Stage name:

Fujikawa Kanekurô [1]

Guild: Takegawaya

Poetry name: Yûshi

Existence: ??? ~ 1817 ^[2]

Connection:

Master: ??? ^[3]

Sons: Fujikawa Ryûzô, Fujikawa Yoshio, Fujikawa Kanesaburô (Kataoka Ichizô I)

Career:

11th lunar month of 1781: Kanekurô performed in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai in Namiki Gohei I's kaomise drama "Tensha Yorozu Yoshitsune Biiki", which was produced by Fujikawa Sango.

11th lunar month of 1782: Kanekurô performed in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Yamato Moji Sansai Zue", which was produced by Fujikawa Sango.

11th lunar month of 1785: Kanekurô performed at the Nishi no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Nanshi no Hana o Ehô no Saiwai", which was produced by Nakamura Noshio II. The troupe moved to the Kita-Shinchi no Shibai to perfom from the 23rd day of the 11th lunar month in the drama "Kurofune Deiri Minato".

1st lunar month of 1786: Kanekurô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

1st lunar month of 1787: Kanekurô was recorded as performing in Ôsaka in miyaji shibai at the Zama no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1788: Kanekurô was recorded as performing in Ôsaka in miyaji shibai at the Zama no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1789: Kanekurô was recorded as performing (jitsuaku) in Ôsaka in hama shibai at the Takeda no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1790: Kanekurô was recorded as performing in Ôsaka in hama shibai.

1st lunar month of 1791: Kanekurô was recorded as performing (jitsuaku) in Ôsaka in hama shibai at the Takeda no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1792: Kanekurô was recorded as performing in Ôsaka in hama shibai.

3rd lunar month of 1795: Kanekurô was recorded as performing (katakiyaku) in Ôsaka in hama shibai at the Takeda no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1796: Kanekurô was recorded as performing (jitsuaku) in Ôsaka in hama shibai at the Takeda no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1797: Kanekurô was recorded as performing (jitsuaku) in Ôsaka in hama shibai at the Takeda no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1798: Kanekurô was recorded as performing in Ôsaka in hama shibai at the Takeda no Shibai. Kanekurô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

1st lunar month of 1799: Kanekurô was recorded as performing in Ôsaka in hama shibai at the Takeda no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1801: Kanekurô was recorded as performing in Ôsaka in miyaji shibai at the Tenma Tenjin no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1802: Kanekurô was recorded as performing in Kyôto at the Minamigawa no Shibai. Kanekurô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

5th lunar month of 1805: Kanekurô played at the Wakadayû no Shibai (Ôsaka) the roles of Sagisaka Bannai, Yoichibê, the gejo Rin and Horibe Yajibê in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

1817: Kanekurô died.

Comments:

Fujikawa Kanekurô was a Kamigata jitsuaku/katakiyaku actor, who was active from the 1780s to the 1810s. He performed occasionally in ôshibai but he spent most of his career in hama shibai or miyaji shibai, where he was quite popular. It seems that another actor held the name of Fujikawa Kanekurô ^[1] during the 1860s. For example, there is a record of a Fujikawa Kanekurô ^[1] playing the role of the yakko Udesuke in the drama "Tengajaya", which was staged in the 8th lunar month of 1863 at the Chikugo no Shibai. Was this second Fujikawa Kanekurô the eldest or the second son of the first Fujikawa Kanekurô? Or a grandson? Or a disciple?

[1] Another possible reading could be Fujikawa Shôkurô.

[2] Reported in Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten".

[3] Who was Fujikawa Kanekurô's master? 3 possibilities :Fujikawa Hachizô I? Fujikawa Hachizô II? Fujikawa Sango? None of these actors was jitsuaku/katakiyaku. We've discarded Fujikawa Heikurô, who had the right profile (jitsuaku/katakiyaku), but who died in 1761.

Fujikawa Kanekurô in an illustration from the book "Yakusha Mono Iwai" (1784)
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