Stage names:

Bandô Kamezô I
Bandô Hikosaburô IV
Ichimura Kamesaburô
Ichimura Takesaburô

Other name:

Bandô Shinsui IV

Guild: Otowaya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Shinsui (4)

Existence: 1800 ~ 14 November 1873

Connections:

Adoptive father: Bandô Hikosaburô III

Brother: Ichimura Uzaemon XI

Adopted son: Bandô Hikosaburô V

Disciples: Bandô Zenji III, Bandô Hikojûrô I, Bandô Sajûrô, Bandô Shinzaemon (?)

Career:

1800: born in Edo. His father was the publisher Fukuchi Mohê IV and his mother was the daughter of Tomoeya Shôbê. His father was also a manager at the Ichimuraza.

11th lunar month of 1812: he made his first appearance on stage at Ichimuraza, receiving the name of Ichimura Takesaburô and playing a child role in the drama "Gohiiki Megumi no Amagoi".

11th lunar month of 1813: Ichimura Takesaburô took the name of Ichimura Kamesaburô at the Ichimuraza, playing the role of the yakko Kitsuhei in the kaomise drama "Modoribashi Sena-ni Gohiiki".

3rd lunar month of 1814: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Sumidagawa Hana no Goshozome", commonly called "Onna Seigen"; Kamesaburô played the roles of the Shinkiyomizu's young bonze Sakuranbô and Ôtomo's son Hôshimaru [more details].

1816: Kamesaburô was adopted by Bandô Hikosaburô III.

11th lunar month of 1816: Ichimura Kamesaburô took the name of Bandô Hikosaburô IV at the Nakamuraza, playing the roles of Hosokawa Masamoto and Umezu Kamon in Shinoda Kinji I's kaomise drama "Fuwa Nagoya Yuki no Dategasa".

7th lunar month of 1818: Hikosaburô played at the Miyakoza the roles of Yoshitsune, Kokingo, Yasuke and Taira no Koremori in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"; the roles of Shizuka Gozen and Osato were played by Nakamura Daikichi I.

4th lunar month of 1819: Hikosaburô played at the Tamagawaza the role of Senzaki Yagorô in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

3rd lunar month of 1820: premiere at the Tamagawaza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Sakura Butai Maku no Datezome"; Hikosaburô played the role of Yamanaka Shikanosuke [casting].

8th lunar month of 1820: Hikosaburô played at the Tamagawaza the roles of Sakuramaru and Sukune Tarô in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

9th lunar month of 1822: Hikosaburô played at Ichimuraza the role of Kamatari in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".

1st lunar month of 1823: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's new year sogamono drama "Yaegasumi Soga no Kumiito"; Hikosaburô played the roles of Kyô no Jirô Suketoshi and Nitta Shirô Tadatsune [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1823: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Ukiyogara Hiyoku no Inazuma"; Hikosaburô played the role of Iriya no Kinzô [casting].

5th lunar month of 1823: Hikosaburô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Sakuramaru in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

5th lunar month of 1825: Hikosaburô played at the Ichimuraza the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"; the roles of Shizuka Gozen and Tadanobu were played by Segawa Kikunojô V and Bandô Mitsugorô III.

8th lunar month of 1826: Hikosaburô played at the Kawarasakiza the role of Fuwa Kazuemon in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

7th lunar month of 1827: Hikosaburô played at the Ichimuraza the roles of En'ya Hangan and Yazama Jûtarô in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

9th lunar month of 1827: Hikosaburô played at the Ichimuraza the role of Utanosuke in the drama "Keisei Hangonkô"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danjûrô VII (Matahei), Iwai Kumesaburô II (Otoku), Ichimura Uzaemon XII (Shurinosuke) and Kataoka Nizaemon VII (Shôgen).

18th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1828 ^[1]: his adoptive father Hansôan Rakuzen died.

5th lunar month of 1828: Hikosaburô played at the Nakamuraza the role of En'ya Hangan in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

8th lunar month of 1828: Hikosaburô played at Nakamuraza the roles of Motome and Fukashichi in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".

11th lunar month of 1828: Hikosaburô moved to the Kawarasakiza. His yearly salary was 400 ryô.

8th lunar month of 1829: tour in Nagoya; Hikosaburô played at the Seijuin Temple.

