Stage names:

Ichikawa Ichizô III
Onoe Ichizô

Other name:

Ichikawa Chôshô

Guild: Harimaya

Line number: SANDAIME (III)

Poetry name: Chôshô

Existence: 1833 ~ 2nd day of the 3rd lunar month of 1865 ^[1]

Connection:

Grandfather: Ichikawa Ebijûrô I

Father: Onoe Tamizô II

Elder brother: Onoe Shôkaku I

Disciples: Ichikawa Ichimaru, Ichikawa Ichijirô

Career:

1837: first stage appearance with his brother in miyaji shibai in Ôsaka.

Winter 1857: Ichizô and his brother Onoe Waichi II went together to Edo.

2nd lunar month of 1857: Ichizô played at the Moritaza the role of Tenjiku Tokubê in the drama "Irifune Soga Nihon no Torikaji". One day, a samurai who was watching the play and was so caught up in the actions on stage, suddenly drew his sword and jumped on the stage to strike Ichizô. Several theater staff were killed when they tried to stop the samurai and Ichizô was injured. It was a light injury as he was able to perform the following day. Thanks to this unexpected samurai brawl, the play was a huge success.

1st lunar month of 1860: the 1762 puppet drama "Kishi no Himematsu Kutsuwa Kagami" (commonly called "Kishi Hime") was adapted for the first time to Kabuki, in Edo at the Moritaza; it was integrated within the new year sogamono drama "Momo Chidori Nigiwai Soga" and Ichizô played the role of Asaina Saburô Yoshihide [casting].

1st lunar month of 1861: Ichizô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

5th lunar month of 1861: premiere at the Moritaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Ryû to Mimasu Takane no Kumokiri"; Ichizô played the roles of Hiroshima Kurando Masanobu, the tôzoku Inga Kozô Rokunosuke, the anmatori Tennan and Furugôri Shinzaburô [casting].

8th lunar month of 1861: premiere at the Moritaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Sakura Sôshi Gonichi no Bundan", a revised version of Segawa Jokô III's drama "Higashiyama Sakura Sôshi"; Ichizô played the roles of Yamanaka Shikanosuke and Hozumi Shinjûrô [casting].

10th lunar month of 1861: premiere at the Moritaza of Segawa Jokô III's drama "Zôho Futatsu Domoe"; Ichizô played the roles of Mashiba Hisayoshi and Iwaki Tômanojô [casting].

5th lunar month of 1862: premiere at the Moritaza of the drama "Shinpan Ukina no Yomiuri"; Ichizô played the role of Yamagaya Seibê [more details].

8th lunar month of 1862: premiere at the Moritaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Kanzen Chôaku Nozoki Garakuri"; Ichizô played the role of Kaisaka no Chûzô [casting].

1st lunar month of 1863: Ichizô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was (shiro)itaru-jô-jô-kichi ((white) unique - superior - superior - excellent) [Visual].

Summer 1864: Ichizô went back to Ôsaka.

8th lunar month of 1864: Ichizô played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Gonpachi in the drama "Keisei Sato no Inazuma".

1st lunar month of 1865: Ichizô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

2nd day of the 3rd lunar month of 1865 ^[1]: Ichizô died in Ôsaka ^[2].

Comments:

Ichikawa Ichizô III was a promising 19th century tachiyaku actor. This tall actor was able to perform a wide range of roles, not only as a tachiyaku, but also as a katakiyaku or an onnagata. His field of excellence was jitsugoto. He unfortunately died too young, at the beginning of his 30s; if he had lived longer, he most likely would have taken the name of Ichikawa Ebijûrô, to honor the memory of his grandfather.

[1] The 2nd day of the 3rd lunar month of the 2nd year of the Genji era was the 28th of March 1865 in the western calendar.

[2] His tombstone was located in the cemetery of the Chikurinji Temple in the district of Sennichi.

Ichikawa Ichizô III playing the role of the yakko Takobei in the drama "Mata Meguri Kuruwa no Irodako", which was staged in the 1st lunar month of 1862 at the Moritaza (print made by Utagawa Toyokuni III)

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1859

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1862

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1863

The Ichikawa Ichizô line of actors