Stage names:

Ichimura Uzaemon VIII
Ichimura Takenojô IV

Guild: Kikuya

Line number: HACHIDAIME (VIII)

Poetry name: Kakô

Existence: 1698 ~ 7th day of the 5th lunar month of 1762 ^[1]

Connections:

Uncle: Ichimura Uzaemon V

Brothers: Ichimura Uzaemon VII, Ichimura Zensaburô, Ichimura Wakadayû II

Sons: Ichimura Uzaemon IX, Ichimura Zenzô, Bandô Hikosaburô III

Adopted son: Ichimura Taketarô

Grandson: Ichimura Uzaemon X

Disciples: Bandô Sanpachi I, Bandô Matatarô III, Bandô Matatarô IV, Bandô Kissaku (Azuma Tôzô II), Bandô Aizô

Career:

1698: born in Edo. His father Zenbê is the owner of the Tea House Kikuya at the Ichimuraza and his mother is the elder sister of the zamoto Ichimura Uzaemon V.

1703: he receives the name of Ichimura Takenojô IV and becomes the official zamoto of the Ichimuraza but the business is really managed by the wife of Ichimura Uzaemon V.

1st lunar month of 1705: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Ichimuraza, performing in the new year drama "Banzei Tamuramaru".

11th lunar month of 1707: Takenojô pleases the Ichimuraza audience with his performance in the roles of Tsuneyo and Tsunewakamaru in the play "Hachi no Ki Ôkagami".

11th lunar month of 1708: Takenojô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Yashichi in the kaomise drama "Shusse Taiheiki".

Summer 1709: Takenojô falls ill and goes to a temple to pray the God Fudô Myôô. According to some documents, Takenojô recovers quickly and decides to thank Fudô Myôô by including a scene in which the image of the God is revealed on stage in the play "Aigo no Waka", which is performed at Ichimuraza.

11th lunar month of 1710: Takenojô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Ôtô-no-Miya in the kaomise drama "Shusse Taiheiki", which celebrates the shûmei of Takii Hanshirô and welcomes in Edo the Kamigata actor Kirinami Takie.

18th day of the 12th lunar month of 1710: a fire breaks out in the somptuous palace of the daimyô Sanada, located in the district of Koyanagi-chô. It spreads and destroy both the Nakamuraza and the Ichimuraza.

3rd lunar month of 1711: Takenojô cofinances with Matsumoto Koshirô I the erection of a commemorative stone dedicated to the Soga brothers in the precinct of the Komagome Fuji Shrine.

11th lunar month of 1711: Takenojô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Kusunoki Masatsura and Katagiri Yashichi in the drama "Shusse Taiheiki".

23rd day of the 2nd lunar month of 1712: a fire breaks out in the district of Horie-Chô, spreading and destroying both the Nakamuraza and the Ichimuraza.

5th lunar month of 1717: Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Kokusen'ya Gassen" is produced simultaneously in the 3 Edo Kabuki theaters. This is the first Kabuki adaptation of a puppet theater play in Edo. It is staged at the Ichimuraza under the original title "Kokusen'ya Gassen" [casting].

11th lunar month of 1717: Takenojô produces at the Ichimuraza the kaomise drama "Kinkazan Yoroi Biraki".

11th lunar month of 1722: Takenojô plays the role of Kudô Saemon at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Hinazuru Katoku Soga".

11th lunar month of 1727: Takenojô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Takeda Kiyonobu in the drama "Goshozome Momiji Gunki".

5th lunar month of 1730: Takenojô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Hiranoya Tokubê in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Sonezaki Shinjû". His stage partner in the role of the courtesan Ohatsu is Sanogawa Mangiku.

1st lunar month of 1733: Takenojô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Zenjibô in the new year sogamono drama "Hanabusa Funjin Soga". He plays also the role of Sukeroku in "Sukeroku", which is staged as nibanme in this program. His stage partners in the roles of the shirozake seller Shinbê and Agemaki are Ichikawa Danjûrô II and Segawa Kikujirô I.

11th lunar month of 1733: Takenojô plays the role of Nitta Yoshisada in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Shôhon Taiheiki".

