Stage names:

Onoe Kikuzô VI
Onoe Kikumaru II

Real name: Higuchi Tarô

Guild: Otowaya

Line number: ROKUDAIME (VI)

Poetry name: Kato

Existence: 14 June 1923 ~ 30 October 2000

Connection:

Father: Onoe Taganojô III

Career:

March 1935: debut on stage at the Kabukiza, where he performed in one drama ("Shibai-mae") of the program "Onoe no Kane Haru no Akebono", which celebrated the commemorate the 32nd anniversary (33rd memorial service) of late Onoe Kikugorô V. He received the stage name of Onoe Kikumaru II.

September 1946: Onoe Kikumaru II took the name of Onoe Kikuzô VI at the Tôkyô Gekijô, playing the role of the tedai Kichizô in the drama "Mekura Nagaya Ume-ga-Kagatobi".

July 1951: revival at the Shinbashi Enbujô of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Jitsugetsusei Kyôwa Seidan"; Kikuzô played the role of the okujochû Momiji [casting].

January 1952: premiere at the Shinbashi Enbujô of Hagiwara Yukio's Kiyomoto-based dôjôjimono "Yuki no Dôjôji"; Kikuzô played the role of a Dôjôji bonze [casting].

March 1954: premiere at the Kabukiza of the 1st part of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Kikuzô played the role of the head of nakai Mizunoe [more details].

October 1954: premiere at the Kabukiza of the 2nd part of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Kikuzô played the role of the head of nakai Mizunoe [more details].

December 1954: first Kabuki performances at the Tôyoko Hall; Kikuzô played the roles of Hisamatsu, Oine, Sone Matsubê and Hananojô in "Nozaki-mura", "Ogurusu no Chôbê", "Bô Shibari" and "Shinjû Mannensô" [more details].

June 1963: premiere at the Kabukiza of Hagiwara Yukio's Nagauta-based dance-drama "Ôeyama Shuten Dôji"; Kikuzô played the role of Urabe Suetake [casting]. Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Yadonashi Danshichi Shigure no Karakasa" was produced for the first time at the Kabukiza; Kikuzô played the role of Sawamura Kunitarô [casting].

October 1965: Kikuzô took part in the first Kabuki tour in Western Europe; he played the roles of Fujiwara no Shihei and Hara Goemon in the dramas "Kurumabiki" and "Kanadehon Chûshingura" [casting].

March 1967: Kikuzô took part in the first Kabuki tour in Hawaii; he played the roles of the priest Hakuun, Hamamatsuya Kôbê, Hitachibô Kaison and Mochizuki in "Narukami", "Benten Kozô", "Kanjinchô" and "Momijigari".

September/October 1967: Kikuzô took part in the Kabuki tour in the United States of North America.

February 1976: revival at the Kabukiza of a 5-act revised version of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Kikuzô played the role of Tamatsubaki [casting].

March 1977: revival at the National Theatre of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Shiranui Monogatari"; Kikuzô played the roles of Ôtomo Gyôbu Munetsura and the hôin Katayama [more details].

February 1978: premiere at the Kabukiza of Ikenami Shôtarô's drama "Aibiki no Onna"; Kikuzô played the role of Ômiya Jûzô [more details].

20 June 1978: his father Onoe Taganojô III died.

February 1975: premiere at the Kabukiza of Ikenami Shôtarô's drama "Debauchi Otama"; Kikuzô played the role of the jochû Okane [more details].

January 1979: Kikuzô took part in the Kabuki tour in China.

January 1980: revival at the National Theatre of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's kaomise drama "Modoribashi Sena-ni Gohiiki" [more details]; Kikuzô played the role of Tsukishima Nagatsura.

March 1981: revival at the National Theatre of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Jitsugetsusei Kyôwa Seidan"; Kikuzô played the role of Amazake no Osute [casting].

September 1988: Kikuzô took part in the Kabuki tour in South Korea.

August 1990: revival at the Kabukiza of the kaidanmono "Kaidan Chibusa no Enoki"; Kikuzô played the role of Yorozuya Shinbê [casting]

January 1994: Kikuzô appeared on stage for the last time, in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza, where he played the role of Kyûsaku's wife Okô in the drama "Nozaki-mura".

30 October 2000: Kikuzô died in Tôkyô.

Comments:

Onoe Kikuzô VI was an important supporting actor of the Otowaya guild. He was mainly an onnagata actor but was also able to occasionally perform as a tachiyaku. His best roles were old women roles in sewamono dramas like Okane ("Kagatobi"), Otsune ("Kamiyui Shinza"), Otoku ("Gappô"), Okaya ("Kanpei Harakiri") or Okô ("Nozaki-mura").

Onoe Kikuzô VI playing the role of Okaya in the drama "Kanpei Harakiri"