Stage names:

Arashi Rikan IV
Arashi Tokusaburô IV
Arashi Wasaburô II

Real name: Asakawa Rikan

Guild: Hamuraya

Poetry name: Baien

Line number: YODAIME (IV)

Existence: 1837 ~ 31 May 1894

Connections:

Father: Arashi Rikan III

Adopted son: Arashi Rikan V

Grandson: Arashi Tokusaburô VI

Disciples: Arashi Ganshô, Arashi Rishô II, Arashi Minshi V, Arashi Kitsusaburô IV, Arashi Mikan, Arashi Ritoku

Career:

1837: born in Ôsaka.

7th lunar month of 1846: first stage appearance; he received the name of Arashi Wasaburô II.

11th lunar month of 1851: Arashi Rikan III and his son Wasaburô went together to Edo and performed at the Kawarasakiza in the drama "Nobori Goi Taki no Shirahata".

12th lunar month of 1855: they went back to Kamigata.

2nd lunar month of 1861: Arashi Wasaburô II took the name of Arashi Tokusaburô IV in Ôsaka at the Chikugo no Shibai.

21st day of the 4th lunar month of 1863 ^[1]: his father Arashi Rikan III died.

8th lunar month of 1867: Arashi Tokusaburô IV took the name of Arashi Rikan IV in Ôsaka at the Chikugo no Shibai, playing seven roles in the drama "Osome Hisamatsu Ukina no Yomiuri".

1st lunar month of 1872: Rikan played at the Chikugo no Shibai the role of Iwanaga Saemon in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki"; his stage partners were Ôtani Tomoemon V (Akoya), Arashi Hinasuke VI (Shigetada) and Jitsukawa Enjaku I (Hanzawa Rokurô).

November 1877: Rikan played for the first time the role of Tamate Gozen in the drama "Sesshû Gappô-ga-Tsuji", which was staged at the Kitagawa no Shibai; his stage partners were Nakamura Kashichi (Gappô) and Jitsukawa Ganjirô (Takayasu Shuntokumaru).

March 1880: Rikan played at the Ebisuza (Ôsaka) the role of the Princess Toki in the classic "Kamakura Sandaiki"; his stage partners were Jitsukawa Enjaku I (Miuranosuke) and Onoe Tamizô II (Sasaki Takatsuna).

September 1881: Rikan went to Tôkyô; Rikan achieved a great success by playing the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Tsukimizuki Kitsune Kuzu-no-Ha", which was staged at the Ichimuraza; the role of Abe no Yasuna was played by Suketakaya Takasuke IV. Rikan also played in the drama "Seki-ga-Hara Tôzai Gunki".

May 1883: première at the Ichimuraza of the drama "Shin Sarayashiki Tsuki no Amagasa"; Rikan played the role of Urato Jûzaemon [casting].

October 1883: Rikan went back to Ôsaka and performed at the Ebisuza in the drama "Ôeyama Minamoto no Tsuwamono".

1884: tour in Nagoya.

October 1884: Rikan played at the Ebisuza (Ôsaka) the role of Motoemon in the drama "Tengajaya-mura"; his stage partners were Arashi Kitsusaburô IV (Iori), Nakamura Ganjirô I (Genjirô), Jitsukawa Enjaku I (Yasuke, Kôemon) and Ichikawa Aragorô III (Tôma Saburôemon).

April 1887: premiere at the Nakaza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Nikaigasa Yagyû Jikki"; Rikan played the role of Ôkubo Hikozaemon [casting].

June 1892: Rikan played for the last time the role of Tamate Gozen in the drama "Sesshû Gappô-ga-Tsuji", which was staged at the Naka no Shibai; his stage partners were Arashi Kichisaburô V (Gappô) and Nakamura Fukumatsurô (Takayasu Shuntokumaru).

31 May 1894: Rikan died.

Comments:

Arashi Rikan IV was a great kaneru yakusha, who was endowed with a beautiful voice (his line-delivery was perfect) and achieved fame for himself not only in his native Kamigata but also in Tôkyô. His forte were jidaimono dramas and he took part in the creations of several new dramas.

[1] The 21st day of the 4th lunar month of the 3rd year of the Bunkyû era was the 7th of June 1863 in the western calendar.

Arashi Rikan IV playing the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Tsukimizuki Kitsune Kuzu-no-Ha", which was staged in September 1881 at the Ichimuraza (print made by Yôshû Chikanobu)

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1853

Print made by Nakai Yoshitaki in 1866

Print made by Utagawa Kunikazu in 1867

Print made by Yôshû Chikanobu in 1881

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1882

Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1883

The Arashi Wasaburô line of actors

The Arashi Tokusaburô line of actors

The Arashi Rikan line of actors