Stage name:

Bandô Kichiya II

Real name: Honma Toshio

Guild: Yamatoya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Existence: 21 June 1937 ~ 23 April 2004

Connections:

Great-grandfather: Morita Kan'ya XII

Grandfather: Morita Kan'ya XIII

Father: Bandô Kôtarô

Master: Bandô Mitsugorô VIII

Brother: Bandô Yajûrô

Grandson: Bandô Kokichi

Career:

August 1952: he became disciple of Bandô Minosuke VI and made his first appearance on stage in Kyôto at the Minamiza, where he received the name of Bandô Kichiya II.

March 1958: Kichiya took part in the final Kabuki performance at the Ôsaka Kabukiza [more details].

1960: Kichiya joined the world of movies, signing a contract with the famous company Tôei.

September 1962: Kichiya was back in the Kabuki world.

May 1965: shûmei at the Kabukiza for 3 young actors of the Otowaya guild; Onoe Ushinosuke V, Onoe Sakon I and Bandô Kamesaburô IV respectively took the names of Onoe Kikunosuke IV, Onoe Tatsunosuke I, and Bandô Shinsui VIII. The program also commemorated the 16th anniversary (17th memorial service) of the passing away of Onoe Kikugorô VI. Revival in the same theater of the danmari "Otowa-ga-Dake Danmari"; Kichiya played the role of the yakko Tsumahei [more details].

February 1967: premiere at the Kabukiza of Hagiwara Yukio's dance-drama "Dattan"; Kichiya played the role of a rengyôshû [casting].

1969: Kichiya became nadai.

February 1975: premiere at the Kabukiza of Ikenami Shôtarô's drama "Debauchi Otama"; Kichiya played the role of Mitsui Heinosuke [more details].

May~June 1994: first edition of the Cocoon Kabuki, which was staged at the Shibuya Bunkamura Theatre Cocoon. It recreated the atmosphere of the Edo koshibai and brought the actors closer to the audience. The play "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan" was coproduced by Nakamura Kankurô V and the playwright Kushida Kazuyoshi; Kichiya played the role of Takuetsu [more details].

August 1996: revival at the Kabukiza of Hôjô Hideji's drama "Korikori Banashi"; Kichiya played the role of Jinbei [more details].

August~September 1996: second edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; Kichiya played the role of Tsuribune Sabu [more details].

June 2000: revival at the Kabukiza of the spectacular hengemono "Ôtsue Dôjôji"; Kichiya played the role of Benkei [more details].

March 2004: Kichiya played for the last time the role of Yazaemon in the "Sushiya" scene of the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura", which was staged at the Kabukiza.

April 2004: Kichiya was supposed to play at the Shôchikuza the roles of Magoemon and Kôchiya Tokubê in the dramas "Shinjû Ten no Amajima" and "Onna Goroshi Abura no Jigoku" but he suddenly died the 23rd of April.

Comments:

Bandô Kichiya II, a tachiyaku and oyajigata actor, was not born in the Kamigata but he spent there many years, trained by his master Bandô Minosuke VI. Therefore, many of his best roles belonged to the Kamigata Kabuki: Kuheiji ("Sonezaki Shinjû"), Gozaemon ("Shinjû Ten no Amajima"), Tsuribune Sabu ("Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"), Magoemon ("Ninokuchi-mura") and Gihei ("Obiya"). He was also a frequent performer of the role of Yazaemon in the "Sushiya" scene of the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

The Bandô Kichiya line of actors