô V In Japanese
Segawa Tamon I In Japanese

Nickname: Tamon Rokô

Guild: Hamamuraya

Line number: GODAIME (V)

Poetry name: Rokô

Blazon: the spray of tied cotton (yui wata)

Existence: 1802 ~ 7th day of the 1st lunar month of 1832 [1]

Connections:

Father: Segawa Michisaburô I (Arashi Rikô I)

Master: Segawa Senjo (Segawa Kikunojô III)

Father-in-law: Segawa Rokô IV

Son: Segawa Tamon II (Nakamura Daikichi III)

Disciples: Segawa Michinosuke II, Segawa Michitarô, Segawa Kikusaburô III (?)

Career:

11th lunar month of 1806: he became disciple of the star Segawa Senjo and took the name of Segawa Tamon I at the Nakamuraza.

4th lunar month of 1809: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the 7-role Nagauta-based dance-drama "Kantan Sono no Kikuchô"; Tamon played the role of a kamuro [more details].

4th day of the 12th lunar month of 1810 [2]: his master Segawa Senjo died.

29th day of the 11th lunar month of 1812 [3]: his future father-in-law Segawa Rokô IV died.

11th lunar month of 1815: he became tateonnagata and took the name of Segawa Kikunojô V at the Kawarasakiza, where he performed in the kaomise drama "Yamato Meisho Senbon Zakura".

1st lunar month of 1816: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's new year sogamono drama "Nazoraete Fujigane Soga"; Kikunojô played the role of Tegoshi no Shôshô [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1817: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô"; Kikunojô played the roles of Gunjibê's daughter Kohina and Katsushika no Ojû [casting].

2nd lunar month of 1818: the play "Kamakura Sandaiki" was staged for the first time in Edo, at the Nakamuraza; Kikunojô played the role of Princess Toki; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danjûrô VII (Miuranosuke) and Nakamura Shikan I (Takatsuna).

6th lunar month of 1818: Kikunojô played at the Moritaza the roles of Koganosuke, Sadaka and Omiwa in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danjûrô VII (Motome, Fukashichi, Hinadori, Daihanji) and Matsumoto Kôshirô V (Soga no Iruka).

1st lunar month of 1823: Kikunojô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. Premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's new year sogamono drama "Yaegasumi Soga no Kumiito"; Kikunojô played the roles of Ôiso no Tora, the geisha Koito, Rokusa's lover Osono, Kyô no Kojorô and Naginoha Gozen [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1823: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Ukiyogara Hiyoku no Inazuma"; Kikunojô played the roles of the courtesan Katsuragi, Oden and Okuni [casting].

7th lunar month of 1823: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's natsu kyôgen "Torimazete Sekison Miyage"; Kikunojô played the roles of Matagorô's mother Narumi, Sôroku's nyôbô Ohama and the okujochû Osode [casting].

11th lunar month of 1823: Kikunojô achieved a great success at the Nakamuraza by performing in the kaomise drama "Kaeri Giso Kiku no Hitomure".

8th lunar month of 1826: Kikunojô played at the Kawarasakiza the roles of Momonoi Wakasanosuke, Hayano Kanpei and Okaru in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; the roles of Kanpei and Okaru were performed with fast costum changes (hayagawari), an unusual performance in "Kanadehon Chûshingura" sixth act, where Kanpei and Okaru usually appeared simultaneously on stage.

9th lunar month of 1827: Kikunojô played at the Nakamuraza the difficult role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami".

1st lunar month of 1828: Kikunojô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, sôkanjiku section ("all kanjiku"), was (shiro)ô-jô-jô-kichi (almost grand - superior - superior - excellent). Revival at the Nakamuraza of the dance-drama "Oshidori" by Segawa Jokô II; Kikunojô played the roles of the keisei Kisegawa and the spirit of the female mandarin duck [more details].

9th lunar month of 1828: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the dance-drama "Nochi no Tsuki Shuen no Shimadai" (commonly called "Kakuemon"); the main roles were played by Nakamura Shikan II and Kikunojô.

11th lunar month of 1828: his yearly salary at the Nakamuraza was 700 ryô.

9th lunar month of 1829: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of the 4-role hengemono "Hana ni Chô Magaki no Ukareme"; all the roles were performed by Kikunojô [4] [more details].

11th lunar month of 1829: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's kaomise drama "Kin no Zai Sarushima Dairi"; Kikunojô played the roles of Sôma Masakado (in reality Mitsunaka's daughter Princess Takiyasha), the female thieve Ikazuchi-ga-Hora no Todoroki, Manago no Shôji's daughter Princess Kiyo and the shirabyôshi Sakurako [more details].

1st lunar month of 1830: Kikunojô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was ô-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent) [Visual].

8th lunar month of 1830: Kikunojô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Hinadori and Omiwa in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin"; his stage partners were Nakamura Shikan II (Daihanji, Motome, Fukashichi) and Nakamura Karoku I (Sadaka, Princess Tachibana).

11th lunar month of 1831: Kikunojô appeared on stage for the last time, in Edo at the Kawarasakiza, where he performed in the kaomise drama "Matsu o Chikara Tomoe no Fujinami". He unfortunately fell ill during the performance and had to be replaced by his disciple Segawa Michinosuke II.

7th day of the 1st lunar month of 1832 [1]: Kikunojô died in Edo.

Comments:

Segawa Kikunojô V was a talented onnagata of the Bunka and Bunsei eras, who was endowed with both beauty and intelligence. He unfortunately died too young.

"The fifth Segawa Kikunojô was acknowledged to be the leading onnagata in Edo. He was a large, man, but possessed rather rough manners, being short and abrupt with his fellow-actors, and much disliked by his neighbours. Yet upon the stage there was no one to compare with him. He died at 31, at the height of his career." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")

[1] The 7th day of the 1st lunar month of the 3rd year of the Tenpô era was the 8th of February 1832 in the western calendar.

[2] The 4th day of the 12th lunar month of the 7th year of the Bunka era was the 29th of December 1810 in the western calendar.

[3] The 29th day of the 11th lunar month of the 9th year of the Bunka era was the 1st of January 1813 in the western calendar.

[4] The 2nd role, the komori, is still part of the current Kabuki repertoire and is performed independently under the title "Mitsumen Komori".

Segawa Kikunojô V in a print made by Utagawa Kunisada (1820~1830)

Prints & Illustrations

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1820

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1821

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1821

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1821

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1821

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1821

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1821

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1821

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1825

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1831

Print made by Utagawa Kuniyoshi in 1832

The Segawa Tamon line of actors

The Segawa Kikunojô line of actors

 
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