Ichikawa Danjuro XII
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
actor. He is the twelfth kabuki
actor to hold the illustrious name Ichikawa Danjūrō
.
He is the eldest son of Ichikawa Danjūrō XI. He first appeared on stage in 1953 under his birth name Natsuo Horikoshi, and in 1958 took the name Ichikawa Shinnosuke. In 1969, he graduated from Nihon University
, and took the name Ichikawa Ebizō X
, acting in major roles such as the title character in Sukeroku and Togashi in Kanjinchō
. He assumed his present name in 1985, appearing as Benkei
(again in Kanjinchō). Though he underwent the formal shūmei
naming ceremony at the Kabuki-za
in Tokyo, the celebrations continued for several months, as is traditional; his performances that year in New York, Washington DC and Los Angeles would mark the first (and as of 2006, only) time that a shūmei was celebrated abroad.
Active outside Japan, Danjūrō has appeared in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Brussels, East Berlin, Dresden, Vienna, and Paris.
In addition, he has acted in television roles, including portraying Ōoka Tadasuke
in Honō no Bugyō Ōoka Echizen no Kami, as well as Tokugawa Mitsukuni
and Ashikaga Yoshimasa
.
Danjūrō was diagnosed with leukemia
in late spring 2004, after falling ill and becoming unable to perform alongside his son (Ichikawa Ebizō XI
), who was celebrating his shūmei at the time, having become the latest to take the name Ichikawa Ebizō
. Though illness, and subsequent hospitalization, forced Danjūrō to leave the stage for long stretches in 2004-05, he has since returned, and is still currently acting.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
actor. He is the twelfth kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
actor to hold the illustrious name Ichikawa Danjūrō
Ichikawa Danjuro
is a stage name taken on by a series of Kabuki actors of the Ichikawa family. Most of these were blood relatives, though some were adopted into the family. It is a famous and important name, and receiving it is an honor...
.
He is the eldest son of Ichikawa Danjūrō XI. He first appeared on stage in 1953 under his birth name Natsuo Horikoshi, and in 1958 took the name Ichikawa Shinnosuke. In 1969, he graduated from Nihon University
Nihon University
Nihon University is the largest university in Japan. Akiyoshi Yamada, the minister of justice, founded Nihon Law School in October 1889....
, and took the name Ichikawa Ebizō X
Ichikawa Ebizo
Ichikawa Ebizō is a stage name taken on by a series of Kabuki actors of the Ichikawa family. Most of these were blood relatives, though some were adopted into the family...
, acting in major roles such as the title character in Sukeroku and Togashi in Kanjinchō
Kanjincho
Kanjinchō is a Japanese kabuki play by Namiki Gohei III, based on the Noh play Ataka. It is one of the most popular plays in the modern kabuki repertory....
. He assumed his present name in 1985, appearing as Benkei
Saito Musashibo Benkei
, popularly called Benkei, was a Japanese warrior monk who served Minamoto no Yoshitsune. He is commonly depicted as a man of great strength and loyalty, and a popular subject of Japanese folklore.-Biography:...
(again in Kanjinchō). Though he underwent the formal shūmei
Shumei
Shūmei are grand naming ceremonies held in Kabuki theatre. Most often, a number of actors will participate in a single ceremony, taking on new stage-names....
naming ceremony at the Kabuki-za
Kabuki-za
' in Ginza was the principal theater in Tokyo for the traditional kabuki drama form.-Architecture:The original Kabuki-za was a wooden structure, built in 1889 on land which had been either the Tokyo residence of the Hosokawa clan of Kumamoto, or that of Matsudaira clan of Izu.The building was...
in Tokyo, the celebrations continued for several months, as is traditional; his performances that year in New York, Washington DC and Los Angeles would mark the first (and as of 2006, only) time that a shūmei was celebrated abroad.
Active outside Japan, Danjūrō has appeared in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Brussels, East Berlin, Dresden, Vienna, and Paris.
In addition, he has acted in television roles, including portraying Ōoka Tadasuke
Ooka Tadasuke
was a Japanese samurai in the service of the Tokugawa shogunate. During the reign of Tokugawa Yoshimune, as a magistrate of Edo, his roles included chief of police, judge and jury, and Yamada Magistrate prior to his tenure as South Magistrate of Edo...
in Honō no Bugyō Ōoka Echizen no Kami, as well as Tokugawa Mitsukuni
Tokugawa Mitsukuni
or was a prominent daimyo who was known for his influence in the politics of the early Edo period. He was the third son of Tokugawa Yorifusa and succeeded him, becoming the second daimyo of the Mito domain....
and Ashikaga Yoshimasa
Ashikaga Yoshimasa
was the 8th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1449 to 1473 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimasa was the son of the sixth shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori....
.
Danjūrō was diagnosed with leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
in late spring 2004, after falling ill and becoming unable to perform alongside his son (Ichikawa Ebizō XI
Ichikawa Ebizo XI
is the eleventh and current holder of the Ebizō name. He is a famous Kabuki and television actor and heir to the prestigious Ichikawa clan of kabuki actors....
), who was celebrating his shūmei at the time, having become the latest to take the name Ichikawa Ebizō
Ichikawa Ebizo
Ichikawa Ebizō is a stage name taken on by a series of Kabuki actors of the Ichikawa family. Most of these were blood relatives, though some were adopted into the family...
. Though illness, and subsequent hospitalization, forced Danjūrō to leave the stage for long stretches in 2004-05, he has since returned, and is still currently acting.
See also
- ShūmeiShumeiShūmei are grand naming ceremonies held in Kabuki theatre. Most often, a number of actors will participate in a single ceremony, taking on new stage-names....
- Ichikawa DanjūrōIchikawa Danjurois a stage name taken on by a series of Kabuki actors of the Ichikawa family. Most of these were blood relatives, though some were adopted into the family. It is a famous and important name, and receiving it is an honor...
- overview of the succession of kabuki actors to hold this name