1st lunar month of 1734: Takenojô plays in the same theater the role of Kobayashi no Asahina in the new year sogamono drama "Nanakusa Nigiwai Soga". His stage partners in the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari are Ichikawa Danjûrô II and the Kamigata star Arashi San'emon III.

3rd lunar month of 1734: Takenojô, Ôtani Hiroji I, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Ichikawa Danjûrô II and Sakata Hangorô I perform in the same theater in the otokodate drama "Gonin Otoko" but the performance is not a success.

5th lunar month of 1734: Takenojô plays in the same theater the role of Minamoto no Yorimasa in the drama "Yatsumune Ayame Genji". His stage partners in the roles of Inoshishi no Hayata and Taira no Kiyomori are Ichikawa Danjûrô II and Ôtani Hiroji I.

11th lunar month of 1734: Takenojô plays in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Michinoku Yunzei Genji". He achieves a great success in duo with Segawa Kikunojô I in a wankyûmono.

1st lunar month of 1735: Takenojô plays in the same theater in the new year drama "Furiwakegami Hatsugai Soga".

11th lunar month of 1735: great shûmei at the Ichimuraza. Ichikawa Danjûrô II gives his name to his adopted son and takes the name of Ichikawa Ebizô II, playing in the kaomise drama "Kongen Nana Komachi". The actors Ichikawa Masugorô and Matsumoto Shichizô I respectively take the names of Ichikawa Danjûrô III and Matsumoto Kôshirô II. Takenojô plays the role of Narihira in this drama.

1st lunar month of 1736: the trio made up of Segawa Kikunojô I, Takenojô and Ichimura Manzô perform together at the Ichimuraza in "Sayo no Nakayama Asama-ga-Dake", the first Tokiwazu-based dance in Kabuki history.

4th lunar month of 1736: Takenojô takes part in the special program "Hobashira Taiheiki", which is staged at the Ichimuraza and commemorates the 32nd and 6th anniversaries of the death of Ichikawa Danjûrô I and Matsumoto Kôshirô I.

Summer 1736: Takenojô plays in the same theater the role of Oguri Hangan in the drama "Tôkaidô Yukumi Guruma", whose plot and characters belong to the "Oguri Hangan" world. His stage partners are Ôtani Hiroji I (the thief Mokuzu no Sanpei), Segawa Kikunojô I (Sanpei's wife), Segawa Kikujirô I (the courtesan Onikage), Ichikawa Ebizô II (Gotô Saemon) and Ichikawa Danjûrô III (Ike no Shôji).

9th lunar month of 1736: Takenojô plays in the same theater the role of Meao no Fudô ("blue eyes Fudô") in the drama "Yonin Fudô" ("The Four Deities Fudô"). His stage partners in the roles of Mejiro no Fudô ("white eyes Fudô"), Meaka no Fudô ("red eyes Fudô") and Meguro no Fudô ("black eyes Fudô") are Ichikawa Danjûrô III, Ôtani Hiroji I and Ichikawa Ebizô II.

11th lunar month of 1736: Takenojô plays the role of Eboshiya Daitarô in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Izu Genji Hôrai Yakata", which celebrates the arrival in Edo from Kyôto of the actor Tomizawa Montarô I and the shûmei of Tsuruya Nanboku II.

11th lunar month of 1737: the son of the Shôgun receives the name of Takechiyo and Takenojô is forced to change his first name, taking the name of Ichimura Uzaemon VIII during the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Genji Kumo Ôgi no Shiba". The new Uzaemon plays the role of Taira no Shigemori and his stage partners are Sawamura Sôjûrô I, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Kamakura Chôkurô II, Tomizawa Montarô I, Matsumoto Kôshirô II, Tamazawa Saijirô I and Tsuruya Nanboku II.

1st lunar month of 1738: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the new year sogamono drama "Ukematsuri Manbai Soga". This is a commercial failure.

11th lunar month of 1738: Ichikawa Ebizô II and Ichikawa Danjûrô III move to the Ichimuraza for the kaomise program "Mitsugibune Taiheiki", in which Uzaemon plays the role of Nitta Yoshisada.

