Stage names:

Ichikawa Sumizô V
Ichikawa Sumizô
Okuda Tomisaburô
Bandô Kanesaburô

Real name: Ôta Kanesaburô

Guild: Masudaya

Line number: GODAIME (V)

Poetry name: Toshô

Existence: 1845 ~ 7 May 1906

Connections:

Master: Ichikawa Danjûrô IX

Son: Ichikawa Dankurô II

Grandson: Ichikawa Sumizô VII

Adopted son: Ichikawa Jukai III

Disciples: Ichikawa Yonezaemon, Ichikawa Hakotora II

Career:

1845: born in Edo in the district of Ushigome. His father is a firefighter named Chôzô. He starts at an early age to learn traditional dance with Bandô Kayû, who gives him the name of Bandô Kanesaburô.

1855: Kanesaburô becomes Kabuki actor at the age of 10 when he joins the troupe led by Ichikawa Omezô III and Arashi Kichisaburô III, touring in the Shizuoka province.

1856~1870: Kanesaburô becomes zagashira of a troupe of young actors performing in the district of Higashi-Ryôgoku Koriba. He is nicknamed Koriba no Gonnosuke (Koriba's Gonnosuke) because of his resemblance with the star Kawarazaki Gonnosuke VII.

July 1873: he joins the zamoto Okuda Toichirô, who has built his own theater, the Okudaza, in the district of Hongô Haruki-Chô. He performs under the name of Okuda Tomisaburô.

April 1878: he becomes disciple of Ichikawa Danjûrô IX, who gives him the name of Ichikawa Sumizô.

September 1878: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's drama "Tsûzoku Saiyûki"; Sumizô plays the role of Sagojô [casting].

November 1878: Ichikawa Sumizô takes the name of Ichikawa Sumizô V at the Ichimuraza, playing in the drama "Kibun Taishaku Kuruwa no Irifune". This is in fact a minor ideogram change, which allows him to join the Ichikawa Sumizô line of actors:

You need a Japanese Language Kit installed within your system in order to be able to read the characters

November 1884: tour in Kôfu.

November 1890: tour in Sendai.

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"; Sumizô plays the roles of the daigûji of the Atsuta Shrine, Kajiwara Heizô Kagetoki and a carpenter (in reality Satomi Yoshinari) [casting].

July 1893: tour in Kôfu.

September 1893: Sumizô plays at the Kabukiza 5 roles in the drama "Ôkubo Hikozaemon".

March 1897: opening of the Tôkyôza in Tôkyô in the district of Kanda Misaki-chô. Sumizô is its first zagashira.

October 1898: premiere at the Meijiza of the dance-drama "Sannin Katawa"; Sumizô plays the role of the daimyô [casting].

October 1903: his master Ichikawa Danjûrô IX dies.

May 1905: Sumizô plays at the Miyatoza the role of Matsunaga Daizen in the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki"; the roles of Princess Yuki and Konoshita Tôkichi are played by Sawamura Sônosuke I and Ichikawa Kigan IV.

February 1906: Sumizô appears on stage for the last time, at the Miyatoza. He suddenly falls ill and dies in May.

Comments:

Ichikawa Sumizô V was a talented supporting tachiyaku actor, performing in both koshibai and ôshibai, specialized in jitsugotoshi and wagotoshi roles. He took part in the katsureki experience led by his master Ichikawa Danjûrô IX. He became katakiyaku and oyajigata in his latter years.

Ichikawa Sumizô V playing the role of Akama Genzaemon in the drama "Yowa Nasaki Ukina no Yokogushi" (print made by Toyohara Kunichika 1885)

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1882

Print made by Yôshû Chikanobu in 1883

The Ichikawa Sumizô line of actors