Stage names:

Segawa Rokô IV
Segawa Michinosuke I
Segawa Kikunosuke
Nakamura Sennosuke I
Bandô Sennosuke

Others names:

Segawa Kikunojô IV
En'ya Rokô

Guilds: Hamamuraya, En'ya

Line number: YODAIME (IV)

Poetry name: Rokô (4)

Blazon: the spray of tied cotton (yui wata)

Existence: 1782 ~ 29th day of the 11th lunar month of 1812 ^[1]

Connections:

Adoptive father: Nakamura Jûzô III (?) ^[2]

Father: Nakamura Jûzô II (?) ^[3]

Father-in-law (and adoptive father): Segawa Kikunojô III

Son-in-laws: Iwai Hanshirô VII, Segawa Kikunojô V

Grandsons: Iwai Hanshirô VIII, Segawa Tamon II (Nakamura Daikichi III)

Career:

1782: born in Edo in the district of Kobiki-chô. His mother was the daughter of En'ya Ihachi, the owner of a shibai jaya. His father was said to be Nakamura Jûzô II. He did his training in a troupe of children-actors (kodomo shibai), performing under the name of Bandô Sennosuke.

1st lunar month of 1792: he made his first appearance on stage, in Edo at the Kawarasakiza, where he performed as a koyaku under the name of Nakamura Sennosuke I in the drama "Keisei Kogane no Hakarime".

3rd lunar month of 1798: Sennosuke became wakaonnagata at the Kiriza, where he played the role of the courtesan Wakatake in the drama "Miotsukushi Naniwa no Nagame".

Fall 1799: he got married with the daughter of Segawa Kikunojô III and was adopted by his father-in-law.

11th lunar month of 1799: he received the name of Segawa Kikunosuke at the Ichimuraza, performing in the kaomise drama "Utsukushiki Yuki no Sekai".

2nd lunar month of 1800: Namiki Gohei's drama "Gosan no Kiri" was staged for the first time in Edo, at the Ichimuraza in a somewhat different version entitled "Sanmon Gosan no Kiri" instead of "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri"; Kikunosuke played the role of the courtesan Kokonoe [casting].

8th lunar month of 1801: first grand shûmei for the Hamamuraya guild, in Edo at the Ichimuraza; Segawa Kikunojô III, Segawa Kikunosuke, Segawa Kikusaburô II and Segawa Matsunosuke respectively took the names of Segawa Rokô III, Segawa Michinosuke I, Segawa Michisaburô I and Segawa Hamajirô. They performed together in the drama "Dôjima Tamino no Tsumikomi".

11th lunar month of 1801: Michinosuke performed at the Ichimuraza in Namiki Gohei I in the kaomise drama "Otoko Narikeri Onna Masakado", which celebrated the shûmei of Omegawa Kyôjûrô, Matsumoto Kôshirô V, Ichikawa Komazô IV and Bandô Zenji II.

1st lunar month of 1802: Michinosuke's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

3rd lunar month of 1802: Michinosuke played in the same theater the role of Kozakura in the drama "Tenmangû Natane no Gokû".

5th lunar month of 1802: Michinosuke played in the same theater the roles of Okumi and Okita in the drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku".

11th lunar month of 1802: Michinosuke performed at the Ichimuraza in Fukumori Kyûsuke I's kaomise drama "Toki-ni Ôshû Tsubo no Ishibumi".

6th lunar month of 1803: Michinosuke played in the same theater the roles of Orie, Okumi, Kaoyo Gozen and Oharu in the drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku". He also played the role of Sakuraya Koman in the drama "Godairiki Koi no Fûjime"; the roles of Sasano Sangobê and Satsuma Gengobê were played by Ichikawa Omezô I and Sawamura Gennosuke I.

7th lunar month of 1803: Michinosuke played in the same theater the roles of Ono no Komachi, the courtesan Sumizome and the spirit of Komachi's cherry tree in the dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no Seki no To".

9th lunar month of 1803: Michinosuke played in the same theater the role of Hinadori in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin". He also played the role of Okaru in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

11th lunar month of 1803: Michinosuke performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Mutsu no Hana Monomi no Matsu".

1st lunar month of 1804: Michinosuke's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

6th lunar month of 1804: Michinosuke played in the same theater the roles of Chidori, Ofude and Tomoe Gozen in the drama "Hirakana Seisuiki".

9th lunar month of 1804: Namiki Gohei I's drama "Kanjin Kanmon Tekuda no Hajimari" was staged for the first time in Edo, produced by Ichimura Uzaemon XI at the Ichimuraza; Michinosuke played the role of the keisei Takao [more details]. Michinosuke also played the role of Gotobê's wife Sekijo in the drama "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô".

11th lunar month of 1804: Michinosuke performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Mishi Tamadare Yuki no Furusato", which celebrated the shûmei of Suketakaya Takasuke II, Ichikawa Takinosuke and Kiriyama Monji III.

1st lunar month of 1805: Michinosuke's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1805: Michinosuke performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Keisei Yoshino no Kane".

