ICHIKAWA CH�SHA VII (original) (raw)
Stage names:
Real name: Hashio Kamejir�
Guild: Tachibanaya
Line number: SHICHIDAIME (VII)
Poetry name: Ch�sha (7)
Existence: 27th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1860 [2] ~ 12 July 1936
Connections:
Masters: Ichikawa Danj�r� IX, Nakayama Kiraku III, Onoe Tamiz� II
Adopted son: Ichikawa Ch�sha VIII
Disciple: Ichikawa Nakajir�
Career:
27th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1860 [2]: born in Ky�to in the district of Daikoku-ch�. His father Hashio Ky�h�, who was a pawnbroker, gave him the name of Kamejir�. He quickly became a disciple of the actor Onoe Tamiz� II, who gave him the name of Onoe Tsunejir� [1].
Spring 1864: he made his first stage appearance, within the precinct of the Fushimi Inari shrine in Ky�to, performing in the play "Suzuki Mondo".
1864 ~ 1875: Tsunejir� joined a travelling troupe and performed up to Ise. He met in Nagoya the actor Nakayama Kiraku III, became his disciple and received the name of Nakayama Tsurugor� around 1871. He became quickly the zagashira of a children-actors troupe.
Spring 1875: Tsurugor� settled in T�ky�.
July 1879: Tsurugor� became disciple of the star Ichikawa Danj�r� IX and took the name of Ichikawa Yaoz� VII at the Saruwakaza, performing in the play "Ch�k� Somewake Tazuna".
November 1879: Yaoz� moved back to Kamigata; he played at the Kadoza the roles of Rokur� and Kat� Kiyomasa in the plays "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki" and "Ch�sen K�fuku Ja no Me Natsu".
Beginning of 1880: Yaoz� moved back to T�ky�.
23 May 1880: premiere at the Saruwakaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Arimatsuzome Sum� Yukata"; Yaoz� played the roles of Onogawa's disciple Hachijin Ch�hachi and Ch�z� [more details].
May 1881: premiere at the Saruwakaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "�sakazuki Shusen no Tsuwamono"; Yaoz� played the role of Hiraoka Jiemon [casting].
January 1890: Yaoz� played at the Harukiza the role of Miuranosuke in the drama "Kamakura Sandaiki"; his stage partners in the roles of Princess Toki and Sasaki Takatsuna were Nakamura Fukuen and Ichikawa Ennosuke I.
March 1891: premiere at the Kabukiza of Fukuchi �chi's drama "Buy� no Homare Shusse Kagekiyo", a revised revival of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's jidaimono "Shusse Kagekiyo"; Yaoz� played the roles of Minamoto no Yoritomo and the carpenter Edo Shigenari [casting].
September 1891: premiere at the Kabukiza of Fukuchi �chi's drama "Z�ho Onna Narukami"; Yaoz� played the role of Sakuma Genba [more details]. He also achieved a great success by playing the roles of Takebe Genz� and Fujiwara no Shihei in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
December 1891: Yaoz� took part in the sh�mei of Nakamura Tomij�r� III at the Harukiza; he performed in the plays "Fushimi no Tokiwa", "Ch�shingura Meimeiden" and "Toshi no Ichi Kuruwa no Uchiiri".
January 1892: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's drama "Shiobara Tasuke Ichidaiki"; Yaoz� played the roles of the r�nin Shiobara Kakuemon and Hara Tanji [casting].
July 1892: premiere at the Kabukiza of the drama "Kaidan Botan D�r�", adapted for Kabuki from a famous Rakugo story created by San'y�tei Ench�; Yaoz� played the role of Miyanobe Genjir� [casting].
October 1894: Yaoz� played at the Harukiza the role of Abe no Munet� in the play "Sodehagi Saimon"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Kuz� III (Sadat�), Nakamura Tomij�r� III (Sodehagi) and Ichikawa Kien (Yoshiie).
April 1897: premiere at the Kabukiza of Fukuchi Ochi's drama "Otokodate Harusame Gasa"; Yaoz� played the role of Karigane Sh�b� [more details].