1st lunar month of 1739: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the new year program "Hatsu Motoyui Kayoi Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Kudô Saemon Suketsune are played by Ichikawa Danjûrô III and Matsumoto Kôshirô II.

11th lunar month of 1739: Uzaemon plays the role of Kusunoki Masanari in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Tokiwagi Taiheiki".

2nd lunar month of 1740: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the play "Sugatami Sumidagawa", commonly called "Nanatsu Men" (Kabuki Jûhachiban), in which Uzaemon plays the roles of Yoshida no Shôshô and the priest Seigen (the role of Princess Sakura is played by Takinaka Utagawa). This performance is a triumphant success.

11th lunar month of 1740: Uzaemon plays the role of Imagawa Nakaaki in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Kichirei Imagawajô", which welcomes in Edo the Kamigata actor Matsushima Moheiji.

1st lunar month of 1741: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari [print] in the new year drama "Wakamidori Kaneiri Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune, Kudô Saemon Suketsune and the courtesan Ôiso no Tora (Jûrô's lover) are played by Tsuuchi Monzaburô I, Matsumoto Kôshirô II and Segawa Kikujirô I.

3rd lunar month of 1741: Uzaemon, in duo with Segawa Kikujirô I, achieves a great success in the same theater in a "Musume Dôjôji" dance.

6th lunar month of 1741: Uzaemon plays in the same theater in the drama "Katakiuchi Mitsugumi Sakazuki".

7th lunar month of 1741: Uzaemon plays in the same theater in the drama "Yotsume Yui Katoku Sadame".

11th lunar month of 1741: Uzaemon plays in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Sugatae Onna Narihira".

1st lunar month of 1742: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the new year sogamono drama "Fuji Miru Sato Sakae Soga".

7th lunar month of 1742: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Katagiri Yashichi in the drama "Hitokanade Fûryû Taiheiki".

11th lunar month of 1742: Uzaemon plays in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Furisode Shinoda no Zuma", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of the actor Onoe Kikugorô I.

1st lunar month of 1743: Uzaemon's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, sôkanjiku section ("all kanjiku"), is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent). Uzaemon plays the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the new year drama "Haru no Akebono Kuruwa Soga". The role of the courtesan Ôiso no Tora (Jûrô's lover) is played by Tamazawa Saijirô I. Uzaemon plays also in February the role of the warrior Taira no Kagekiyo in the second part (nibanme) of this program. The role of Akoya (Kagekiyo's lover) is played by Onoe Kikugorô I.

11th lunar month of 1743: Uzaemon plays the role of Hata Rokurôzaemon in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Ishizue Taiheiki", which celebrates the return in Edo of Segawa Kikujirô I.

1st lunar month of 1744: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Oniô Shinzaemon (Jûrô's retainer) and Benchô in the new year drama "Nanakusa Wakayagi Soga". The role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari is played by Ichimura Manzô.

7th lunar month of 1744: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Kasane in the drama "Kaibyaku Imagawajô". The role of Yoemon is played by Ichiyama Dengorô.

11th lunar month of 1744: Uzaemon plays the role of Tadanobu in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Tono Zukuri Genji Jûnidan", which celebrates the return in Edo of Sawamura Sôjûrô I.

1st lunar month of 1745: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Soga Jûrô Sukenari and Kobayashi no Asahina in the new year drama "Hatsu Goyomi Kotobuki Soga". The roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Kudô Saemon Suketsune are played by Ichimura Manzô and Nakajima Mihoemon I.

2nd lunar month of 1745: the new son of the Shôgun receives a name phonetically very close to Uzaemon's son Manzô, who is forced to change his first name, taking the name of Ichimura Kamezô I.

5th lunar month of 1745: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Kyô no Jirô, Kobayashi no Asahina and Saikyô in the drama "Sato Gayoi Fujimi Saikyô".

11th lunar month of 1745: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of the ghost of Kusunoki in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Onna Kusunoki Yosooi Kagami", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of the Kamigata onnagata Yoshizawa Ayame II.

1st lunar month of 1746: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Kyô no Jirô in the new year drama "Kikeba Mukashi Soga Monogatari".

