Stage names:
| Fujikawa Hachizô I |  |
| Fujikawa Hachitarô I | |
Guild: Ôzakaya
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Happo
Existence: 1730 ~ 29th day of the 12th lunar month of 1777
Connection:
Great-grandfather: Fujikawa Buzaemon I
Grandfather: Bandô Matakurô II
Father: Fujikawa Heikurô
Brothers: Fujikawa Tôkurô, Fujikawa Kamenoi
Adopted son: Fujikawa Hachizô II
Disciples: Fujikawa Tomokichi I, Fujikawa Tokizô, Fujikawa Otomatsu, Fujikawa Santoku, Fujikawa Kumazô
Career:
1730~1752: he starts to do his training at an early age, performing in minor theaters under the name of Fujikawa Hachitarô I.
19th day of the 6th lunar month of 1734: his grandfather Bandô Matakurô II dies.
11th lunar month of 1752: he makes his first appearance on ôshibai stage, taking the name of Fujikawa Hachizô I and playing as a katakiyaku at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Nagoya Ori Hinatsuru no Nishiki", which is produced by Mimasu Daigorô I.
Fall 1757: Hachizô goes with his father to Kyôto.
11th lunar month of 1757: Hachizô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai in Sakurato Bunsaku's kaomise drama "Tsunomoji Keman no Yurai".
1st lunar month of 1758: first Kabuki adaptation of the 5 acts puppet theater drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki", which is simultaneously produced at the Minamigawa no Shibai [casting] and the Kitagawa no Shibai [casting]; Hachizô plays in the latter theater the role of Matsunaga Daizen.
6th lunar month of 1761: Hachizô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Issun Tokubei in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; the roles of Danshichi Kurobei and Tsuribune Sabu are played by his father Fujikawa Heikurô and Yamamoto Kyôshirô I. He has to replace his father, who has fallen ill.
4th day of the 7th lunar month of 1761: his father Fujikawa Heikurô dies.
4th lunar month of 1762: first Kabuki adaptation of the 5-act puppet theater drama "Gosho Zakura Horikawa no Youchi", which is staged at the Naka no Shibai; Hachizô plays the roles of Genhachibei Hirotsuna, Jijû Tarô Morikuni and Iso no Tôyata [casting].
12th lunar month of 1762: Hachizô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of the sumô wrestler Hanaregoma Chôkichi in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki"; the role of Nuregami Chôgorô is played by Nakayama Bunshichi I.
7th lunar month of 1763: Hachizô plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Takebe Genzô and Sukune Tarô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", which is produced by Nakayama Bunshichi I; his stage partners are Nakayama Bunshichi I (Matsuômaru, Terukuni), Nakayama Shinkurô I (Kakuju, Shihei), Arashi Hinasuke I (Haru), Anegawa Daikichi (Tonami, Yae), Asao Tamejûrô I (Hyôei, Shundô Genba), Nakayama Raisuke I (Umeômaru), Bandô Toyosaburô I (Shiratayû), Ichinokawa Hikoshirô II (Sakuramaru), Yoshizawa Sakinosuke II (Chiyo, Tatsuta) and Nakamura Kichiemon I (Kan Shôjô).
9th lunar month of 1764: première in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai of of "Oriawase Tsuzure no Nishiki", based on the puppet drama "Katakiuchi Tsuzure no Nishiki", which is produced by Nakayama Bunshichi I and celebrates the 16th anniversary (17th memorial service) of the passing away of the star Anegawa Shinshirô I. A similar play is staged one day later under a different title, "Hare Kosode Tsuzure no Nishiki", at the Naka no Shibai [casting]. The competition for the best performance and the best line-up is open between the 2 theaters. The performance at the Kado no Shibai is more successful than the one at the Naka no Shibai; Hachizô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Sahei [casting].
12th lunar month of 1766: Hachizô plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Matsuemon and Higuchi no Jirô Kanemitsu in the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki", which is produced by Arashi Hinasuke I; his stage partners are Arashi Hinasuke I (Umegae), Ichinokawa Hikoshirô II (Kajiwara Genta Kagesue), Nakayama Shinkurô I (Gonshirô), Arashi Koroku I (Enju), Yoshizawa Ayame III (Oyoshi, Tomoe), Nakayama Raisuke I (Shigetada) and Arashi Shichigorô II (Kajiwara Heiji Kagetaka).
7th lunar month of 1767: Hachizô plays the role of Danshichi Kurobei in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami", which is staged at the Kado no Shibai to commemorate the 6th anniversary (7th memorial service) of the passing away of Fujikawa Heikurô [casting]; the roles of Issun Tokubei and Tsuribune Sabu are played by Nakayama Raisuke I and Ichinokawa Hikoshirô II.
12th lunar month of 1768: Hachizô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of the sumô wrestler Hanaregoma Chôkichi in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki"; the role of Nuregami Chôgorô is played by Arashi Hinasuke I.
5th lunar month of 1770: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Hanji's gidayû kyôgen "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata", which is staged in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai; Hachizô plays the role of Wada no Hyôe Hidemori [casting].
6th lunar month of 1770: Hachizô achieves a great success at the Naka no Shibai by playing the role of the sumô wrestler Ikazuchi Tomiemon in the drama "Isagiyoshi Sumô Bangumi".
4th lunar month of 1773: Hachizô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Danshichi Kurobei in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; the roles of Issun Tokubei and Tsuribune Sabu are played by Arashi Kichisaburô I and Nakamura Utaemon I.
1st lunar month of 1774: Hachizô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).
4th lunar month of 1775: premiere in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai of Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Hade Kurabe Ise Monogatari"; Hachizô plays the role of Kujaku Saburô [more details].
12th lunar month of 1775: Hachizô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of the sumô wrestler Hanaregoma Chôkichi in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki"; the role of Nuregami Chôgorô is played by Nakayama Bunshichi I.
2nd lunar month of 1776: Hachizô appears on stage for the last time, at the Kado no Shibai, where he plays in the drama "Gunjutsu Deguchi no Yanagi". He suddenly falls ill and has to retire, being replaced by his adopted son Fujikawa Ryûzô.
29th day of the 12th lunar month of 1777: Hachizô dies in Ôsaka.
Comments:
Fujikawa Hachizô I was a popular tachiyaku actor, who made a successful career in Ôsaka from the Hôreki to the An'ei eras. At ease in either sewamono or jidaimono, he excelled in otokodate or sumôtori roles. His most notable role was the sumô wrestler Hanaregoma Chôkichi in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki".
The actors Yoshizawa Ayame III and Fujikawa Hachizô I playing the roles of Chôjirô's wife and Shio no Chôjirô in the drama "Ôsaka Nikki Shio no Chôjirô", which was staged in the 8th lunar month of 1767 at the Kado no Shibai
The Fujikawa Happo line of actors
The Fujikawa Hachizô line of actors