Stage names:

Ichikawa Udanji II
Ichikawa Unosuke I
Itô Unosuke

Real names: Ichikawa Unosuke/Itô Unosuke

Guild: Takashimaya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Kashô

Existence: 30 January 1881 ~ 16 October 1936

Connections:

Grandfather: Ichikawa Kodanji IV

Father: Ichikawa Sai'nyû I

Son: Ichikawa Unosuke II

Grandson: Ichikawa Sai'nyû II

Disciples: Ichikawa Ushô II, Ichikawa Tsurunojô

Career:

30 January 1881: born in Ôsaka in the district of Kasaya-chô.

November 1886: he started his career as a child actor; his first stage name was Itô Unosuke.

January 1902: Itô Unosuke took the name of Ichikawa Unosuke I (his real name).

January 1909: Ichikawa Udanji I and his son Ichikawa Unosuke I respectively took the names of Ichikawa Sai'nyû and Ichikawa Udanji II at the Kadoza.

September 1914: premiere at the Hongôza of the drama "Waki Noboru Mizu-ni Koi Taki"; Udanji played the role of Takimado Shiganosuke, in reality the spirit of a giant carp [casting].

June 1935: Udanji played at the Naniwaza the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Yoichibê and Sadakurô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

January 1936: Udanji played at the Nakaza the roles of Sagisaka Bannai, Rokuzô and Jûtarô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

April 1936: Udanji appeared on stage for the last time, playing at the Nakaza the role of Sakanaya Sôji in the drama "Higo no Komageta"; his main stage partners were Bandô Jusaburô III and Nakamura Kaisha.

Fall 1936: Udanji fell ill.

16 October 1936: Udanji died.

Comments:

Ichikawa Udanji II was a Kamigata actor, who followed in the footsteps of his father, excelling in hayagawari and keren, like the koi tsukami scene, the chûnori in a wicker basket for the robber Ishikawa Goemon, or the stage tricks of "Yotsuya Kaidan", "Hôkaibô" or "Kohata Koheiji". He was also a talented dancer, especially in spectacular dances like "Ayatsuri Sanbasô".

Ichikawa Udanji II

Print made by Utagawa Yoshiiku in 1893

The Ichikawa Unosuke line of actors

The Ichikawa Udanji line of actors