11th lunar month of 1746: Uzaemon plays the role of Soga no Tarô in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Aioi Izu Nikki", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of the Kamigata actors Yamamoto Kyôshirô I and Iwai Hanshirô III.

4th lunar month of 1747: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of the Tedai Tajimaya Seijûrô in the second part (nibanme) of the new year program "Tamakushige Yosooi Soga".

8th lunar month of 1747: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Seiroku, Gotô Saemon and Oguri Hangan in the drama "Mangetsu Oguri Yakata".

11th lunar month of 1747: Uzaemon plays in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Shusse Momijigari". His stage partners are Yamamoto Kyôshirô I, Arashi Koroku I, Bandô Hikosaburô I, Segawa Kikujirô I, Matsumoto Kôshirô II, Sanogawa Ichimatsu I, Ichimura Kamezô I and Ôtani Oniji I

1st lunar month of 1748: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Bishamon in the new year drama "Mon-zukushi Nagoya Soga".

11th lunar month of 1748: Uzaemon produces at the Ichimuraza the kaomise drama "Hôkasô Yunzei Hachinoki", which celebrates the shûmei of Ôtani Hiroji II. Uzaemon changes the ideogram for "U" in his first name, replacing the one meaning "home" by the one meaning "feather":

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

1st lunar month of 1749: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Sasaki Genzô in the new year drama "Hatsutora Kurama Genji".

5th lunar month of 1749: the play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" is performed for the first time at the Ichimuraza. Uzaemon plays the roles of Senzaki Yagorô and Yoichibê's wife.

11th lunar month of 1749: Uzaemon plays the role of Minamoto no Yoritomo in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Yoritomo Gunbai Kagami", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of the actor Nakamura Kiyosaburô I. This performance is also the last one for the actor Bandô Hikosaburô I.

5th lunar month of 1750: Uzaemon performs in the same theater in 2 shosagoto written by the musician Edo Handayû II and called "Meisho no Nurigasa" and "Uwanari Ayame no Katsura".

10th lunar month of 1750: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Hosokawa Katsumoto in the drama "Tera Momiji Tsuizen no Nishiki", which commemorates the 13th anniversary of his shûmei.

11th lunar month of 1750: Uzaemon plays the roles of Munekiyo and Katagiri Yashichi in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Gaijin Taiheiki", which celebrates the shûmei of Bandô Sanpachi I.

11th lunar month of 1751: Uzaemon plays the role of Yorimasa in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Kamimukae Nigiwai Genji", which celebrates the shûmei of Bandô Hikosaburô II and welcomes in Edo the Kamigata actor Arashi Shichigorô I.

1st lunar month of 1752: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Soga Brothers' mother Mankô and Morihisa in the new year program "Suzuriha Sugatami Soga".

7th lunar month of 1752: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Nagoya Sanzaburô in the drama "Hitokanade Taihei Nagoya".

1st lunar month of 1753: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Oniô Shinzaemon in the new year program "Haru Fukami Iroha Soga", which combines both the Soga Brothers and "Chûshingura" worlds.

7th lunar month of 1753: the play "Hirakana Seisuiki" is performed for the first time in Edo, at the Ichimuraza [casting]. Uzaemon plays the role of Enju.

11th lunar month of 1753: Uzaemon plays the role of Monogusa Tarô in the Ichimuraza kaomise drama "Kamuri Kurabe Yatsushi Kuronushi", which celebrates the arrival in Edo of the actor Kasaya Matakurô I.

4th lunar month of 1754: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of the ghost of Taira no Atsumori, the Buddhist priest Renshô and the deity Fudô Myôô in the drama "Waga Koromode Hachisu no Akebono".

11th lunar month of 1754: Uzaemon plays the role of the Shintô priest (Kannushi) Tomonari in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Keisei Asakusa no Kane".

1st lunar month of 1755: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of the ghost of Tamae Gozen and Kyô no Jirô in the new year drama "Kodakara Aigo Soga".

8th lunar month of 1755: Uzaemon plays in the same theater in the dramas "Kan Shôjô Momiji no Shitone" and "Semimaru Miyako no Ohana".

11th lunar month of 1755: Uzaemon produces and plays in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Kashiwagatôge Kichirei Sumô".

