ICHIKAWA DANSHIRÔ IV

Stage names:

Ichikawa Danshirô IV
Ichikawa Danko IV
Ichikawa Kamejirô I

Dance name:

Kotobuki Chigusa

Real name: Kinoshi Hiroyuki

Guild: Omodakaya

Line number: YODAIME (IV)

Poetry name: Shôraku

Existence: 20 July 1946 ~ 18 May 2023

Connections:

Great-grandfather: Ichikawa Danshirô II (Ichikawa Ennosuke I)

Grandfather: Ichikawa En'ô I (Ichikawa Ennosuke II)

Father: Ichikawa Danshirô III

Brother: Ichikawa En'ô II (Ichikawa Ennosuke III)

Son: Ichikawa Ennosuke IV

Career:

April 1957: he made his first appearance on stage at the Kabukiza, performing under the name of Ichikawa Kamejirô I in the dance "Yuya".

May 1963: big name-taking ceremony for the Omodakaya guild at the Kabukiza; Ichikawa Ennosuke II, Ichikawa Danko III and Ichikawa Kamejirô I respectively took the names of Ichikawa En'ô I, Ichikawa Ennosuke III and Ichikawa Danko IV^[1]; the new Danko played the role of Ushiwakamaru in the danmari "Setsugekka Mie no Danmari".

12 June 1963: his grandfather Ichikawa En'ô I died.

18 November 1963: his father Ichikawa Danshirô III died.

May 1969: Ichikawa Danko IV took the name of Ichikawa Danshirô IV at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Ushijima Chikara, Tarôgo, Kimura Seizô and Soga Gorô Tokimune in "Kagamiyama", "Kurozuka", "Kiri Hitoha" and "Kusazuribiki"^[2]. This shûmei was part of a program commemorating the 6th anniversary (7th memorial service) of the passing away of Ichikawa En'ô I.

November 1969: premiere at the National Theatre of Mishima Yukio's drama "Chinsetsu Yumihari-zuki"; Danshirô played the role of Butôta [more details].

April 1976: revival at the Meijiza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô"; Danshirô played the role of Ogasawara Haito [casting].

April 1977: revival at the Meijiza of Katsu Genzô II's drama "Kimi-wa-Fune Nami no Uwajima"; Danshirô played the role of Ôhashi Uzen [casting].

May 1977: revival at the Minamiza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô"; Danshirô played the role of Koheiji [casting].

July 1977: revival at the Kabukiza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô"; Danshirô played the role of Koheiji [casting].

September 1978: revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Suda no Haru Geisha Katagi"; Danshirô played the role of Kanaya Kingorô [casting].

April 1979: historic revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV long-forgotten play "Haji Momiji Ase no Kaomise" (commonly called "Date no Jûyaku"); Danshirô played the role of Ôe Onitsura [casting].

August 1979: revival at the National Theatre Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Kanzen Chôaku Nozoki Garakuri"; Danshirô played the role of Kaisaka no Chûzô [casting].

July 1980: revival at the Kabukiza of the never-performed 5th act of "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"; Danshirô played the role of Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan, in reality Taira no Noritsune [more details].

July 1981: revival at the Kabukiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Hitori Tabi Gojûsan Tsugi"; Danshirô played the role of Akabori Mizuemon [casting].

April 1984: revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's 1813 kaomise drama "Gohiiki Tsunagi Uma"; Danshirô played the roles of Sôma Rokurô Kimitsura, Tetsumon Kihê (in reality Sôma Kimitsura) and Hirai Saemonnojô Yasumasa [more details].

April 1987: Danshirô took part in the revival at the Meijiza of the play "Jûni Hitoe Komachi Zakura", which included the famous Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no seki no To" [more details].

January 1995: Danshirô took part in the 14th Kabuki performances at the Asakusa Kôkaidô to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Shôchiku Company [more details].

March 2007: tour in Paris (France); Danshirô played at the Palais Garnier the role of Hitachibô Kaison in the dance-drama "Kanjinchô", which celebrated the Ichikawa clan [more details].

March 2009: Kabuki adaptation by the famous stage director Ninagawa Yukio of Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night", which was entitled "Ninagawa Jûniya", from the 24th to the 28th of March 2009 in London (UK) at the Barbican Theater; Danshirô played the role of Isoemon (the Captain) [more details]. The same play was staged with the same casting in June 2009 at the Shinbashi Enbujô and in July 2009 at the Shôchikuza.

June 2012: Danshirô's brother Ichikawa Ennosuke III and Danshirô's son Ichikawa Kamejirô II took the respective names of Ichikawa En'ô II and Ichikawa Ennosuke IV at the Shinbashi Enbujô, performing in a special program which celebrated the hatsubutai of both Ichikawa Chûsha IX and Ichikawa Danko V and commemorated the 49th anniversary (50th memorial service) of late Ichikawa En'ô I and Ichikawa Danshirô III [more details]; Danshirô played the role of Kawatsura Hôgen in "Kawatsura Hôgen Yakata".

July 2012: second month of shûmei for the Omodakaya guild at the Shinbashi Enbujô; Danshirô performed in "Sanmon" [more details].

March 2013: Ichikawa En'ô II, Ichikawa Ennosuke IV and Ichikawa Chûsha IX celebrated their shûmei in Nagoya at the Misonoza; Danshirô played the role of Kawatsura Hôgen in "Kawatsura Hôgen Yakata".

November 2015: Danshirô appeared on stage for the last time, in Tôkyô at the Shinbashi Enbujô, where he performed in the drama "ONE PIECE", a Kabuki adaptation of Oda Eiichirô's internationally popular eponymous manga "ONE PIECE"; he played alternatively with Ichikawa Juen the role of Monkey D. Garp.

Fall 2016: Danshirô was the recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun (the 5th class, gold and silver rays).

18 May 2023: Danshirô died with his wife in their home in the Meguro Ward in Tôkyô.

Comments:

Ichikawa Danshirô IV was a popular and talented katakiyaku of the Omodakaya guild. He was an outstanding aragotoshi, especially in maruhonmono.

[1] The supporting actors Ichikawa Shun'en I and Ichikawa Masutarô also took the names of Ichikawa Matsuo III and Ichikawa Dan'en II.

[2] The stage parter of Danshirô in "Kusazuribiki" was Nakamura Utaemon VI in the role of Maizuru.

The Ichikawa Kamejirô line of actors

The Ichikawa Danko line of actors

The Ichikawa Danshirô line of actors