Stage names:
Ichikawa Sadanji I
Ichikawa Masuwaka
Ichikawa Koyone I
Ichikawa Tatsuzô
Other name: Ichikawa Shôchô I
Guild: Takashimaya
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Poetry name: Shôchô (1)
Existence: 28th day of the 10th lunar month of 1842 ~ 7 August 1904
Connections:
Adoptive father: Ichikawa Kodanji IV
Brothers: Nakamura Jusaburô III, Ichikawa Arajirô I
Son: Ichikawa Sadanji II
Son-in-law: Ichikawa Shôchô II
Career:
1842: born in Ôsaka. His father Nakamura Seikichi is a theater hair-dresser.
1848: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Kado no Shibai, where he receives the name of Ichikawa Tatsuzô.
1851: he becomes disciple of the actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV, who gives him the name of Ichikawa Koyone I.
1862: Ichikawa Koyone I takes the name of Ichikawa Masuwaka.
1864: he is adopted by Ichikawa Kodanji IV, who gives him the name of Ichikawa Sadanji I. The two actors go together to Edo.
1865: his adoptive father Ichikawa Kodanji IV dies.
3rd lunar month of 1870: premiere at the Moritaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Keian Taiheiki". The leading role of Marubashi Chûya is played by Sadanji.
10th lunar month of 1872: Sadanji takes part in the opening ceremony of the Shintomiza.
16 July 1879: Sadanji takes 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"; Sadanji plays the role of Kaneko Ichinojô [casting].
May 1881: premiere at the Saruwakaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Ôsakazuki Shusen no Tsuwamono"; Sadanji plays the role of Hara Saisuke, in reality Baba Saburobei [casting].
June 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's dance-drama "Tsuchi Gumo"; Sadanji plays the role of Hirai Yasumasa [casting].
November 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's zangirimono drama "Shima Chidori Tsuki no Shiranami"; Sadanji plays the role of Matsushima Senta [casting].
June 1882: premiere at the Saruwakaza of Kawatake Mokuami's Nagauta-based matsubamemono "Imayô Mochizuki" (commonly called "Mochizuki"); Sadanji plays the role of Mochizuki Saemon Akinaga [casting].
January 1883: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Medeshi Yanagi Midori no Matsumae"; Sadanji plays the role of Yagyû Tajima-no-Kami [casting].
April 1883: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's Nagauta-based matsubamemono "Ibaraki"; Sadanji plays the role of Watanabe Genji Tsuna [casting].
February 1885: Sadanji takes part in the opening ceremony of the Chitoseza [more details]. Premiere at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Suitengû Megumi no Fukagawa"; Sadanji plays the roles of Ogiwara Ryôsaku and the rickshaw Sangorô [casting].
November 1885: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's Nagauta-based matsubamemono "Funa Benkei"; Sadanji plays the role of Benkei [casting].
26 April 1887: the emperor views Kabuki for the first time at the residence of Inoue Kaoru, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The casting includes the three leading stars Sadanji, Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Onoe Kikugorô V.
October 1887: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's matsubamemono "Momijigari"; Sadanji plays the role of Taira no Koremochi [casting].
May 1888: première at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's drama "Kagotsurube Sato no Eizame"; Sadanji plays the role of Sano Jirôzaemon [casting].
October 1890: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kawatake Mokuami's Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Modoribashi"; Sadanji plays the role of Watanabe Genji Tsuna [casting].
November 1892: Sadanji becomes the zagashira of the Ichimuraza, which is rebuilt in the district of Shitaya.
November 1893: opening ceremony of the Meijiza, rebuilt and managed by Sadanji [more details].
October 1898: premiere at the Meijiza of the dance-drama "Sannin Katawa"; Sadanji plays the role of the crawling cripple [casting].
May 1904: Sadanji appears on stage for the last time, at the Meijiza, where he plays the role of the fisherman Yatôta in Matsui Shôô's drama "Tekikoku Kôfuku".
Comments:
Ichikawa Sadanji I belonged to the triumvirat of stars who dominated the Kabuki world during the Meiji era (the two others were Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Onoe Kikugorô V). He was the leading actor of many shinkabuki dramas and worked on scripts written by authors who did not belong to the Kabuki world, like Matsui Shôô, or adapted contemporary popular novels, like Kôda Rohan's "Hige Otoko". His two most successful roles were Marubashi Chûya and Baba Saburobei in "Keian Taiheiki" and "Ôsakazuki".
"At first he was a poor actor, and gave no sign of a promising career. Mokuami, the playwright, assisted him greatly by providing him with new plays and furnishing him with advice, and so great was his advancement that he was able to hold his own with Danjûrô and Kikugorô" (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")
The actor Ichikawa Sadanji I playing the role of Sakuzô in the drama "Sato no Haregi Momiji no Uchikake", which was staged in April 1901 at the Meijiza (print made by Kôchôrô Hôsai)
Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1874
Print made by Yôshû Chikanobu in 1881
Print made by Morikawa Chikashige in 1882
Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1883
Print made by Kôchôrô Hôsai in 1900
Print made by Kôchôrô Hôsai in 1901
The Ichikawa Sadanji line of actors