NANIWAZA - EBISUZA - CHIKUGOZA - CHIKUGO NO SHIBAI

NANIWAZA - ÔNISHI NO SHIBAI

Names

Naniwaza
Ebisuza
Chikugoza
Chikugo no Shibai
Ônishi no Shibai

City

Ôsaka

History

1st lunar month of 1742: premiere at the Ônishi no Shibai of the play "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura", which is produced by Sadoshima Chôgorô I and stars Ichikawa Ebizô II with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Narukami, Kumedera Danjô, Fudô Myôô	Ichikawa Ebizô II
Princess Taema	Onoe Kikugorô I
Hayashi Dennai	Yamamoto Kyôshirô I
Hata no Minbu, Hakuunbô (the Buddhist monk white cloud)	Sadoshima Chôgorô I
Takino	Yamashita Kinsaku I
Bun'ya Toyohide, Harukaze's concubine Koiso	Shibazaki Taminosuke
Hayagumo no Ôji	Nakamura Jiroza I
Yatsurugi Genba	Arashi Shichigorô I
Ishihara Sehei	Yamanaka Heijûrô I
Ono no Harukaze	Bandô Toyosaburô I
Harukaze's sister Nishiki-no-Mae	Yamatogawa Akashi

12th lunar month of 1745: the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" is staged at the Ônishi no Shibai for the first time, produced by Arashi San'emon IV with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Danshichi Kurobê	Nakayama Shinkurô I
Issun Tokubê	Sakurayama Shirosaburô II
Tsuribune Sabu	Arashi Shinpei I
Otatsu, Okaji	Arashi Koroku I
Mikawaya Giheiji	Fujikawa Hanzaburô II

The same play is simultaneously produced at the Naka no Shibai [casting], Kado no Shibai [casting] and Ônishi no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1757: premiere at the Ônishi no Shibai of Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Tenjiku Tokubê Kikigaki Ôrai", which was staged with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Tenjiku Tokubê, in reality Shôrinkei from Kôrai	Nakayama Shinkurô I
The Shôgun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, the kon'ya Shirokurô, Fuchibe Rokurô	Nakayama Bunshichi I
The sendô Matasaku, Hosokawa Katsumoto	Takenaka Heikichi
Miyoshi Chôkei, the taikô Tabê, the yakko Akinai	Kiriyama Monji I
Miyoshi Nuinojô	Matsuya Raisuke II
The yakko Haruhei	Bandô Kunigorô I
Kuwanaya Tadahachi, the yakko Fuyuzô	Minakawa Yaheiji
Matsunaga Wadanosuke, Shirokurô's mother Okuma, the yakko Natsusuke	Bandô Iwagorô
The taiko mochi Butsuhachi, the komeya Yasubê	Daimatsu Kyokusuke
Tenjiku Tokubê's nyôbô Ofune, the keisei Kashiwagi	Tatsuoka Hisagiku
Yoshiteru's midaidokoro Asaka Gozen, Shirokurô's nyôbô Omoto	Asao Motogorô I
Ishidô Genba, the kutsuwaya Heiroku	Nakayama Gonjûrô
Kuretake, Kuwanaya Tadahachi's nyôbô Oiku	Hanagiri Saizô

12th lunar month of 1768: the play "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki" is simultaneously staged at the Ônishi no Shibai and the Naka no Shibai. The actors Arashi Hinasuke I and Nakayama Bunshichi I, compete for the best performance in the role of Nuregami Chôgorô and the title of Ôsaka best tachiyaku. "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki" is produced at the Ônishi no Shibai by Yamashita Yaozô I with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
The sumô wrestler Nuregami Chôgorô	Arashi Hinasuke I
Hanaregoma Chôkichi	Fujikawa Hachizô I
Hashimoto Jibuemon, Okô	Arashi Kichisaburô I
Jûjibê	Nakayama Raisuke I
Azuma	Sawamura Kunitarô I
Oseki, Yogorô	Arashi San'emon V

5th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1827: a fire breaks out in the Kado no Shibai, destroying the Naka no Shibai, Ônishi no Shibai and Kadomaru no Shibai.

8th lunar month of 1841: great performances of the Edo star Onoe Kikugorô III at the Ônishi no Shibai; he plays the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Kô no Moronô, Hayano Kanpei and Tonase in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". He also plays the roles of Sakuramaru, Takebe Genzô and Kan Shôjô in "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". The roles of Okaru, Tonami and Yae are played by Arashi Tokusaburô III.

