Stage names:

Kawarasaki Gonjûrô IV
Bandô Shônosuke

Real name: Bandô Masakuni

Guilds:

Yamazakiya (Kawarasaki Gonjûrô years)
Otowaya (Bandô Shônosuke years)

Line number: YODAIME (IV)

Birthday: 6 February 1954

Connections:

Great-great-great-grandfathers: Onoe Kikugorô III, Ichimura Uzaemon XI

Great-great-grandfather: Ichimura Takenojô V

Great-grandfather: Onoe Kikugorô V

Grandfather: Bandô Hikosaburô VI

Father: Ichimura Uzaemon XVII

Brothers: Bandô Rakuzen, Ichimura Manjirô II

Career:

July 1960: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Kabukiza, receiving the name of Bandô Shônosuke and playing the role of Ishigami in the dance-drama "Tsuchi-gumo".

January 1985: revival at the National Theatre of the drama "Kan U", which belongs to the Kabuki Jûhachiban; Shônosuke plays the role of Iino Jurô [casting].

February 1989: he becomes nadai and plays at the Kabukiza the roles of Hanaregoma Chôkichi and Bunji in the dramas "Sumôba" and "Megumi no Kenka", which are performed in a special show commemorating the fortieth birthday of the Onoe Kikugorô Gekidan troupe.

January 2002: the National Theatre produces the revival of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Koharunagi Okitsu Shiranami", which has not been played in its full length since 11th lunar month of 1864; Shônosuke plays the role of the yakko Yumihei [casting].

May 2003: Bandô Shônosuke takes the name of Kawarasaki Gonjûrô IV at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Mizuno Jûrôzaemon, the nyûdô Kashima Shinsai and a bonze in the dramas "Kiwametsuki Banzuiin Chôbê", "Shibaraku" and "Kappore".

March 2007: tour in Paris (France); Gonjûrô plays at the Palais Garnier the roles of Kataoka Hachirô and a retainer of Koremochi in the dance-dramas "Kanjinchô" and "Momijigari", which celebrate the Ichikawa clan [more details].

January 2008: revival at the National Theatre of Sakurada Jisuke I's kaomise drama "Komachi-mura Shibai no Shôgatsu"; Gonjûrô plays the role of Fujiwara no Yoshifusa [more details].

March 2009: Kabuki adaptation by the famous stage director Ninagawa Yukio of Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night", which is entitled "Ninagawa Jûniya", from the 24th to the 28th of March 2009 in London (UK) at the Barbican Theater; Gonjûrô plays the role of Amato Nyobei (Antonio) [more details]. The same play is 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; Gonjûrô plays the role of the Oda yakko Sehei [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"; Gonjûrô plays the roles of Korean official Kan Chôkai and Asano Chôzaemon [more details].

January 2019: revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Gohei I's 1779 drama "Sode Nikki Banshû Meguri"; this Otowaya-powered revision was entitled "Himeji-jô Oto-ni Kiku Sono Ishizue"; Gonjûrô plays the role of Ushimado Jûnai [casting | more details].

Comments:

Kawarasaki Gonjûrô IV is a talented supporting actor who appeared a lot in TV dramas at the beginning of his career. He definitively went back to the Kabuki world in the middle of the eighties.

The mon of Kawarasaki Gonjûrô IV

The Kawarasaki Gonjûrô line of actors