11th lunar month of 1829: Hikosaburô played in the same location the roles of Kanawa Gorô, Daihanji no Kiyosumi and Motome in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".

1st lunar month of 1830: Hikosaburô played in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai the roles of the yakko Edohei and Dansuke in the drama "Keisei Kagami Inazuma", which was produced by Fujikawa Katsusaburô; he also replaced Iwai Kumesaburô II in the role of Ohatsu in the drama "Kagamiyama Kokyô no Nishikie". This was the first time he played a onnagata role and his stage partners in the roles of Iwafuji and Onoe were Onoe Kikugorô III and Asao Gakujûrô.

3rd lunar month of 1831: tour in the province of Ise; Hikosaburô played at the Naka-no-Jizô temple.

3rd lunar month of 1832: Hikosaburô was back to Ôsaka; he played at the Takeda no Shibai the roles of En'ya Hangan and Teraoka Heiemon in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

11th lunar month of 1832: Hikosaburô went to Kyôto and played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Itô Hyôgô and Tomizuka Jûbê in the drama "Ganryûjima".

1833: tour in the province of Kii.

6th lunar month of 1833: tour in Miyajima; Hikosaburô played the roles of En'ya Hangan and Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

5th lunar month of 1835: Hikosaburô was back in Edo after six years spent in Kamigata or on the road; he played at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Murasaki ni Somete Yoshibei".

11th lunar month of 1835: Hikosaburô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Fujiwara no Shihei and Terukuni in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

8th lunar month of 1836: tour in Nagoya with Asao Kuzaemon II and Mimasu Gennosuke I; Hikosaburô performed in the drama "Hime Kurabe Futaba Ezôji", which was staged at the Seijuin temple.

9th lunar month of 1836: Hikosaburô played in the same location in the dramas "Katakiuchi Tengajaya-mura" and "Sekitori Senryô Nobori".

10th lunar month of 1836: Hikosaburô played in the same location in the dramas "Gion Sairei Shinkôki", "Some Moyô Imose no Kadomatsu" and "Hirakana Seisuiki".

1st lunar month of 1837: Hikosaburô was back in Edo; he achieved a great success at the Nakamuraza by playing five roles in the drama "Soga Moyô Hiyoku no Torikumi".

6th lunar month of 1837: Hikosaburô played at the Moritaza the roles of En'ya Hangan, Ono Sadakurô, Senzaki Yagorô, Kakogawa Honzô and Teraoka Heiemon in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

7th lunar month of 1839: Hikosaburô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of En'ya Hangan, Ôwashi Dengo and Hayano Kanpei in the drama "Chûkô Gishi no Yurai" (similar to the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura").

Spring 1840: Hikosaburô adopts Tetsuzô, the son of a carpenter.

3rd lunar month of 1840: Hikosaburô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Kumagai Tarô and Igami no Gonta in the drama "Toki-mo Yoshino Senbon Zakura" (similar to the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura").

5th lunar month of 1841: Hikosaburô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"; the roles of Shizuka Gozen and Tadanobu were played by Onoe Eizaburô III and Onoe Tamizô II.

10th lunar month of 1842: Hikosaburô took part in the opening ceremony of the newly-built Nakamuraza in the district of Asakusa Saruwaka-chô, performing in the drama "Kinryûzan Chikai no Ishizue", which was produced by Nakamura Kanzaburô XII; his stage partners were Iwai Tojaku, Sawamura Tosshô II, Arashi Kichisaburô III, Onoe Eizaburô III, Osagawa Tsuneyo IV, Arashi Izaburô II and Ichikawa Danzaburô V.

