Stage names:

Kawarasaki Gonjûrô II
Ichikawa Gonzaburô II
Ichikawa Kaoru I

Other name:

Kawarasaki Gonzaburô II

Real name: Nagatani Kôtarô

Guild: Yamazakiya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Existence: 6 August 1880 ~ 11 January 1955

Connections:

Mother: Kawarasaki Gonnosuke VIII's wife Ohama

Sons: Kawarasaki Gonjûrô III, Kawarasaki Gonzaburô III

Disciple: Yamazaki Kashô

Career:

1880: born in Tôkyô in the district of Nihonbashi. His family managed the shibai jaya Takedaya.

1885: he appeared on stage for the first time, receving the name of Ichikawa Kaoru I and playing the role of Kan Shûsai in the "Terakoya" scene of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

November 1907: he took the name of Ichikawa Gonzaburô II in Ôsaka.

April 1911: he took the name of Kawarasaki Gonjûrô II at the Kabukiza.

May 1927: premiere at the Hongôza of Okamoto Kidô's drama "Shinjuku Yawa"; Gonjûrô played the role of a bashi [more details].

September 1930: revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", produced under the title "Tôryû Azuma Bunshô"; Gonjûrô played the roles of Matsui Gengo and Tsunaemon [casting].

April 1938: premiere at the Meijiza of "Kira Yashiki Uramon", the seventh play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Gonjûrô played the role of Onodera Jûnai [casting].

May 1938: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of Mayama Seika's drama "Katsu Awa no Chichi"; Gonjûrô played the role of Iida Jinkurô [more details].

February 1939: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of the second act of "Sengoku Yashiki", the ninth play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Gonjûrô played the role of the jôshi Mizuno Kozaemon [casting].

1939: Gonjûrô played the role of Onoe Kikugorô V in Mizoguchi Kenji's movie "Zangiku Monogatari".

1944: Gonjûrô played the role of Ichikawa Ebizô in Mizoguchi Kenji's movie "Danjûrô Sandai".

1951: Gonjûrô played the roles of Yamanaka Heikurô and Okiku in Itô Daisuke's movie "Ôedo Gonin Otoko".

July 1951: revival at the Shinbashi Enbujô of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Jitsugetsusei Kyôwa Seidan"; Gonjûrô played the role of Sasagawa Kôjûrô [casting].

March 1953: premiere at the Kabukiza of Osaragi Jirô's drama "Edo no Yûbae"; Gonjûrô played the role of the old boatman Shinbê [casting].

October 1954: Gonjûrô appeared on stage for the last time, in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza, where he played the role of the rônin Komori Magoichi in the drama "Ninjô Banashi Koban Ichiryô".

11 January 1955: Gonjûrô died.

Comments:

Kawarasaki Gonjûrô II spent the early years of his career in Ôsaka, where he gained experience while playing in Kataoka Nizaemon XI's troupe. He moved back to Tôkyô and played either leading roles in Asakusa's small theaters (Kôen Gekijô, Miyatoza) or supporting roles at the Kabukiza. He was nicknamed "Asakusa Uzaemon" because many of his favourite roles, like Saitô Bettô Sanemori in the play "Sanemori Monogatari", were in fact associated with the great star Ichimura Uzaemon XV. He spent his career's last years in the Onoe Kikugorô Gekidan troupe, playing old men roles.

Kawarasaki Gonjûrô II playing the role of Date Jirô in the drama "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô"

The Kawarasaki Gonzaburô line of actors

The Kawarasaki Gonjûrô line of actors