11th lunar month of 1756: Uzaemon produces and plays in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Kaeribana Kon'ô Zakura". He also produces the dance "Momo Chidori Musume Dôjôji" for the shûmei of Segawa Kikunojô II.

2nd lunar month of 1757: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the role of Kudô Saemon Suketsune in the new year program "Some Tazuna Hatsuuma Soga".

3rd lunar month of 1757: the Kamigata actor Nakamura Utaemon I arrives at the Ichimuraza.

11th lunar month of 1757: Uzaemon produces and plays in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Matsuhata Suma no Wakezato". The line-up is made up of Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Nakamura Utaemon I, Segawa Kikunojô II, Sawamura Sôjûrô II, Nakamura Shichisaburô II, Sanogawa Ichimatsu I, Nakamura Sukegorô I and Bandô Hikosaburô II.

1st lunar month of 1758: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Yoshimori and Taira no Kagekiyo in the new year program "Kujûsanki Ôyose Soga".

11th lunar month of 1758: Uzaemon produces and plays the role of Tokiyori in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Kaomise Sajikigadake". His son Ichimura Kamezô I plays the leading role of the bombastic short play "Ya-no-Ne".

1st lunar month of 1759: Uzaemon plays in the same theater the roles of Oniô Shinzaemon and Taira no Kagekiyo in the new year program "Hatachiyama Hôrai Soga". The role of Kagekiyo's wife Akoya is played by Nakamura Tomijûrô I.

11th lunar month of 1759: Uzaemon produces and plays the role of Imagawa Ryôshun in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Okunizome Shusse Butai". The line-up is made up of Ichikawa Danjûrô IV, Onoe Kikugorô I, Bandô Sanpachi I, Nakamura Utaemon I, Sanogawa Ichimatsu I, Bandô Hikosaburô II, Ichimura Kamezô I and Matsumoto Kôshirô III.

2nd lunar month of 1760: a fire breaks out in the district of Kanda and spreads to Sûzaki in Fukagawa. It destroys both the Ichimuraza and the Nakamuraza. It is called "Akashiya no Kaji" (The Akashiya fire), based on the name of the shop where it started. Uzaemon has to take care the rebuilding of the theater.

3rd lunar month of 1760: Uzaemon plays in the rebuilded Ichimuraza the roles of Oniô Shinzaemon, Soga Brothers' mother Mankô and the ghost of Shôki in the drama "Soga Mannen Bashira", which includes the bombastic play "Kaneiri Gedatsu no Koromo" (commonly called "Gedatsu", a scene belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban collection).

11th lunar month of 1760: Uzaemon produces and plays a ghost role in the Ichimuraza kaomise program "Ume Momiji Date no Ôkido".

8th lunar month of 1761: Uzaemon appears on stage for the last time, at the Ichimuraza, playing a Buddhist priest role in the drama "Asama-ga-Dake".

17th day of the 9th lunar month of 1761: a fire breaks out in the Gekiza theater and destroys the Ichimuraza. Uzaemon has to supervise the rebuilding of the theater.

7th day of the 5th lunar month of 1762 ^[1]: Uzaemon dies in Edo. His tombstone is located in the cemetery of the Daiunji Temple.

Comments:

Ichimura Uzaemon VIII started his career as wakashugata, moved to wakaonnagata roles then became a talented tachiyaku. His 2 fields of excellence were jitsugotoshi and katakiyaku roles. He spent 55 years acting on stage but it is worth noting that he was also for 60 years the successful zamoto of the Ichimuraza.

[1] The 7th day of the 5th lunar month of the 12th year of the Hôreki era was the 28th of June 1762 in the western calendar.

Ichimura Uzaemon VIII playing the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the drama "Wakamidori Kaneiri Soga", which was performed at the Ichimuraza in the 1st lunar month of 1741 (print made by Torii Kiyomasu II)

Print made by Nishimura Shigenaga

Print made by Okumura Toshinobu

Print made by Torii Kiyonobu in 1725

Print made by Torii Kiyomasu in 1741

The Ichimura Takenojô line of actors

The Ichimura Uzaemon line of actors and theater managers