5th lunar month of 1843: Hikosaburô played at the Kawarasakiza the roles of Fuwa Kazuemon and Teraoka Heiemon in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura". He also played the roles of Matsuômaru and Sukune Tarô in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

9th lunar month of 1843: Hikosaburô played at the Kawarasakiza the roles of Kawagoe Shigeyori, Tokaiya Ginpei, Taira no Tomomori, Igami no Gonta and the fox Genkurô in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

11th lunar month of 1844: Hikosaburô played at the Kawarasakiza the role of Fujiwara no Shihei in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

8th lunar month of 1845: Hikosaburô played at the Ichimuraza the roles of Kawagoe Shigeyori, Tokaiya Ginpei, Taira no Tomomori, Igami no Gonta and Ise no Saburô in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

6th lunar month of 1847: Hikosaburô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Yazama Jûtarô, Ono Sadakurô, Ichimonjiya Saibê and Kodera Jûnai in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

4th lunar month of 1849: Hikosaburô played at the Kawarasakiza the roles of Kô no Moronô, Ishidô Umanojô, Fuwa Kazuemon and Kakogawa Honzô in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; the roles of En'ya Hangan and Ôboshi Yuranosuke were played by Ichikawa Kodanji IV and Ichikawa Gangyoku I.

8th lunar month of 1849: Hikosaburô played at the Kawarasakiza the role of Shigetada in the drama "Kagekiyo"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII (Kagekiyo) and Onoe Kikujirô II (Akoya).

8th lunar month of 1851: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Segawa Jokô III's drama "Higashiyama Sakura Sôshi" (commonly called "Sakura Giminden"); Hikosaburô played the roles of Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the evil lord Orikoshi Masatomo, the boatman Jinbei, Maboroshi no Chôkichi and Nikki Kiyonosuke [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1852: Hikosaburô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Ono Sadakurô, Ichimonjiya Saibê, Teraoka Heiemon, Ishizuka Rakuzen, Yazama Kinai and Uematsu Samonnosuke in the drama "Yayoi no Hana Iroha no Honsetsu" (similar to the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura").

2nd lunar month of 1853: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Shiranui Monogatari", which was based on Ryûkatei Tanekazu's long novel of the same title [more details]; Hikosaburô played the roles of Toriyama Bungonosuke, Ôtomo Gyôbu Munetsura, the shôrômori Tonnen, the ghost of Shichisô Kanteirei and the ryôshi Hirekurô.

5th lunar month of 1854: Hikosaburô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of En'ya Hangan, Kakogawa Honzô, Ono Sadakurô and Teraoka Heiemon in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

3rd lunar month of 1856: great shûmei at the Ichimuraza for the Bandô branch of the Otowaya guild; Bandô Hikosaburô IV and Bandô Takesaburô I respectively took the names of Bandô Kamezô I and Bandô Hikosaburô V. The two actors performed together in the dramas "Tsuruhachi to Suehiro Soga", "Hikinuide Kasumi no Midomise" and "Yume Musubu Chô ni Torioi".

7th lunar month of 1856: Kamezô played at the Ichimuraza the roles of Yazaemon ("Sushiya") and Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

9th lunar month of 1856: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's 9-act drama "Tsuta Momiji Utsunoya Tôge"; The 2 leading stars were Ichikawa Kodanji IV (the blind masseur Bun'ya and the thief Niza) and Kamezô (Itamiya Jûbê).

1st lunar month of 1857: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Nezumi Komon Haru no Shingata" (commonly called "Nezumi Kozô"); Kamezô played the roles of Inaba Kôzô's adoptive mother Okuma, Hayase Yajûrô and Takagi Shirodayû [casting].

7th lunar month of 1857: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Ami Moyô Tôro no Kikukiri" (commonly called "Kozaru Shichinosuke"); Kamezô played the roles of Amiuchi Shichigorô, Dôchû-oichiji Sangorô, Hasuba Yoroku Masakazu and Jizôdô no Sainen [casting].

9th lunar month of 1857: Kamezô played at the Ichimuraza the roles of Takebe Genzô, Haji no Hyôei and Shiratayû in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; his stage partners in the roles of Kan Shôjô and Matsuômaru were Kawarasaki Gonjûrô I and Ichikawa Kodanji IV.

5th lunar month of 1858: tour in Ise with Bandô Hikosaburô V; Kamezô played the roles of Tokaiya Ginpei, Taira no Tomomori and Igami no Gonta in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura", which was staged at the Furuichi Shibai.

