is a stage name taken on by a series of

Kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance- drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. Kabuki is thought ...

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. Ebizō, like other actors' names, is bestowed (or given up) at grand naming ceremonies called '' shūmei'' in which a number of actors formally change their names. A number of actors have followed a particular sequence in their stage names, preceding "Ebizō" by being called

Ichikawa Shinnosuke 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. Shinnosuke, like other actors' names, is bestowed (or given up) at grand naming ceremonie ...

or Matsumoto Kōshirō, and following it by achieving the name Ichikawa Danjūrō. The design of the Ichikawa family ''

mon Mon, MON or Mon. may refer to: Places * Mon State, a subdivision of Myanmar * Mon, India, a town in Nagaland * Mon district, Nagaland * Mon, Raebareli, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India * Mon, Switzerland, a village in the Canton of Grisons * A ...

'', three squares nested inside one another, is called ''mimasu'' (三升).

Lineage

* Ichikawa Ebizō I (1673 – April 1675)Note: the dates given here do not represent the birth/death dates of the actor; rather, they indicate the period during which the actor held the name Danjūrō. – Took the name Danjūrō in 1693, becoming the first Ichikawa Danjūrō. Originated the '' aragoto'' form. *

Ichikawa Ebizō II may refer to: Places *Ichikawa, Chiba, a city in Chiba, Japan **Ichikawa Gakuen (Ichikawa Junior and Senior High School), a large private boys and girls school in Moto-kita-kata, Ichikawa, Chiba * Ichikawa, Hyogo, a town in Hyōgo, Japan *Ichikawa ...

(November 1735 – September 1758) – Eldest son of Ebizō I; previously known as Ichikawa Kuzō and later as Ichikawa Danjūrō II. *

Ichikawa Ebizō III may refer to: Places *Ichikawa, Chiba, a city in Chiba, Japan **Ichikawa Gakuen (Ichikawa Junior and Senior High School), a large private boys and girls school in Moto-kita-kata, Ichikawa, Chiba * Ichikawa, Hyogo, a town in Hyōgo, Japan *Ichikawa ...

(November 1772 – March 1778) – Adopted son of Ebizō II, possibly biological son. Previously known as Matsumoto Kōshirō II, and later as Ichikawa Danjūrō III. * Ichikawa Ebizō IV (November 1782 – October 1791) – Son of Ichikawa Danjūrō V, grandson of Ebizō III; Later known as Ichikawa Danjūrō VI. Died young. * Ichikawa Ebizō V (1797 – October 1800, March 1832 – March 1859) – Grandson of Danjūrō V, previously known as Ichikawa Shinnosuke I and Ichikawa YebizōNote: though this would be "Ebizō" in modern revised Japanese, it was written with different characters, as , and thus is considered a separate name. See

Historical kana usage The , or , refers to the in general use until orthographic reforms after World War II; the current orthography was adopted by Cabinet order in 1946. By that point the historical orthography was no longer in accord with Japanese pronunciatio ...

. and Ichikawa Danjūrō VII. Established the ''

Kabuki Jūhachiban The , or Eighteen Best Kabuki Plays, is a set of kabuki plays, strongly associated with the Ichikawa Danjūrō line of actors ever since their premieres. These works were chosen and assembled as "the eighteen" by actor Ichikawa Danjūrō VII (180 ...

''. * Ichikawa Ebizō VI (March 1825 to February 1832) – Eldest son of Ebizō V. Previously known as Ichikawa Shinnosuke II, later known as Danjūrō VIII. Committed suicide in Osaka. *

Ichikawa Ebizō VII may refer to: Places *Ichikawa, Chiba, a city in Chiba, Japan **Ichikawa Gakuen (Ichikawa Junior and Senior High School), a large private boys and girls school in Moto-kita-kata, Ichikawa, Chiba * Ichikawa, Hyogo, a town in Hyōgo, Japan *Ichikawa ...

(1874) – Third son of Ebizō V. Previously known as Ichikawa Shinnosuke III. *

Ichikawa Ebizō VIII may refer to: Places *Ichikawa, Chiba, a city in Chiba, Japan **Ichikawa Gakuen (Ichikawa Junior and Senior High School), a large private boys and girls school in Moto-kita-kata, Ichikawa, Chiba * Ichikawa, Hyogo, a town in Hyōgo, Japan *Ichikawa ...

(1881 – November 1886) – Seventh son of Ebizō V, brother to

Ichikawa Danjūrō IX was one of the most successful and famous Kabuki actors of the Meiji period (1868–1912). Ninth in the line of actors to hold the name Ichikawa Danjūrō, he is depicted in countless ''ukiyo-e'' actor prints (''yakusha-e''), and is widely c ...

. Previously known as Ichikawa Akanbei, Ichikawa Juzō, Ichikawa Saruzō II, and Ichikawa Shinnosuke IV. * Ichikawa Ebizō IX (May 1940 – March 1962) – Adopted son of

Ichikawa Danjūrō X may refer to: Places *Ichikawa, Chiba, a city in Chiba, Japan **Ichikawa Gakuen (Ichikawa Junior and Senior High School), a large private boys and girls school in Moto-kita-kata, Ichikawa, Chiba * Ichikawa, Hyogo, a town in Hyōgo, Japan *Ichikawa ...

, his biological father was

Matsumoto Kōshirō VII was a Japanese actor. He was one of the leading ''tachiyaku'' Kabuki actors of Japan's Meiji period (1868–1912) through the late 1940s. Names Like most Kabuki actors, Kōshirō took various stage names ('' gō'') over the course of his caree ...

. Previously known as Ichikawa Komazō V and later as Ichikawa Danjūrō XI. * Ichikawa Ebizō X (November 1969 to March 1985) – Eldest son of Ebizō IX. Previously known as Ichikawa Shinnosuke VI and later as Ichikawa Danjūrō XII. He was the latest holder of the name Ichikawa Danjūrō, until his death in February 2013. *

Ichikawa Ebizō XI may refer to: Places *Ichikawa, Chiba, a city in Chiba, Japan ** Ichikawa Gakuen (Ichikawa Junior and Senior High School), a large private boys and girls school in Moto-kita-kata, Ichikawa, Chiba * Ichikawa, Hyogo, a town in Hyōgo, Japan *Ichikaw ...

(May 2004–October 2022) – Son of Ebizō X. Previously known as Ichikawa Shinnosuke VII. Succeeded his father in October 2022 as Ichikawa Danjūrō XIII.

Notes

Ichikawa Danjūrō V also known as , was one of the most famous and popular Japanese Kabuki actors of all time. Throughout his career, Danjūrō would hold some of the highest ranks in the '' hyōbanki'', an annual Edo publications which evaluated actors and perfor ...

was forced to give up the name Danjūrō and take the name Ebizō due to an incident in 1778, in which he was accused of misappropriation of funds by actors who saw him as a rival for influence within the kabuki world. He took the name Ebizō again from November 1791 until November 1798, but wrote it with different kanji and thus he is not counted within the regular lineage.

References

The Line of Ichikawa Ebizō at Kabuki21.com

Lineage

Notes

References

See also