Stage names:

Ogawa Kichitarô III
Ogawa Motosaburô [1]
Nakamura Motosaburô

Guilds: Ogawaya ^[2], Kagaya

Line number: SANDAIME (III)

Poetry names: Eishi, Baizan ^[7]

Existence: 1785 ~ 18th day of the 9th lunar month of 1851 ^[3]

Connection:

Master: Nakamura Utaemon III

Career:

1st lunar month of 1805: disciple of Nakamura Utaemon III, he received the name of Nakamura Motosaburô in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai.

3rd lunar month of 1805: he took the name of Ogawa Motosaburô ^[1].

5th (?) ^[4] lunar month of 1805: he took the name of Ogawa Kichitarô III.

11th lunar month of 1807: Kichitarô became zamoto in Ôsaka and produced at the Naka no Shibai the drama "Shin Usuyuki Monogatari", which starred Arashi Sangorô III and Kataoka Nizaemon VII.

3rd lunar month of 1808: "Hachijin Shugo no Honjô" was adapted for Kabuki for the first time, in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai; Kichitarô played the role of Katô Kazuenosuke [casting].

Fall 1808: Kichitarô went to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1808: Kichitarô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Minamoto no Yoritomo in the drama "Nure Yatsushi Kana no Inzen".

Fall 1809: Kichitarô went back to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1812: Kichitarô played at the Naka no Shibai 3 roles in the drama "Hirugaesu Nishiki no Tamoto", which welcomed in Ôsaka the Edo star Bandô Hikosaburô III. Kichitarô also played the roles of Momonoi Wakasanosuke, Yasubê and Igo in "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

11th lunar month of 1814: Kichitarô played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Watanabe Shizuma in the drama "Tsugi Awase Ekiji no Ume".

Summer 1815: tour in Nagoya.

11th lunar month of 1815: Kichitarô played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Yagorô in the drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku".

1st lunar month of 1816: Kichitarô played in the same theater the role of Watanabe Shizuma in the drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa".

5th lunar month of 1816: Kichitarô played in the same theater the role of Kanônosuke Naonobu and Shinsaku in the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki".

1st lunar month of 1818: Kichitarô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

10th ~ 11th lunar months of 1818: Kichitarô played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Watanabe Shizuma in the drama "Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku".

8th lunar month of 1824: Kichitarô played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Watanabe Shizuma in the drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa".

11th lunar month of 1825: Kichitarô played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Watanabe Shizuma in the drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa".

6th lunar month of 1833: Kichitarô played the roles of Iwakuni Yajûrô and Tamata Jûsaburô in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi", which was staged in the precincts of the Inaba Yakushi Temple in Kyôto. He also played the role of Hanshichi in the drama "Mai Ôgi"; the role of Sankatsu was played by Nakamura Karoku I.

13th day of the 7th lunar month of 1838 ^[6]: his master Nakamura Tamasuke died.

Fall 1839: Kichitarô went to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1839: Kichitarô performed at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Taiheiki Irifune Shinozuka", which celebrated the shûmei of Bandô Shûka I.

1st lunar month of 1840: Kichitarô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki (even though he was in Edo, his name was recorded in this book), tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

4th lunar month of 1840: Kichitarô played at the Ichimuraza the roles of Enju and Kamata Hayato in the jidaimono "Hirakana Seisuiki", which celebrated the shûmei of Seki Sanjûrô III.

1st lunar month of 1841: Kichitarô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was one little stroke below jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

1st lunar month of 1848: Kichitarô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was kô-jô-jô-kichi (meritorious - superior - superior - excellent) [Visual]. He shared the same ranking with Nakayama Bunshichi III. No stage record afterwards.

18th day of the 9th lunar month of 1851 ^[3]: Kichitarô died in Ôsaka ^[5].

Comments:

Ogawa Kichitarô III achieved a very good reputation in his native Kamigata and also in Edo as a wagotoshi, who was expert in yatsushigoto. One of his most notable roles was Watanabe Shizuma in the "Igagoe" dramas. In his latter years, he performed also as a kashagata or an oyajigata. As he had no heir, his death resulted in end of the Ogawa clan. He was also called Hamokichi.

[1] Not recorded in Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten". Recorded in the latest edition (2012) of "Kabuki Haiyû Meiseki Benran" and in the Ritsumeikan University Actors Database. In Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten", it was recorded that he took the name of Ogawa Kichitarô III in the 3rd lunar month of 1805 in Nagoya.

[2] Not recorded in Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten" or in the latest edition (2012) of "Kabuki Haiyû Meiseki Benran". Recorded in the Ritsumeikan University Actors Database.

[3] The 18th day of the 9th lunar month of the 4th year of the Kaei era was the 12th of October 1851 in the western calendar.

[4] Recorded as performing under the name of Ogawa Kichitarô III in the 5th lunar month of 1805 in Ise at the Furuichi Shibai.

[5] Ogawa Kichitarô III's tombstone was in the cemetery of the Shôbôji Temple in the district of Teramachi in Ôsaka.

[6] The 25th day of the 7th lunar month of the 9th year of the Tenpô era was the 13th of September 1838 in the western calendar.

[7] Not recorded in the latest edition (2012) of "Kabuki Haiyû Meiseki Benran". Recorded in Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten" and in the Ritsumeikan University Actors Database.

Ogawa Kichitarô III (unknown ukiyoeshi)

Prints & Illustrations

The Ogawa Kichitarô line of actors