6th lunar month of 1858: tour in Miyajima with Bandô Hikosaburô V and Nakamura Jakuemon I; Kamezô played the role of Igami no Gonta in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

3rd lunar month of 1859: Kamezô played at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Takebe Genzô and Fujiwara no Shihei in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

3rd lunar month of 1860: Kamezô played at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Kô no Moronô, Kamura Sakyô, Ichimonjiya Saibê, Naosuke, Yazama Jûtarô, Muroi Kikaku and Kakogawa Honzô in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; the roles of En'ya Hangan, Yuranosuke and Okaru were played by Bandô Hikosaburô V, Arashi Kichisaburô III and Onoe Kikujirô II.

June ~ 7th lunar month of 1860: tour in Miyajima with Bandô Hikosaburô V, Fujikawa Tomokichi III, Nakamura Jakuemon I and Ôtani Tomomatsu; Kamezô played the role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura". He also played the role of Gekizaemon in "Meiboku Sendai Hagi".

11th lunar month of 1860: Kamezô played the roles of Kawagoe Shigeyori and Igami no Gonta in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura", which was staged in Ôsaka at the Kita-Horie Ichi-no-Gawa Shibai.

2nd lunar month of 1861: Kamezô and Bandô Hikosaburô V were back in Edo; they performed together at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Chiyo no Haru Tosae no Sayaate".

10th lunar month of 1861: Kamezô played at the Ichimuraza the role of Shiratayû in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

3rd lunar month of 1862: Kamezô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Kô no Moronô, Kakogawa Honzô, Hara Goemon and Amagawaya Gihei in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; the roles of En'ya Hangan, Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Honzô's wife Tonase and Okaru were played by Sawamura Tosshô II, Kataoka Gadô II, Bandô Hikosaburô V and Sawamura Tanosuke III.

4th lunar month of 1866: Kamezô played at the Ichimuraza the roles of Sakae Gozen and Watanabe Gekizaemon in the drama "Date Kurabe Okuni Kabuki".

7th lunar month of 1866: Kamezô played at the Ichimuraza the roles of Ashikaga Tadayoshi, Kakogawa Honzô, Ono Kudayû, Yoichibê, Suwa Kazuemon and Ôta Ryôchiku in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

2nd lunar month of 1867: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's new year sogamono "Keisei Soga Kuruwa Kagami", in which was premiered the drama "Oshizu Reiza"; Kamezô played the roles of Kudô Saemon Suketsune, the otokodate Shôki no Hanbê and Oshizu's father Hokke no Denji [more details].

11th lunar month of 1868: Kamezô played at the Ichimuraza the roles of Ashikaga Tadayoshi, Kakogawa Honzô, Amagawaya Gihei and Ishidô Umanojô in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

7th lunar month of 1869: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Kichisama Mairu Yukari no Otozure"; Kamezô played the roles of Yoshida Chûzaemon and the kamikuzuya Ibê [casting].

5th lunar month of 1870: Kamezô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Izutsu Gekizaemon and the tôfu maker Saburobê in the drama "Oni Azami Datezome Katabira", whose plot and characters belonged to the "Meiboku Sendai Hagi" world.

10th lunar month of 1870: Kamezô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Shiratayû in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

3rd lunar month of 1871: Kamezô appeared on stage for the last time, in Edo at the Nakamuraza. He retired from the Kabuki world.

14 November 1873: Kamezô died ^[2].

Comments:

Bandô Kamezô I was a talented and popular tachiyaku, an outstanding dancer, who excelled in nimaime (at the beginning of his career), budôgoto and jitsugotoshi roles, then in jitsuaku and oyajigata roles in his latter years.

Bandô Kamezô I's best roles: Igami no Gonta ("Sushiya" scene in "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"), En'ya Hangan/Kakogawa Honzô ("Kanadehon Chûshingura"), Shiratayû ("Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami").

[1] The 18th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 11th year of the Bunsei era was the 2nd of April 1828 in the western calendar.

[2] His tombstone was located in the precincts of the Daiunji Temple.

Bandô Kamezô I playing the role of Kiichi Hôgen in the "Kikubatake" scene of the drama "Kiichi Hôgen Sanryaku no Maki", staged in the 9th lunar month of 1861 at the Ichimuraza (print made by Utagawa Toyokuni III)

Prints & Illustrations

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1849

Print made by Utagawa Kuniyoshi in 1851

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1857

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1860

The Bandô Shinsui line of actors

The Bandô Hikosaburô line of actors

The Bandô Kamezô line of actors