Stage names:

Kataoka Roen VI
Kataoka Daisuke

Real name: Kataoka Daisuke

Guild: Matsushimaya

Line number: ROKUDAIME (VI)

Existence: 15 November 1926 ~ 25 December 2011

Connections:

Great-great-grandfather: Nakamura Karoku I

Great-grandfather: Kataoka Nizaemon VIII

Grand-father: Kataoka Nizaemon X

Father: Kataoka Nizaemon XII

Brothers: Kataoka Gadô V, Ichimura Yoshigorô II

Career:

June 1934: he made his first appearance on stage at the Kabukiza, performing under his real name.

16 March 1946: his father Kataoka Nizaemon XII was assassinated by a robber in his Tôkyô home.

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

January 1954: revival at the Shinbashi Enbujô of the Nagauta-based dance "Taimen Hana no Harukoma", which was entitled "Ataru Toshi Iwau Harukoma"; Daisuke played the role of Yawata no Saburô [casting].

March 1954: premiere at the Kabukiza of the 1st part of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Daisuke played the role of Ejima's brother Tejima Heihachirô [more details].

October 1954: premiere at the Kabukiza of the 2nd part of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Daisuke played the role of a wakazô [more details].

March 1955: premiere at the Kabukiza of the 3rd (and last) part of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Daisuke played the role of a wakadoshiyori and a tobi [more details].

October 1959: Kataoka Daisuke took the name of Kataoka Roen VI at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Onaka's brother Tokunosuke, the Enryakuji priest Chien/Ishida Mitsunari and the henchman Kôjirô in "Kurotegumi Kuruwa no Tatehiki", "Sesshô Kanpaku" and "Kanpei no Shi".

May 1965: shûmei at the Kabukiza for 3 young actors of the Otowaya guild; Onoe Ushinosuke V, Onoe Sakon I and Bandô Kamesaburô IV respectively took the names of Onoe Kikunosuke IV, Onoe Tatsunosuke I, and Bandô Shinsui VIII. The program also commemorated the 16th anniversary (17th memorial service) of the passing away of Onoe Kikugorô VI. Revival in the same theater of the danmari "Otowa-ga-Dake Danmari"; Roen played the role of Yûki Tamonnosuke [more details].

February 1975: premiere at the Kabukiza of Ikenami Shôtarô's drama "Debauchi Otama"; Roen played the role of the chaya customer Sakichi [more details].

April 1977: revival at the Meijiza of Katsu Genzô II's drama "Kimi-wa-Fune Nami no Uwajima"; Roen played the role of Wake Sanzaemon [casting].

September 1978: revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Suda no Haru Geisha Katagi"; Roen played the role of Shinraku Kanjûrô [casting].

July 1981: revival at the Kabukiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Hitori Tabi Gojûsan Tsugi"; Roen played the roles of Akabori Gengo and Akabaneya Jirosaku [casting].

April 1984: revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's 1813 kaomise drama "Gohiiki Tsunagi Uma"; Roen played the role of the doctor Harihiji Dôan [more details].

April 1987: Roen took part in the revival at the Meijiza of the play "Jûni Hitoe Komachi Zakura", which included the famous Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no seki no To" [more details].

March 2001: Roen played at the Shinbashi Enbujô the role of Ono no Kudayû in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which was staged by the Onoe Kikugorô Gekidan to commemorate the 12th anniversary (13th memorial service) and the 6th anniversary (7th memorial service) of the deaths of late Onoe Shôroku II and Onoe Baikô VII.

September 2007: Roen appeared on stage for the last time, in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza, where he played the role of the daimyô Asano Kii-no-Kuni-no-Kami Yoshinaga in the drama "Nijô-jô no Kiyomasa".

25 December 2011: Roen died of a myocardial infarction in Tôkyô.

Comments:

Kataoka Roen VI was a veteran tachiyaku/katakiyaku of the Matsushimaya guild, outstanding in the roles of old warriors or bordello owners.

Kataoka Roen's best roles were Yatsurugi Kageyu ("Ichijô Ôkura Monogatari"), Tosa Shôgen Mitsunobu ("Domo Mata"), Hitachibô Kaison ("Kanjinchô") and Taira no Kenjô Naokata ("Sodehagi Saimon").

The mon of Kataoka Roen VI

The Kataoka Roen line of actors