Stage names:

Ichikawa Sai'nyû
Ichikawa Udanji I
Ichikawa Fukutarô I

Real name: Ichikawa Fukutarô

Guilds: Takashimaya, Tsuruya

Existence: 16th day of the 7th lunar month of 1843 ~ 18 March 1916

Connections:

Father: Ichikawa Kodanji IV

Brother: Ichikawa Kodanji V

Son: Ichikawa Udanji II

Grandson: Ichikawa Unosuke II

Great-grandson: Ichikawa Unosuke III

Career:

16th day of the 7th lunar month of 1843: born in Ôsaka in the Tsuruya chaya. His father is the actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV. His father spending most of his time in Edo instead of Ôsaka, he is expected to become a decchi instead of an actor but the call of the stage is too strong.

2nd lunar month of 1852: he makes his first stage appearance, in Ôsaka at the Wakadayû no Shibai, where he plays under the name of Ichikawa Fukutarô I the role of the taiko mochi Fukuhachi in the drama "Igagoe".

Spring 1862: Fukutarô and his mother are invited to Edo by Ichikawa Kodanji IV.

3rd lunar month of 1862: Fukutarô performs with his father at the Moritaza. His father and mother quarrel and have to separate. Fukutarô quickly goes back to Ôsaka with his mother.

8th lunar month of 1862: Ichikawa Fukutarô I takes the name of Ichikawa Udanji I in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai.

12th lunar month of 1862: Udanji plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Sambasô, Sonobe Saemon and Osome in "Sambasô", "Shin Usuyuki Monogatari" and "Some Moyô Imose no Kadomatsu".

1863: Udanji goes back to Ôsaka where he receives the support of Onoe Tamizô II and his son Ichikawa Ichizô III.

May 1874: Udanji plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of En'ya Hangan and Okaru in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

Summer 1881: Udanji founds his own troupe, the Udanji Ichiza, to go on tour in Ise and Toyohashi.

June 1882: premiere at the Saruwakaza of Kawatake Mokuami's Nagauta-based matsubamemono "Imayô Mochizuki" (commonly called "Mochizuki"); Udanji plays the role of Ozawa Gyôbu Tomofusa [casting].

January 1883: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Medeshi Yanagi Midori no Matsumae"; Udanji plays the role of Yagyû Matajûrô [casting].

December 1886: Udanji plays at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Satô Shirobyôei Tadanobu and the fox Genkurô in the "Shi-no-Kiri" scene of the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura". He also performs as a shamisen player during the "Sushiya" scene, in duo with Nakamura Ganjirô I as a singer.

August 1888: Udanji plays at the Kado Gekijô the role of Danshichi Kurobei in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; the roles of Issun Tokubei and Tsuribune Sabu are played by Nakamura Ganjirô I and Nakamura Sôjûrô.

October 1888: Udanji plays at the Naniwaza the roles of Kan Shôjô and Shundô Gemba in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

July 1891: Udanji plays in Kyôto at the Tokiwaza the role of Danshichi Kurobei in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; the roles of Issun Tokubei and Tsuribune Sabu are played by Jitsukawa Enzaburô IV and Arashi Kitsusaburô IV.

November 1891: Udanji plays at the Kado Gekijô the roles of Igami no Gonta, Shizuka Gozen and Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".

March 1907: Udanji plays at the Bentenza the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Hayano Kampei and Kakogawa Honzô in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

January 1909: Ichikawa Udanji I and his son Ichikawa Unosuke I respectively take the names of Ichikawa Sai'nyû and Ichikawa Udanji II at the Kadoza.

1915: Sai'nyû decides to retire. He celebrates it by playing at the Kabukiza the leading role of the dance "Ayatsuri Sambasô". "Sai'nyû, one of Ôsaka's fine old actors, came to say farewell to Tôkyô but a short time before his death. The ceremony of retirement was most appropriate. The stage was prepared for a comic dance, and while various performers were attracting the attention of the audience, a large box, such as is used to contain a toy or doll, was carried in and remained to one side while the merriment proceeded. Finally, when curiosity with regard to the box had increased considerably, property men lifted the mysterious object and placed it in the front of the stage, removed the side nearest the audience, and within was disclosed the venerable actor as a marionette. In the many-coloured garments of Sambasô, the humoresque figure of the Nô stage, and manifestation of an ancient Shintô deity, whose semi-religious dance was performed at dawn with the opening of the theatre, he was brought forth limp and lifeless. Stage attendants attached imaginary wires to his arms and head, and he performed this characteristic dance after the fashion of the dolls. Finally, real wires were attached to his costume and he rose into the air, still making marionette motions with his arms and legs, and disappeared into the regions above stage,--a feat for an actor over seventy years of age." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")

18 March 1916: Sai'nyû dies.

Comments:

Ichikawa Sai'nyû was one of the stage giants in Kamigata during the Meiji era, along with Nakamura Sôjûrô and Jitsukawa Enjaku I (sôen'u). He was able to perform almost any kind of role as a tachiyaku, onnagata, katakiyaku or fukeyaku (in his latter years). He was an outstanding dancer and was equally at home in sewamono, jidaimono or new productions. Just like his father Ichikawa Kodanji IV, he also fond of keren like chûnori or honmizu. His most famous stage trick was a special chûnori for the robber Ishikawa Goemon: a wicker basket (tsuzura) comes into sight, flying in the air without anybody carrying it. It comes to a halt above the hanamichi and Goemon suddenly emerges from it. He places the basket on his shoulder and triumphantly flies off through the air, scornfully laughing at the powerless soldiers who can't stop his escape.

Ichikawa Sai'nyû performing the role of Sambasô in the eponymous dance

Print made by Morikawa Chikashige in 1882

Print made by Yôshû Chikanobu in 1883

The Ichikawa Udanji line of actors