Stage names:

Ichikawa Kodanji V
Ichikawa Nedanji I

Real name: Suwara Kiyosuke

Guild: Takashimaya

Line number: GODAIME (V)

Poetry name: Beishô

Existence: 18th day of the 8th lunar month of 1850 ^[1] ~ 6 May 1922

Connections:

Father: Ichikawa Kodanji IV

Brother: Ichikawa Sai'nyû I

Son: Ichikawa Beishô II

Adopted son: Ichikawa Kobunji III

Grandson: Ichikawa Nedanji II

Disciple: Ichikawa Komanosuke

Career:

1850: born in Edo in the district of Saruwaka-chô in Asakusa.

8th day of the 5th lunar month of 1866 ^[2]: his father Ichikawa Kodanji IV died.

2nd lunar month of 1867: he made his first stage appearance at the Ichimuraza, where he received the name of Ichikawa Nedanji I and played 2 roles in the drama "Keisei Soga Kuruwa Kagami".

3rd lunar month of 1870: premiere at the Moritaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Kusunoki-ryû Hanami no Makuhari" (commonly called "Keian Taiheiki" or "Marubashi Chûya"); Nedanji played the roles of Takayasu Shigejirô and Takakichi (or Kôkichi?) [more details].

10th lunar month of 1872: premiere at the Moritaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's zangirimono "Tsuki no En Masu no Igaguri"; Nedanji played the role of Kômori no Yasuzô [casting].

June 1876: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Hototogisu Date no Kikigaki"; Nedanji played the roles of Kamura Tsuboki-no-Kami, Kurata Jingobei and Kondô Tatewaki [casting].

June 1878: Ichikawa Nedanji I took the name of Ichikawa Kodanji V at the Shintomiza, performing in the drama "Matsu no Sakae Chiyoda no Shintoku". Premiere at the Shintomiza of the 2-part dance-drama "Botan-ni Chô Ôgi no Irodori". The second part, "Suehiro no Shiroharigasa", has survived and became the Nagauta-based dance-drama "Genroku Hanami Odori"; Kodanji performed in this dance [more details].

October 1878: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Jitsugetsusei Kyôwa Seidan"; Kodanji played the roles of Hoshiemon's henchman Senta and Ôzakaya Senkichi [casting].

February 1879: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Ningen Banji Kane no Yo no Naka"; Kodanji played the role of Seizaemon's daughter Oshina [casting].

16 July 1879: Kodanji took part in the gala night at the Shintomiza in the honor of the General Ulysses S. Grant [more details].

March 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's masterpiece "Kumo ni Magou Ueno no Hatsuhana"; Kodanji played the roles of Kurayami no Ushimatsu and Miyazaki Kazuma [casting].

June 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's jidaimono "Youchi Soga Kariba no Akebono" [casting]; Kodanji played the role of Gosho no Goromaru Fuyuyasu. Premiere in the same theater of Kawatake Shinshichi II's dance-drama "Tsuchi-gumo", which was staged to commemorate the 32nd anniversary (33rd memorial service) of late Onoe Kikugorô III; Kodanji played the role of Watanabe Tsuna [casting].

August 1881: tour in Toyohashi; he met up with his brother Ichikawa Udanji I.

September 1881 ~ Spring 1883: Kodanji performed in Kamigata with his brother.

Spring 1883 ~ November 1883: Kodanji performed in Tôkyô in both the Harukiza and the Shintomiza.

December 1883: tour in Nagoya.

March 1884 ~ June 1885: Kodanji performed in Kamigata with his brother.

July 1885: Kodanji was back in Tôkyô and performed at the Shintomiza.

May 1888: première at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's drama "Kagotsurube Sato no Eizame"; Kodanji played the roles of Jiroku and Shigeyama Einojô [casting].

March 1890: premiere at the Kiriza of Takeshiba Kisui's drama "Kami no Megumi Wagô no Torikumi"; Kodanji played the role of tobi Utagawa-chô Chôjirô [more details].

July 1890: premiere at the Shintomiza of "Kiyomasa Seichûroku", a revised version of Kawatake Shinshichi III's 1875 drama "Minori no Aki Seishô Denki". It was part of a special 2-day gala program starring Ichikawa Danjûrô IX; Kodanji played the role of Ikeda Terumasa [more details].

November 1893: Kodanji took part in the opening ceremony of the Meijiza [more details].

October 1898: premiere at the Meijiza of Takeshiba Kisui's dance-drama "Sannin Katawa"; Kodanji played the role of the blind man [casting].

March 1899: premiere at the Meijiza of the drama "Kurotegumi Kuruwa no Tatehiki", which gathers the main scenes from the sukerokumono part of Kawatake Shinshichi II's 1858 drama "Edo Zakura Kiyomizu Seigen"; Kodanji played the roles of Ushiwaka Denji and Kinokuniya Bunzaemon [casting].

July 1905: Kodanji played at the Meijiza the role of Issun Tokubê and Mikawaya Giheiji in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; the roles of Danshichi Kurobê and Tsuribune Sabu were played by Ichikawa Enshô II and Ichikawa Arajirô I.

January 1914: revival at the Hongôza of the drama "Gedatsu" ^[3]; Kodanji played the role of Kajiwara Heizô Kagetoki [more details].

18 March 1916: his elder brother Ichikawa Sai'nyû I died.

15 November 1921: his son Ichikawa Beishô II died.

6 May 1922: Kodanji died.

Comments:

Ichikawa Kodanji V was a Meiji/Taishô actor, able to play both tachiyaku and onnagata roles. His forte were jitsugotoshi roles. Less brilliant than his amazing father Ichikawa Kodanji IV, he focused on classic dramas and was not involved in any of the reformist experiments which shook the Kabuki world.

[1] The 18th day of the 8th lunar month of the 3rd year of the Kaei era was the 23rd of September 1850 in the western calendar.

[2] The 8th day of the 5th lunar month of the 2nd year of the Keiô era was the 20th of June 1866 in the western calendar.

[3] A long-forgotten play belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban.

Ichikawa Kodanji V playing of the Chinese merchant Beishôju in the drama "Ori Hime Shusu Enishi no Iroito", which was staged in May 1894 at the Meijiza

Prints & Illustrations

The Ichikawa Nedanji line of actors

The Ichikawa Kodanji line of actors