Stage names:

Ichikawa Danzô IX
Ichikawa Ginnosuke I

Dance name: Kashiwagi Emon IV

Real name: Ichikawa Kazuo

Guild: Mikawaya

Line number: KUDAIME (IX)

Birthday: 29 May 1951

Connections:

Great-grandfather: Ichikawa Danzô VII

Grandfather: Ichikawa Danzô VIII

Father: Kashiwagi Emon III (dance master)

Adoptive father: Ichikawa Danzô VIII

Master: Onoe Shôroku II

Sons: Ichikawa Ginnosuke II, Ichikawa Momotarô V

Career:

May 1956: he made his first appearance on stage, at the Kabukiza, where he received the name of Ginnosuke I and played the role of Rokudai in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

January 1958: premiere at the Shinbashi Enbujô of the of the matsubamemono dance-drama "Tôzumô"; Ginnosuke played the role of a karako [more details].

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

February 1976: revival at the Kabukiza of a 5-act revised version of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Ginnosuke played the role of Okuyama Kinai [casting].

March 1977: revival at the National Theatre of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Shiranui Monogatari"; Ginnosuke played the roles of Ôtomo Iwatarô and the head of torite Horikoshi Ginzô [more details].

February 1978: premiere at the Kabukiza of Ikenami Shôtarô's drama "Aibiki no Onna"; Ginnosuke played the role of the tedai Seitarô [more details].

January 1980: revival at the National Theatre of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's kaomise drama "Modoribashi Sena-ni Gohiiki" [more details]; Ginnosuke played the role of Kumanoo Shinroku Kagemichi.

April 1981: Ginnosuke became nadai.

June 1981: Ginnosuke played at the National Theatre the role of Issun Tokubê in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; his stage partners were Onoe Tatsunosuke I (Danshichi Kurobê), Sawamura Sôjûrô IX (Otatsu) and Kawarasaki Gonjûrô III (Tsuribune Sabu).

January 1984: historic revival at the National Theatre of the play "Sankai Nagoya"; Ginnosuke played the role of Akechimaru [casting].

January 1985: revival at the National Theatre of the drama "Kan U" (belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban); Ginnosuke played the role of Hanzawa Rokurô, later the kagokaki Jirosaku [casting].

Summer 1985: tour in the USA; Ginnosuke played the role of Sakata Kintoki in the dance-drama "Tsuchi-gumo", which celebrated the shûmei in the USA of Ichikawa Danjûrô XII [more details].

May 1987: Ichikawa Ginnosuke l took the name of Ichikawa Danzô IX at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Akechi Mitsuhide and Senoo Tarô in the plays "Toki-ha Ima Kikyô no Hataage" and "Sanemori Monogatari".

December 1987: Danzô celebrated his shûmei in Kyôto at the Minamiza, playing the roles of Matsuômaru, Awaza Tarosuke and a bonze in the drama "Kurumabiki", the drama "Sanzen Ryô Kogane no Kurairi" and the dance "Kisen"; his stage partners in "Kurumabiki" were Kataoka Gatô (Shihei), Bandô Yasosuke V (Umeômaru) and Bandô Shûchô V (Sakuramaru).

October 1988: Kabuki tour in Egypt; Danzô played the roles of Senoo Tarô and Matsubê in the drama "Shunkan" and the dance "Bô Shibari".

October 1989: Danzô celebrated his shûmei in Nagoya at the Misonoza, playing the roles of Senoo Tarô and Kichigorô in the dramas "Sanemori Monogatari" and "Sakanaya Sôgorô".

March 1991: revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Gohei I's play "Sode Nikki Banshû Meguri"; Danzô played the role of Shikama Daigaku [more details].

1995: Danzô played the roles of the actor Ichikawa Omezô I in the movie "Sharaku". This film was about the life of the famous print-maker Tôshûzai Sharaku, who produced all his works between 1794 and 2nd lunar month of 1795 and disappeared mysteriously, leaving behind him some of the most famous actor prints.

March 1999: Danzô played at the National Theatre the role of the evil Iwafuji in the jidaimono "Kagamiyama Kokyô no Nishikie"; his stage partners were Nakamura Matsue (Onoe) and Nakamura Tokizô (Ohatsu).

June 2001: Danzô played at the National Theatre the role of the sumô wrestler Nuregami Chôgorô in the drama "Hikimado".

January 2002: revival at the National Theatre of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Koharunagi Okitsu Shiranami", which had not been played in his full length since the 11th lunar month of 1864; Danzô played the role of the plotter Mikami Ichigaku [casting].

January 2008: revival at the National Theatre of Sakurada Jisuke I's kaomise drama "Komachi-mura Shibai no Shôgatsu"; Danzô played the role of Shinomiya Hyôdô Taketaru [more details].

March 2009: Kabuki adaptation by the famous stage director Ninagawa Yukio of Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night", which was entitled "Ninagawa Jûniya", from the 24th to the 28th of March 2009 in London (UK) at the Barbican Theater; Danzô played the role of Hieian Gorô (Fabian) [more details]. The same play was staged with the same casting in June 2009 at the Shinbashi Enbujô and in July 2009 at the Shôchikuza.

January 2010: revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Gohei's long-forgotten drama "Keisei Kogane no Shachihoko", which was revised and entitled "Asahi-ni Kagayaku Kin no Shachihoko"; it was staged to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of the establishment of the city of Nagoya; Danzô played the roles of the oshi Daikoku Ebisudayû and Mogami Shinbê [more details | casting].

January 2014: premiere at the National Theatre of "Sanzen Ryô Haru no Komahiki", a revival of Tatsuoka Mansaku's 1794 drama "Keisei Haru no Tori"; Danzô played the role of Kobayakawa Tatewaki [more details].

November 2014: the Annual Festive Face-Showing Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza commemorated the 32nd anniversary (33rd memorial service) of the passing away of Matsumoto Hakuô I. His two sons, Matsumoto Kôshirô and Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon, were the zagashira [more details].

Comments:

Ichikawa Danzô IX is an outstanding supporting actor particularly appreciated in aragoto roles. He has two sons but both have stopped acting. Will he be the last of a prestigious line of actors?

Ichikawa Danzô IX's best role: Musashibô Benkei ("Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura").

The mon of Ichikawa Danzô IX

The Ichikawa Ginnosuke line of actors

The Ichikawa Danzô line of actors