9th lunar month of 1841: Onoe Kikugorô III plays at the Ônishi no Shibai the roles of Tokubê and Kikuichi in the drama "Tenjiku Tokubê Ikoku Banashi". He also plays the roles of Oiwa, Kohei and Yomoshichi in "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan".

11th lunar month of 1843: Arashi Tokusaburô III takes the name of Arashi Rikan III at the Ônishi no Shibai.

2nd lunar month of 1847: Nakamura Shibazô I takes the name of Nakamura Gizaemon at the Chikugo no Shibai.

8th lunar month of 1852: premiere at the Chikugo no Shibai of the dance "Ayatsuri Sanbasô"; the role of Sanbasô is performed by Arashi Rikaku II.

5th lunar month of 1854: Ichikawa Danzô VI plays for the first time the role of Shunkan in the drama "Heike Nyogo no Shima", which is staged at the Chikugo no Shibai. His stage partners are Nakamura Tamashichi I (Chidori) and Arashi Rikaku II (Senoo Tarô).

Spring 1860: Nakamura Jakuemon I becomes zagashira at the Chikugo no Shibai and successfully produces the drama "Hime Kurabe Futaba Ezôji".

4th lunar month of 1871: Nakamura Umenosuke joins the star Arashi Rikan IV and takes the name of Arashi Kitsusaburô IV, playing 3 roles in the drama "Katakiuchi Midô Mae", which is staged at the Chikugo no Shibai.

1872: Jitsukawa Enjaku I becomes zagashira at the Chikugo no Shibai.

October 1873: premiere at the Chikugo no Shibai of Katsu Genzô II's drama "Kimi-wa-Fune Nami no Uwajima", which is staged with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Yanbe Seibê, the yakko Dôsuke	Nakamura Fukusuke III
Wake Sanzaemon, Okaku	Nakamura Shichigasuke

End of February 1876: a fire breaks out in the Western wing of the Chikugoza and destroys all the Dôtonbori theaters.

September 1876: the theater is rebuilt and is renamed Ebisuza.

October 1881: premiere at the Ebisuza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Shorei no Oku no Te", which is staged with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Okada Ryôsuke, Ogasawara Tôtômi-no-Kami	Jitsukawa Enjaku I
Ogasawara Haito, the yakko Kikuhei (in reality the fox of Mt. Myôjin), Ohaya	Nakamura Fukusuke III
Inugami Hyôbu	Ichikawa Aragorô III
Odai-no-Kata, Koheiji	Arashi Kitsusaburô IV
Ogasawara Buzen-no-Kami	Jitsukawa Enzaburô III

October 1887: the Ebisuza is renamed Naniwaza.

November 1893: the puppet drama "Kamiko Jitate Ryômen Kagami" is adapted for Kabuki for the first time, in Ôsaka at the Naniwaza; it is staged with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Yorozuya Sukeemon, the bantô Gonpachi	Kataoka Gatô III
Omatsu	Sawamura Gennosuke IV
Daimonjiya Eizaburô	Ichikawa Ichizô IV

29 April 1904: the Naniwaza is destroyed by fire.

April 1912: premiere at the Naniwaza of Okamoto Kidô's "Heikegani", which stars Onoe Baikô VI and Sawamura Sôjûrô VII.

March 1934: "Ôishi Saigo no Ichinichi", the tenth and last play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura" is staged for the first time in Ôsaka, at the Naniwaza from the 3rd to 16th of March, and in Kyôto, at the Minamiza from the 17th to the 27th of March [casting]. It is staged at the Naniwaza with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Ôishi Kuranosuke	Bandô Jusaburô III
Isogai Jûrôzaemon	Nakamura Senjaku I
Shizuma, in reality Omino	Matsumoto Kingo II
Araki Jûzaemon	Arashi Kichisaburô VII
Akabane Genzô	Arashi Kakuzô V
Hosokawa Naiki	Bandô Junosuke
Hisanaga Naiki	Bandô Hôsuke
Horiuchi Den'emon	Ichikawa Dan'en I

October 1919: premiere at the Naniwaza of the drama "Tôjûrô no Koi", which was staged with the following casting:

Roles	Actors
Sakata Tôjûrô I	Nakamura Ganjirô I
Okaji	Nakamura Baigyoku III
Kirinami Senju I	Nakamura Kaisha
The nadai Miyako Mandayû	Onoe Tamizô III
A taiko mochi	Ichikawa Ichizô IV

13 March 1945: the Naniwaza is destroyed during the bombing of Ôsaka.

Illustrated program for the 1887 opening of the Naniwaza