January 1900: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's dance-drama "Yami no Ume Hyaku Monogatari"; Yaoz� played the role of Miyamoto Musashi [more details].
October 1900: Yaoz� played at the Masagoza the role of the smuggler Kezori in the drama "Koi Minato Hakata no Hitofushi".
March 1901: Yaoz� played at the Masagoza the role of Takechi Mitsuhide in the drama "Ehon Taik�ki".
February 1903: Yaoz� played at the T�ky�za the role of Iwafuji in the drama "Kagamiyama Koky� no Nishikie"; the roles of Onoe and Ohatsu were performed by Onoe Eizabur� V and Ichimura Kakitsu VI.
March 1903: premiere at the Kabukiza of the drama "Kichirei Soga no Ishizue", which was produced to celebrate the sh�mei of Onoe Kikugor� VI, Onoe Baik� VI and Onoe Eizabur� VI; Yaoz� played the role of Oni� Shinzaemon [casting].
April 1904: premiere at the Kabukiza of Mori �gai's drama "Nichiren Sh�nin Tsujisepp�", in which Yaoz� played the role of the priest Nichiren.
June 1904: premiere at the Kabukiza of the drama "Meiboku Kasane Monogatari"; Yaoz� played the role of Yoemon [casting].
January 1906: Yaoz� played at the Kabukiza the roles of the villains Lady Yashio and Nikki Danj� in the classic "Meiboku Sendai hagi"; the role of Masaoka was played by Onoe Baik� VI.
November 1908: revival at the Kabukiza of the Kabuki J�hachiban drama "Kagekiyo"; Yaoz� played the role of Iwanaga Saemon Munetsura [casting].
May 1909: Yaoz� played at the Suehiroza (Nagoya) the role of Yosabur� in the drama "Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi"; the roles of Otomi and K�mori Yasu were played by Nakamura Shikan V and Ichikawa Danz� VII.
May 1913: Yaoz� played at the Minamiza (Ky�to) the roles of Adachi Motoemon and Ky�ya Mansuke in the drama "Tengajaya-mura"; his stage partners were Nakamura Fukusuke IV (Hayase Iori), Nakamura Shibajaku IV (Hayase Genjir�) and Nakamura Ganjir� I (T�ma Sabur�emon).
January 1915: Yaoz� played at the Hong�za the role of the warrior Kumagai Jir� Naozane in the "Kumagai Jin'ya" scene of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".
December 1915: Yaoz� played at the Kabukiza the role of Iwafuji in the drama "Kagamiyama Koky� no Nishikie"; the roles of Onoe and Ohatsu were performed by Nakamura Utaemon V and Ichimura Uzaemon XV.
October 1918: great sh�mei at the Kabukiza; Ichikawa Yaoz� VII took the name of Ichikawa Ch�sha VII by playing the role of Takechi Mitsuhide in the drama "Toki-ha Ima Kiky� no Hataage". His adopted son Ichikawa Matsuo I took the name of Ichikawa Yaoz� VIII. Ch�sha was one of the haimy� used by the Ichikawa Yaoz� line of actors and Ichikawa Ch�sha VII was the first actor to use it as a stage name.
May 1919: Ch�sha played at the Kabukiza the role of Takechi Mitsuhide in the drama "Ehon Taik�ki".
February 1922: Ch�sha played at the Shintomiza the role of Iwafuji in the drama "Kagamiyama Koky� no Nishikie"; the roles of Onoe and Ohatsu were performed by Nakamura Utaemon V and Onoe Baik� VI.
November 1923: Ch�sha played at the Minamiza in Azabu (T�ky�) the role of Matsu�maru in the "Terakoya" scene of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; the roles of Matsu�maru's wife Chiyo and Takebe Genz� were played by Band� Sh�ch� III and Kataoka Ichiz� IV. This was the first kabuki performance to be staged in T�ky� after the terrible earthquake that hit the city the 1st of September 1923.
