Onoe Kikugoro III
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese kabuki
actor, the first and among the most famous kaneru yakusha, a type of actor who performs a wide variety of roles. This is in contrast to the vast majority of kabuki actors, who specialize in only playing women, heroes, villains, or other particular types of roles. Kikugorō was close friends with the playwright Tsuruya Nanboku IV, who wrote the role of Oiwa, in the play Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan
, specifically for him.
Kikugorō was adopted into the kabuki world by Onoe Shōroku I. He had three sons, Onoe Matsusuke III, Onoe Eizaburō IV, and Onoe Kikunosuke, and a grandson, Onoe Kikugorō V
. Onoe Kikugorō IV and Ichimura Uzaemon XII were his sons-in-law.
By 1810, he had already become acquainted with Tsuruya Nanboku IV, and had seen his first son's stage debut. Over the course of his career, he would develop a strong relationship with the playwright, performing in many of his productions, often alongside his own sons. Taking part in a number of shūmei
naming ceremonies alongside his sons, the actor went through several different names, often passing them on to his sons, and finally taking the name Kikugorō III in 1815.
Kikugorō played the lead role of Oiwa, wife of Iemon, in the 1825 premiere of the now-famous ghost play Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan; the role was written specifically for him by his playwright friend. Among his many roles over his career were those of Ōboshi Yuranosuke, Kō no Moronao
and Tonase in Kanadeon Chūshingura, Sugawara no Michizane
in Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami
, and Shizuka Gozen
and Itami Gonta in Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura
. His rivalry with fellow actor Ichikawa Danjūrō VII added to the excitement and appeal of their many performances together.
He entered retirement in September 1847, after a final performance at the Ichimura-za
, in a program called "Onoe Baiju Ichidai Banashi" after him. In his retirement, he took on the name Kikuya Manbei, and ran a mochi
shop called the Kiku-ya. Kikugorō returned to the stage, however, the following year, performing under the stage name Ōgawa Hashizō I, in Edo
and on a short tour in Nagoya.
Settling in Osaka
towards the end of 1848, he fell ill the following year and died at the Kakegawa
station on the Tōkaidō
post road.
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, the first and among the most famous kaneru yakusha, a type of actor who performs a wide variety of roles. This is in contrast to the vast majority of kabuki actors, who specialize in only playing women, heroes, villains, or other particular types of roles. Kikugorō was close friends with the playwright Tsuruya Nanboku IV, who wrote the role of Oiwa, in the play Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan
Tokaido Yotsuya kaidan
is a 1959 Japanese horror film, directed by Nobuo Nakagawa and based on the 19th century Japanese Kabuki play by Nanboku Tsuruya of the same name.-Plot summary:A greedy young warrior plots to murder his wife, suffers ghastly consequences....
, specifically for him.
Names and Lineage
Like most kabuki actors, Kikugorō went by a number of different stage names over the course of his career. He debuted as Onoe Eizaburō I, and spent time as Ōgawa Hashizō I, Onoe Baikō III, and Onoe Matsusuke II, before taking the name Onoe Kikugorō in 1815. He also used the poetry names (haimyō) Baiju, Gachō, Sanchō, and Baikō.Kikugorō was adopted into the kabuki world by Onoe Shōroku I. He had three sons, Onoe Matsusuke III, Onoe Eizaburō IV, and Onoe Kikunosuke, and a grandson, Onoe Kikugorō V
Onoe Kikugorō V
' was a Japanese Kabuki actor, one of the three most famous and celebrated of the Meiji period, along with Ichikawa Danjūrō IX and Ichikawa Sadanji I. Unlike most kabuki actors, who specialize in a particular type of role, Kikugorō, as a kaneru yakusha, played both tachiyaku and onnagata roles...
. Onoe Kikugorō IV and Ichimura Uzaemon XII were his sons-in-law.
Career
Kikugorō made his debut on stage at the age of four in 1789, as Onoe Eizaburō I.By 1810, he had already become acquainted with Tsuruya Nanboku IV, and had seen his first son's stage debut. Over the course of his career, he would develop a strong relationship with the playwright, performing in many of his productions, often alongside his own sons. Taking part in a number of 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 ceremonies alongside his sons, the actor went through several different names, often passing them on to his sons, and finally taking the name Kikugorō III in 1815.
Kikugorō played the lead role of Oiwa, wife of Iemon, in the 1825 premiere of the now-famous ghost play Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan; the role was written specifically for him by his playwright friend. Among his many roles over his career were those of Ōboshi Yuranosuke, Kō no Moronao
Ko no Moronao
was a Japanese samurai of the Nanboku-chō period who was the first to hold the position of Shitsuji . He was appointed by Ashikaga Takauji, the first shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. As Deputy, he served not only an administrative governmental function, but also as general of the Shogun's armies...
and Tonase in Kanadeon Chūshingura, Sugawara no Michizane
Sugawara no Michizane
, also known as Kan Shōjō , a grandson of Sugawara no Kiyotomo , was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian Period of Japan...
in Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami
Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami
is a Japanese bunraku and kabuki play jointly written by Takeda Izumo I, Takeda Izumo II, Namiki Sōsuke and Miyoshi Shōraku. Along with Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura and Kanadehon Chūshingura, it is one of the three most famous and popular plays in the kabuki repertoire...
, and Shizuka Gozen
Shizuka Gozen
Shizuka Gozen , or Lady Shizuka, one of the most famous women in Japanese history and literature, was a shirabyōshi of the 12th century, and a mistress of Minamoto no Yoshitsune...
and Itami Gonta in Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura
Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura
Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura , or Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees, is a Japanese play, one of the three most popular and famous in the Kabuki repertoire...
. His rivalry with fellow actor Ichikawa Danjūrō VII added to the excitement and appeal of their many performances together.
He entered retirement in September 1847, after a final performance at the Ichimura-za
Ichimura-za
The ' was a major kabuki theatre in the Japanese capital of Edo , for much of the Edo period, and into the 20th century. It was first opened in 1634 and was run by members of the Ichimura family for much of the following nearly three centuries before being destroyed by fire in 1932 and not...
, in a program called "Onoe Baiju Ichidai Banashi" after him. In his retirement, he took on the name Kikuya Manbei, and ran a mochi
Mochi
Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice pounded into paste and molded into shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year and is commonly sold and eaten during that time...
shop called the Kiku-ya. Kikugorō returned to the stage, however, the following year, performing under the stage name Ōgawa Hashizō I, in Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
and on a short tour in Nagoya.
Settling in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
towards the end of 1848, he fell ill the following year and died at the Kakegawa
Kakegawa, Shizuoka
is a city in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 117,858 and a population density of 444 persons per km². The total area was 265.63 km².-Geography:...
station on the Tōkaidō
Tokaido (road)
The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....
post road.