Stage names:
Ichikawa Monnosuke VI
Ichikawa Metora II
Ichikawa Fukunojô
Arashi Rinshi
Bandô Hidenosuke
Real name: Arakawa Seitarô
Guild: Takinoya
Line number: ROKUDAIME (VI)
Existence: 1862 ~ 20 August 1914
Connections:
Masters: Ichikawa Danjûrô IX, Ichikawa Udanji I, Bandô Kachô
Son: Ichikawa Sadanji III
Grandson: Ichikawa Sadanji IV
Great-grandson: Ichikawa Omezô VI
Great-great-grandson: Ichikawa Otora VII
Disciple: Ichikawa Teruzô II
Career:
1862: born in Matsue.
1867~1879: he starts his career at an early age, playing in his village's countryside Kabuki troupe. He is spotted by the travelling actor Bandô Kachô, becomes his disciple and receives the name of Bandô Hidenosuke. Later on, he takes the name of Arashi Rinshi.
1879: while on tour in the Ishikawa province, he has the chance to meet the star Ichikawa Udanji I and joins him. He settles in Ôsaka and plays under the name of Ichikawa Fukunojô.
May 1885: Fukunojô goes to Tôkyô with the Torikuma Shibai troupe; he plays at the Harukiza the role of Chiyo in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
1885 ~ 1888: Fukunojô is the tateonnagata at the Harukiza. He is spotted by the Edo star Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and becomes his disciple.
November 1888: Ichikawa Fukunojô takes the name of Ichikawa Metora II at the Ichimuraza, playing in the drama "Musashi no Yoroi Homare no Ôkubo".
March 1891: premiere at the Kabukiza of Fukuchi Ôchi's drama "Buyû no Homare Shusse Kagekiyo", a revised revival of Chikamatsu Monzaemon I's jidaimono "Shusse Kagekiyo"; Metora plays the roles of the daughter of the daigûji of the Atsuta Shrine, Kagekiyo's daughter Princess Hitomaru and Shigemori's sister Kochô [casting].
October 1897: premiere at the Meijiza of Fukuchi Ôchi's drama "Ômori Hikoshichi"; Metora plays the role of Princess Chihaya [casting].
May 1898: Metora plays at the Kotobukiza the role of Otoku in the drama "Domo Mata"; the role of Otoku's husband Matahei is played by Nakamura Tokizô I.
April 1899: Metora plays at the Kabukiza the role of Yoshitsune in the dance-drama "Kanjinchô"; the roles of Benkei and Togashi are played by Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Onoe Kikugorô V.
July 1901: Metora plays at the Engiza. the role of Shizuka Gozen in the michiyuki "Yoshinoyama"; the roles of Tadanobu and Hayami no Tôta are played by Sawamura Tosshô III and Sawamura Tosshi VII.
March 1903: premiere at the Kabukiza of the drama "Kichirei Soga no Ishizue", which is produced to celebrate the shûmei of Onoe Kikugorô VI, Onoe Baikô VI and Onoe Eizaburô VI; Metora plays the role of Kewaizaka no Shôshô [casting].
June 1904: Metora plays at the Tôkyôza the roles of Shizuka Gozen and Osato in the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
March 1906: Tsubouchi Shôyô's drama "Hototogisu Kojô no Rakugetsu" is produced for the first time in Tôkyô, at the Tôkyôza; Metora plays the roles of Omatsu and Tokiwagi [casting].
January 1909: Metora plays at the Meijiza the role of Shigenoi in the drama "Shigenoi Kowakare"; the role of Shigenoi's son Sankichi is played by Metora's son Ichikawa Otora IV.
June 1910: Ichikawa Metora II takes the name of Ichikawa Monnosuke VI.
1912: tour in Chûbu with Ichikawa Yaozô VII and Arashi Kichisaburô VI. Monnosuke plays the role of Otoku in the drama "Domo Mata", which is notably staged in February in Nagoya (Suehiroza) and in July in Hamamatsu (Kabukiza); the role of Otoku's husband Matahei is played by Ichikawa Yaozô VII.
April 1913: Monnosuke plays at the Tôkyôza the role of Shizuka Gozen in the "Shi-no-Kiri" scene of the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura"; the roles of Tadanobu, Minamoto Yoshitsune and Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan are played by Onoe Kikugorô VI, Ichimura Kamezô III and Kataoka Ichizô IV.
August 1914: Monnosuke appears on stage for the last time, at the Kabukiza, playing the role of Sôgorô's wife in the drama "Shin Sarayashiki Tsuki no Amagasa". He suddenly falls ill and dies.
Comments:
Ichikawa Monnosuke VI was a pure onnagata actor (jun'onnagata), excelling in the roles of merchant daughters or princesses. He was not born in the Kabuki world but he worked hard and succeeded in becoming a great actor, thanks to the support of Ichikawa Udanji I in Ôsaka or Ichikawa Danjûrô IX in Tôkyô.
Ichikawa Monnosuke VI playing the role of Kagaribi in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata", which was staged in November 1911 at the Kabukiza
Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1897
Print made by Kôchôrô Hôsai in 1903
The Ichikawa Metora line of actors
The Ichikawa Monnosuke line of actors