index
Part 1: Early modern times
Chapter 4 The performing arts and their milieu
ICHIKAWA Danjuro V, 1741–1806
A kabuki actor. Son of Ichikawa Danjuro IV. A leading performer of Edo kabuki from the An'ei to Kansei periods, he not only played burly warrior characters but also excelled at portraying female characters. In 1796, he retired, retreating into a residence called Hogoan in Mukojima. His pseudonym as a poet was Hakuen, and his pen name as a writer of kyoka (comic tanka poetry) was Hanamichi no Tsurane. He also authored numerous works, including essays, Kyoka, and kokkeibon (humorous books), and maintained close friendships with leading members of the literati.
44 Tsurezure azuma kotoba, [Late Edo Period] [245-155]
An essay collection written in the form of a parody of Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness). Although the manuscript shown here contains no explicit statement identifying it as being penned by Ichikawa Danjuro V, Hino Tatsuo, a scholar of Japanese literature, has judged this book to be a personal autograph copy by Danjuro V according to the handwriting, content, cover, and binding（Reference: Gosei ichikawa danjuro shu). Ichikawa Danjuro V was very fond of Tsurezuregusa. He cited the example of the phrase mochiagero (to lift up) in Section 22 of Tsurezuregusa and noted how its expression has changed from antiquity to the Middle Ages and then further to the then-contemporary Edo period.
ICHIKAWA Danjuro VII, 1791–1859
A kabuki actor. Grandson of Ichikawa Danjuro V. His pseudonyms as a poet included Sansho and Hakuen. He spread the popularity of and firmly established the Danjuro stage name throughout Japan. Meanwhile, his lavish private life ran afoul of the Tenpo reforms' prohibitions on luxury, ultimately leading to his banishment from Edo; this incident exemplifies how the times were not kind to him.
Closely associated with his literary pursuits, he left behind many gokan (a type of graphic short novel) and Kyoka, which provides us with a glimpse of his witty and urbane personality.
45 Kabuki juhachiban, 1852 [寄別2-7-2-1]
A single volume compiled by affixing 18 nishiki-e (woodblock-printed pictures) depicting the Kabuki juhachiban (the repertoire of eighteen classical kabuki plays). This book also contains an inscription by Danjuro VII describing its provenance. The Kabuki juhachiban comprises a repertoire of plays passed down and performed by successive generations of the Ichikawa Danjuro line; this repertoire was compiled by Danjuro VII around the Tenpo era. The prints are by Utagawa Toyokuni III.
（識語）（歌舞伎十八番）
ICHIKAWA Danjuro VIII, (1823-1854)
A kabuki actor and the eldest son of Ichikawa Danjuro VII. Assumed the stage name of Danjuro at the age of 10. He received enthusiastic popularity with his genius performance and striking good looks, but committed suicide at 32. Over 300 pieces of shini-e (a kind of woodblock print that is a portrait of a deceased figure inscribed with his Buddhist name or date of death) were thought to have been printed. Also being a master of painting and calligraphy, he left masterpieces under other pseudonyms including Sanjo and Yauan.
46 Yauan giga [寄別6-4-3-3]
Yauan is a pseudonym used by Ichikawa Danjuro VIII. The collection includes many light-touched drawings as if they had been drawn impromptu, and provides a profound impression with humor in places. The right page on display seemingly shows the main character of Shibaraku, kabuki juhachiban (the repertoire of eighteen classical kabuki plays). Danjuro VIII performed the Shibaraku role right after succeeding to the stage name. The left page displays a drawing of daruma with a haiku (a Japanese poem with a 5-7-5 syllable pattern) possibly by Danjuro VIII attached. Daruma's sullen face looks humorous.
SHIKITEI Sanba, 1776–1822
A novelist. He produced works in kibyoshi (a type of picture book), gokan, and kokkeibon (humorous books). His characteristic works include Kyantaiheiki muko hachimaki and Ukiyo buro. He also wrote many works based on kabuki and joruri. His kokkeibon set in playhouses portray actors and audiences; notable examples include Kejo suigen maku no soto and Kakusha hyobanki. He also authored a guidebook to kabuki titled Shibai kinmo zui.
47 Ichimuraza kyogen ehon [1716-1736] [京乙-361]
A shibai ehon (picture book of plays with simple supplementary explanations) depicting a performance of Furiwakegami hatsukai soga staged at Ichimuraza Theater in Edo in January 1735. On the front and back endpapers are marginal notes written by Sanba in the autumn of 1815. These notes discuss the popularity of Ichikawa Danjuro II when he acted in Furiwakegami hatsukai soga. They also address how Danjuro II, due to illness, passed on both his name Danjuro and his pseudonym as a poet, Sansho, to his adopted son Masugoro, who subsequently adopted the name Ebizo.