ICHINOKAWA HIKOSHIRÔ I

Stage name:

Ichinokawa Hikoshirô I

Guild: Kameya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Kakei

Existence: 1679 ~ 23rd day of the 7th lunar month of 1727^[1]

Connection:

Son: Ichinokawa Hikoshirô II

Career:

1679 ~ 1720: Born in 1679. He was a traveling actor performing in tabi shibai up to 1720, when he settled in Kyôto and performed in ôshibai.

Spring 1721: Hikoshirô played in Kyôto the role of Maebara Tsunaemon in the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Mirume no Seki", which was produced by Ogino Yaegiri I.

Fall 1722: Hikoshirô moved to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1722: Hikoshirô played in Ôsaka at the Higashi no Shibai the role of Kanawa Gorô in the kaomise drama "Tenchi Tennô Sokutai Guruma", which was produced by Arashi Kanshirô I.

11th lunar month of 1723: Hikoshirô became katakiyaku and performed at the Ônishi no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Fukujukai Kogane no Minato", which was produced by Sakakiyama Shirotarô I.

Spring 1724: Hikoshirô became jitsuaku in the same theater, where he played the role of Sakata Kintoki in the new year drama "Kôkiden Uwanari Guruma".

11th lunar month of 1725: Hikoshirô switched back to katakiyaku and he played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Funazu Tomiemon in the kaomise drama "Hôraisan Imose no Matsu", which celebrated the shûmei of Nakamura Shirogorô II and Yamashita Kamenojô II.

11th lunar month of 1726: Hikoshirô reverted to jitsuaku and played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Honma Toraemon in the kaomise drama "Gosha no Yonegura Fukki no Yama", which was produced by Yamamoto Kyôshirô I.

1st lunar month of 1727: Hikoshirô's rank, in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual]. No record afterwards.

23rd day of the 7th lunar month of 1727^[1]: Hikoshirô died.

Comments:

Ichinokawa Hikoshirô I was a Kamigata katakiyaku/jitsuaku actor, who spent most of his career in tabi shibai. He was active in ôshibai between 1720 and 1727. He was said to look like Anegawa Shinshirô I, from an artistic perspective.

[1] The 23rd day of the 7th lunar month of the 12th year of the Kyôhô era was the 8th of September 1727 in the western calendar.

The actors Matsushima Moheiji (left), Ichinokawa Hikoshirô I (center) and Sakakiyama Koshirô I (right) playing the roles of Kisaku, Sukedayû's son Dairoku and the rônin Nunobiki Jinroku in the kaomise drama "Fukujukai Kogane no Minato", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1723 at the Ônishi no Shibai