January 1924: Ch�sha played at the Sh�chiku Gekij� (K�be) the role of the warrior Kumagai Jir� Naozane in the "Kumagai Jin'ya" scene of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".
January 1926: Ch�sha played at the Hong�za the role of the king of thieves Ishikawa Goemon in the drama "Sanmon"; the role of Mashiba Hisayoshi was played by Nakamura Kichiemon I.
May 1926: Ch�sha played at the Asakusa Sh�chikuza the role of Abe no Sadat� in the drama "�sh� Adachi-ga-Hara"; his stage partners were Band� Sh�ch� III (Sodehagi), Band� Mitsugor� VII (Munet�) and Ichimura Kamez� III (Yoshiie).
January 1927: Ch�sha played at the Kabukiza the role of the king of thieves Ishikawa Goemon in the drama "Sanmon"; the role of Mashiba Hisayoshi was played by Ichimura Uzaemon XV.
February 1927: Ch�sha played at the Nakaza (�saka) the role of the warrior Kumagai Jir� Naozane in the "Kumiuchi" scene of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki"; the role of Kojir�/Atsumori was played by Nakamura Ganjir� I.
July 1927: Ch�sha plays for the last time the role of Takechi Mitsuhide in the play "Ehon Taik�ki", which was staged at the Kabukiza.
December 1928: Ch�sha played at the Minamiza (Ky�to) the role of Nikki Danj� in the "Yuka Shita" scene of the classic "Meiboku Sendai Hagi". The role of Arajishi Otokonosuke was played by Matsumoto K�shir� VII.
March 1929: Ch�sha played at the Shinbashi Enbuj� the role of Togashi in the dance-drama "Kanjinch�"; his stage partners were Onoe Kikugor� VI (Benkei) and Ichikawa Sansh� V (Yoshitsune).
May 1930: Ch�sha played at the Kabukiza in T�ky� the role of Kakuju in the "D�my�ji" scene of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; the roles of Kan Sh�j�, Sukune Tar� and Tatsuta-no-Mae were played by Nakamura Ganjir� I, Matsumoto K�shir� VII and Band� Sh�ch� III.
June 1930: Ch�sha played at the Nakaza (�saka) the role of Nikki Danj� in the classic "Meiboku Sendai Hagi"; the roles of Arajishi Otokonosuke and Hosokawa Katsumoto were played by Matsumoto K�shir� VII and Nakamura Ganjir� I.
December 1931: Ch�sha collapsed on the Kabukiza stage. He was very ill and had to rest for a few years.
October 1935: Ch�sha appeared on stage for the last time, at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Nichiren and Kiichi H�gen in the dramas "Nichiren J�nin Tatsu no Kuchi H�nan" and the "Kikubatake" scene of the drama "Kiichi H�gen Sanryaku no Maki".
Comments:
Ichikawa Ch�sha VII was a very talented tachiyaku, rigorously trained by Ichikawa Danj�r� IX, whose fields of excellence were the roles of jitsugoto and bud�goto.
Ichikawa Ch�sha VII's best roles: Takechi Mitsuhide ("Ehon Taik�ki" and "Toki-ha Ima Kiky� no Hataage"), Matsu�maru ("Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami") and Nikki Danj� ("Meiboku Sendai Hagi"). The kata which he created for the role of Mitsuhide were still used nowadays.
"Follower of Danj�r�, the ninth, Ichikawa Ch�sha is an actor who enjoys much popularity. His restrained manner and well-modulated voice, and cleverness in the realm of the unreal have marked him as a true disciple of the Ichikawa family. He manages to make his villains more thoroughly wicked than those of any other player." (Zo� Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")
[1] His first stage name was Onoe T�jir� in the latest edition (2012) of "Kabuki Haiy� Meiseki Benran". In all others sources, including Nojima Jusabur�'s book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten" or the Ritsumeikan University Actors Database, it was indeed Onoe Tsunejir�.
[2] The 2nd day of the 2nd lunar month of the 7th year of the Ansei era was the 19th of March 1860 in the western calendar.