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. There are a number of roles that the line of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 specialize in, as well as a series of plays, the Kabuki JÃ
«hachiban (The Kabuki Eighteen), which showcase the specialties of the Ichikawa family.
DanjÃ
«rÃ
Â, like other actors' names, is bestowed (or given up) at grand naming ceremonies called shÃ
«mei in which a number of actors formally change their names. The name DanjÃ
«rÃ
 is generally taken at the peak of an actor's career; another name may be taken after retirement. Prior to taking the name DanjÃ
«rÃ
Â, an actor frequently had the names Matsumoto KÃ
ÂshirÃ
Â, Ichikawa Shinnosuke, or Ichikawa EbizÃ
Â.
The design of the Ichikawa family mon, three squares nested inside one another, is called . Some of the actors in this line used "SanshÃ
Â" as their haimyÃ
Â, a nickname or alias used in poetry circles.
Lineage
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 I (May 1675 â February 1704) â also known as as a playwright; known as Ichikawa EbizÃ
 I prior to taking the name DanjÃ
«rÃ
Â. Originated the aragoto form.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 II (July 1704 â November 1735) â Eldest son of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 I; previously known as Ichikawa EbizÃ
 II and Ichikawa KuzÃ
Â.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 III (November 1735 â February 1742) â Adopted son of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 II, previously known as Ichikawa MasugorÃ
Â; died young.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 IV (November 1754 â October 1770) â Adopted son of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 II, possibly biological son. Previously known as Matsumoto KÃ
ÂshirÃ
 II and Ichikawa EbizÃ
 III.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 V (November 1770 â October 1791) â Son of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 IV. Previously known as Matsumoto KÃ
ÂshirÃ
 III and Ichikawa EbizÃ
Â. One of the most famous of all kabuki actors.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 VI (November 1791 â May 1799) â Son of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 V, previously known as Ichikawa EbizÃ
 VI. Died young.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 VII (November 1800 â February 1832) â Grandson of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 V, previously known as Ichikawa Shinnosuke I, Ichikawa YebizÃ
Â, and later as Ichikawa EbizÃ
 V. Established the Kabuki JÃ
«hachiban.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 VIII (March 1832 â August 1854) â Eldest son of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 VII, previously known as Ichikawa Shinnosuke II and Ichikawa EbizÃ
 VI. Committed suicide in Osaka.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 IX (1874 â September 1903) â Fifth son of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 VII. Previously known as Kawarazaki ChÃ
ÂjÃ
«rÃ
 III, Kawarazaki GonjÃ
«rÃ
 I, Kawarazaki Gonnosuke VII and Kawarazaki SanshÃ
Â. Star of the Meiji period's golden age of Kabuki.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 X (posthumous 1962) â Son-in-law of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 IX; previously known as Horikoshi FukusaburÃ
 and Ichikawa SanshÃ
 V. Played only minor roles, but revived many plays of the Kabuki JÃ
«hachiban.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 XI (April 1962 â November 1965) â Adopted son of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 X, his biological father was Matsumoto KÃ
ÂshirÃ
 VII. Previously known as Ichikawa KomazÃ
 V and Ichikawa EbizÃ
 IX.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 XII (April 1985 â February 2013) â Eldest son of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 XI. Previously known as Ichikawa Shinnosuke VI and Ichikawa EbizÃ
 X.
- Ichikawa DanjÃ
«rÃ
 XIII (October 2022 â current) â Takatoshi Horikoshi, son of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 XII. Previously known as EbizÃ
 XI. He planned to take the name of DanjÃ
«rÃ
 XIII in May 2020, but the name change was postponed when Kabuki shows were cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also
Notes
References
External links