Stage names:

Kataoka Ichizô I
Takekawa Ichizô
Kataoka Ichizô I
Fujikawa Kaneya
Fujikawa Kanesaburô

Nickname: Kataichi

Guilds: Matsushimaya, Tenmaya, Takedaya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry names: Gajô, Gashô

Existence: 1792 ~ 22nd day of the 7th lunar month of 1862 ^[1]

Connection:

Father: Fujikawa Kanekurô

Master: Kataoka Nizaemon VII

Brothers: Fujikawa Ryûzô, Fujikawa Yoshio

Disciples: Kataoka Ichizô II, Kataoka Ichômaru

Career:

1792: born in Kamigata. He was the third son of the low-ranking katakiyaku actor Fujikawa Kanekurô. He started to learn the art with his father, who gave him the name of Fujikawa Kanesaburô. Later on, he took the name of Fujikawa Kaneya.

1810: he became disciple of the star Kataoka Nizaemon VII and received the name of Kataoka Ichizô I.

1817: his father Fujikawa Kanekurô died.

Fall 1829: Ichizô went to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1829: Ichizô played at the Ichimuraza 4 roles in the kaomise drama "Chijinyû Koko-ni Yorimitsu".

Spring 1834: Ichizô went back to his native Kamigata.

5th lunar month of 1834: Ichizô played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Wada no Hyôe Hidemori in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".

1st lunar month of 1836: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Nishizawa Ippô's drama "Hana no Ani Tsubomi no Yatsufusa" Ichizô played the roles of Yamashita Sakuzaemon Sadakane, Nukasuke and Aboshi Samojirô [casting].

1st day of the 3rd lunar month of 1837 ^[2]: his master Kataoka Nizaemon VII died in Ôsaka.

1st lunar month of 1840: Ichizô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

3rd lunar month of 1845: Ichizô played at the Chikugo no Shibai the role of Tôma Saburôemon in the drama "Ehon Tengajaya-mura"; his stage partners were Nakamura Shibazô I (Motoemon), Arashi Rikaku II (Yasuke), Sawamura Kitô II (Somenoi) and Nakamura Shikan III (Iori).

3rd lunar month of 1847: Ichizô played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Abe no Munetô in the drama "Sodehagi Saimon"; his stage partners were Arashi Rikan III (Sodehagi), Mimasu Daigorô IV (Abe no Sadatô), Jitsukawa Enzaburô I (Minamoto no Yoshiie) and Arashi Wasaburô II (Okimi).

1st lunar month of 1848: Ichizô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was (shiro)ô-jô-jô-kichi ((white) grand - superior - superior - excellent) [Visual].

7th lunar month of 1848: Ichizô played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Igami no Gonta in the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

9th lunar month of 1848: Ichizô played in the same theater the role of Tôyata in the drama "Tôyata Monogatari".

8th lunar month of 1849: Ichizô played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Kujaku Saburô in the drama "Hade Kurabe Ise Monogatari".

1st lunar month of 1850: Ichizô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was ô-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent) [Visual].

11th lunar month of 1851: Ichizô played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Abe no Sadatô in the drama "Sodehagi Saimon"; his stage partners were Arashi Rikaku II (Abe no Munetô), Nakamura Tomijûrô II (Sodehagi) and Jitsukawa Enzaburô I (Hachiman Tarô).

10th lunar month of 1858: Kataoka Ichizô I took the name of Takekawa Ichizô in Ôsaka at the Unagidani no Shibai, playing the role of Ishikawa Goemon in the drama "Kama-ga-Fuchi".

1st lunar month of 1859: Ichizô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, "a threesome of veterans" section, was kô-jô-jô-kichi (meritorious - superior - superior - excellent) [Visual]. The two others actors in this trio were Arashi Sankô II and Ichikawa Sukejurô.

10th lunar month of 1859: he took back the name of Kataoka Ichizô I at the Chikugo no Shibai, playing the role of Midaroku in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".

1860 ~ Spring 1862: Ichizô was on sick leave.

5th lunar month of 1862: Ichizô appeared on stage for the last time, at the Kado no Shibai, performing in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".

22nd of the 7th lunar month of 1862 ^[1]: Ichizô died in Ôsaka.

Comments:

Kataoka Ichizô I was an outstanding katakiyaku, jitsuaku and fukeyaku actor, who started his career in hama shibai, did a successful stay in Edo from 1829 to 1834 and achieved fame for himself in Ôsaka from the forties to the sixties of the eighteenth century.

[1] The 22nd of the 7th lunar month of the 2nd year of the Bunkyû era was the 17th of August 1862 in the western calendar.

[2] The 1st day of the 3rd lunar month of the 8th year of the Tenpô era was the 5th of April 1837 in the western calendar.

Kataoka Ichizô I playing the role of Satsushima Denzô in the drama "Shida Yakata Mitsugi no Funauta", which was staged in the 9th lunar month of 1832 at the Ichimuraza (print made by Utagawa Kunisada I)

Prints & Illustrations

The Kataoka Ichizô line of actors