Real name: Kondô Gen

Guild: Omodakaya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Birthday: 29 November 1970

Connections:

Master: Ichikawa En'ô II (Ichikawa Ennosuke III)

Career:

March 1988: he graduated from the Actors Training Center of the National Theatre (ninth graduation).

May 1988: he made his first appearance on stage at the Kabukiza, playing a minor role in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

July 1988: he became disciple of the actor Ichikawa Ennosuke III and received the name of Ichikawa Shun'en II.

March 1994: Shun'en became heyago of the star Ichikawa Ennosuke III.

January 1995: Shun'en took part in the 14th Kabuki performances at the Asakusa Kôkaidô to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Shôchiku Company [more details].

December 2000: premiere at the Kabukiza of "Kaka Saiyûki", Ichikawa Ennosuke III's version of Kawatake Shinshichi III's 1878 drama "Tsûzoku Saiyûki" (Kaka was the haimyô of Ichikawa Ennosuke III); Shun'en played the role of the queen's sister Fuyô, in reality the spirit of a giant spider [casting].

October 2003: revival at the National Theatre with the Omodakaya guild of Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Hade Kurabe Ise Monogatari"; Shun'en played the role of Yukihira's wife Minase Gozen [casting].

January 2008: revival at the Shinbashi Enbujô of "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura", which celebrated the 1070th anniversary of the Narita-san Temple, where the Deity Fudô Myôô is worshipped; Shun'en played the role of the page Hata no Hidetarô [casting].

October 2016: Shun'en appeared on a Kabuki stage for the last time, performing in "Hitori Tabi Gojûsan Tsugi" on tour all over Japan with the Omodakaya guild.

Comments:

Ichikawa Shun'en II was a young and promising onnagata of the Omodakaya guild. He joined the Shinpa troupe led by Mizutani Yaeko II and Namino Kuriko in January 2017 at the Mitsukoshi Gekijô. He took the name of Kawai Yukinojô and his yagô became Shiratoya. Why this name and this guild? Shiratoya was the guild name of Kawai Takeo, a great Shinpa onnagata actor. The choice of Yukinojô was related to the drama "Yukinojô Henge", the story of the fictious Kabuki actor Nakamura Yukinojô. Kawai Yukinojô is now a Shinpa actor.