1st lunar month of 1806: Michinosuke's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was back to jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

4th lunar month of 1806: Michinosuke played in the same theater the roles of Konami and Okaru in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

11th lunar month of 1806: Michinosuke performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Wakazakari Heike Monogatari", which welcomed in Edo the actors Bandô Hikosaburô III and Ichikawa Dannosuke III. The performance was interrupted the 13th day of the 11th lunar month by a sudden fire, which burned the theater to ashes and killed many members of the audience.

11th lunar month of 1807: second grand shûmei for the Hamamuraya guild, at the Nakamuraza; Segawa Rokô III and Segawa Michinosuke I respectively took the names of Segawa Senjo and Segawa Rokô IV. The two actors achieve a great success by performing in the kaomise drama "Kaikei Yuki no Konoshita".

1st lunar month of 1808: Rokô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

7th lunar month of 1808: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Segawa Jokô II's drama "Zôho Izari no Adauchi"; Rokô played the role of Katsugorô's wife Hatsuhana [casting].

11th lunar month of 1808: Rokô performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Gohiiki Onga no Shimadai".

1st lunar month of 1809: Rokô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. He was the kanjiku for onnagata actors.

4th lunar month of 1809: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the 7-role Nagauta-based dance-drama "Kantan Sono no Kikuchô"; Rokô played the roles of a keisei, a komori, Kintarô and a shirabyôshi [more details].

8th lunar month of 1809: Rokô played in the same theater the role of Kagaribi in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".

9th lunar month of 1809: Rokô performed in the same theater in the drama "Hade Kurabe Ise Monogatari".

11th lunar month of 1809: Rokô performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Ôshû Dachiyuki no Kurogoma".

1st lunar month of 1810: Rokô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He was the kanjiku for onnagata actors.

3rd lunar month of 1810: Rokô played in the same theater the role of Kuretake in the drama "Sanmon Gosan no Kiri".

9th lunar month of 1810: Rokô played in the same theater the roles of Takao, the tôfuya musume Omachi and Okinoi in the drama "Date Asobi Kuruwa Fûzoku", whose plot and characters belonged to the "Meiboku Sendai Hagi" world; Rokô's adoptive father Segawa Senjo played the role of Masaoka and it was his last stage appearance.

11th lunar month of 1810: Rokô performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Yuki to Tsuki Hana no Kuronushi".

4th day of the 12th lunar month of 1810 ^[4]: his adoptive father Segawa Senjo died.

7th lunar month of 1811: Rokô played in the same theater the roles of Chiyo and Tatsuta-no-Mae in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". He also played the roles of Kaoyo Gozen, Tonase and Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

11th lunar month of 1811: Rokô performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Itsukushima Yuki no Mitegura", which celebrated the shûmei of Sawamura Sôjûrô IV.

1st lunar month of 1812: Rokô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He played in the same theater the role of Kewaizaka no Shôshô (Gorô's lover) in the new year sogamono drama "Hatsuwakana Harutsuge Soga"; his stage partners were Sawamura Sôjûrô IV (Kudô Saemon Suketsune), Ichikawa Danjûrô VII (Soga Gorô Tokimune, Soga Jûrô Sukenari) and Sawamura Tanosuke II (Ôiso no Tora).

5th lunar month of 1812: Rokô played in the same theater the roles of Hinadori and Omiwa in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".

11th lunar month of 1812: Rokô appeared on stage for the last time, in Edo at the Nakamuraza, where he performed in the kaomise drama "Edo Zakura Megumi no Takanori" and the dance-drama "Sekai no Iro Hana to iru Yuki".

29th day of the 11th lunar month of 1812 ^[1]: Rokô died in Edo.

Comments:

Segawa Rokô IV was a popular actor and a rival of Iwai Hanshirô V for the title of Edo best onnagata. He excelled in the roles of maiden or spouse in sewamono dramas. He was unfortunately cut down in his prime and posthumously received the name of Segawa Kikunojô IV.

[1] The 29th day of the 11th lunar month of the 9th year of the Bunka era was the 1st of January 1813 in the western calendar.

[2] In the 1794 Edo hyôbanki, it was recorded that Sennosuke was the adopted son of the actor Nakamura Jûzô III, who was performing in Ôsaka, not Edo, during the 1790s.

[3] His official father was En'ya Ihachi but the identity of the real father was not clear. It was most likely Nakamura Jûzô II, a Kamigata actor who performed in Edo for several seasons.

[4] The 4th day of the 12th lunar month of the 7th year of the Bunka era was the 29th of December 1810 in the western calendar.

Segawa Rokô IV playing the role of Tomoe Gozen in the "Onna Shibaraku" scene of the kaomise drama "Kaikei Yuki no Konoshita", which was staged at the Nakamuraza in the 11th lunar month of 1807 (print made by Utagawa Toyokuni I)

Prints & Illustrations

The Nakamura Sennosuke line of actors

The Segawa Rokô line of actors

The Segawa Kikunojô line of actors