Real name: Ichikawa Hitoshi
Guild: Takashimaya
Line number: SANDAIME (III)
Birthday: 1 October 1947
Connections:
Great-great-grandfather: Ichikawa Kodanji IV
Great-grandfather: Ichikawa Sai'nyû (Ichikawa Udanji I)
Grandfather: Ichikawa Udanji II
Father: Ichikawa Unosuke II
Masters: Ichikawa Danjûrô XII, Ichikawa Danjûrô XI, Ichikawa Jukai III
Career:
October 1955: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Ôsaka Kabukiza, receiving the name of Ichikawa Unosuke III and playing the role of Kotarô in the "Terakoya" scene of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
March 1958: Unosuke takes part in the final Kabuki performance at the Ôsaka Kabukiza [more details].
February 1973: Unosuke becomes disciple of the star Ichikawa Ebizô X.
Summer 1985: tour in the USA; Unosuke plays the role of Urabe Suetake in the dance-drama "Tsuchi Gumo", which celebrates the shûmei in the USA of Ichikawa Danjûrô XII [more details].
January 1997: tôshi kyôgen revival at the National Theatre of the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki"; Unosuke plays the role of Mitsumine Hachirô Tadakiyo [casting].
October 2004: tour in Paris (France); Unosuke plays at the Théâtre de Chaillot the roles of Ohana and a lady-in-waiting in the drama "Toribeyama Shinjû" and the dance "Kagami Jishi", which celebrates the shûmei in Paris of Ichikawa Ebizô XI [more details].
March 2007: tour in Paris (France); Unosuke plays at the Palais Garnier the roles of Kamei Rokurô and a retainer of Koremochi in the dance-dramas "Kanjinchô" and "Momijigari", which celebrate the Ichikawa clan [more details].
January 2008: revival at the Shimbashi Embujô of "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura", which celebrates the 1070th anniversary of the Naritasan temple, where the Deity Fudô Myôô is worshipped; Unosuke plays the role of the karô Hata no Mimbu and Hakuunbô (the Buddhist monk white cloud) [casting].
September 2009: short Kabuki tour in Monaco for the Naritaya guild; Unosuke plays the roles of Asukai and the bonze Hakuunbô in the dance-drama "Kagami Jishi" and the drama "Narukami" [more details].
June 2010: Kabuki tour in Western Europe, in London at the Sadler's Wells (4~15 June) and in Roma at the Teatro di Roma-Argentina (21~22 June); Unosuke plays the role of Kawatsura's wife Asuka [more details].
Comments:
Ichikawa Unosuke III started his career as an onnagata and a nimaime in the Kamigata, trained by the star Ichikawa Jukai III. Then he moved to Tôkyô and join the Ichikawa clan, switching to tachiyaku roles, like wakashugata, yakko or katakiyaku. Supporting actor, he's also the best stage assistant of Ichikawa Danjûrô in the bombastic aragoto plays.
The mon of Ichikawa Unosuke III