Ichikawa Kodanji

Japanese: 市川小団次 - いちかわこだんじ

A kabuki actor. From the first Ichikawa Danjūrō, who played the role of a young man or woman during the Genroku to Kyoho era (1688-1736) and became a disciple of the first Ichikawa Danjūrō, the lineage has continued to be passed down to five generations, of which the fourth is the most famous.

[Hideo Furuido]

IV

(1812-66) A famous actor of the late Edo period known as Master Kodanji. Son of Takashimaya Eizo, a fire rope seller at the Ichimura Theater in Edo. His stage name was Takashimaya. He became the apprentice of Ichikawa Danjūrō 7th at a young age, but soon left Edo to train in children's theaters in Nagoya, Ise, and Kyoto, and at the Hama Theater in Osaka. In 1844 (Kōka 1), he was banished from Edo and studied under Shidanjūrō at Kamisaka Junior High School, where he took on the name Ichikawa Kodanji 4th. He returned to Edo in 1847. Despite his bad voice and frail physique, he was popular for his agile movements, quick costume changes and aerial acrobatics, all of which he had learned in Osaka. He partnered with the kyogen writer Kawatake Shinshichi (later known as Mokuami) and gained a reputation for his roles as petty villains in such comedy-style plays as "Nezumi Kozo," "Kozaru Shichinosuke," and "Sanin Kichisa," for which he was nicknamed the "Shiranami (thief) actor." In 1857 he became a zagashira (head of a theatre company), and the following year Kodanji became the sole performer in the Edo theater world. However, his performances, which depicted the decadent society of the time in detail, came under censorship by the shogunate in 1866 (Keio 2), with his play "Ikakematsu," which he performed, and it is said that this led to his death in anger.

[Hideo Furuido]

5th

(1850-1922) His real name was Suhara Seisuke. He was the son of the 4th generation. He took on the name in 1879 (Meiji 12). He played supporting roles for his brother-in-law, the first Sadanji, and his son, the second Sadanji.

[Hideo Furuido]

Ichikawa Kodanji (4th generation)
Part of "Portraits of Actors of All Ages" by Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III), 1863 (Bunkyu 3), owned by the National Diet Library

Ichikawa Kodanji (4th generation)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

歌舞伎(かぶき)俳優。元禄(げんろく)～享保(きょうほう)期（1688～1736）の若衆方、若女方(わかおんながた)で初世市川団十郎の門弟になった初世以降、5世まで継承。そのうち4世が有名。

［古井戸秀夫］

4世

（1812―66）名人小団次とよばれる幕末の名優。江戸・市村座の火縄売り高島屋栄蔵の子。屋号高島屋。幼くして7世市川団十郎に入門したがまもなく江戸を離れ、名古屋、伊勢(いせ)、京都の子供芝居や大坂の浜芝居で修業を積む。1844年（弘化1）に江戸を追放されて上坂中の師団十郎のもとで、4世市川小団次を襲名。1847年に江戸に下る。悪声のうえに貧弱な体躯(たいく)ながら、機敏な動きで、大坂仕込みの早替りや宙乗りで人気を集める。狂言作者河竹新七（後の黙阿弥(もくあみ)）と提携し、『鼠小僧(ねずみこぞう)』『小猿(こざる)七之助』『三人吉三(さんにんきちさ)』など講釈種の生世話(きぜわ)の小悪党の役で評判をとり「白浪(しらなみ)（泥棒）役者」とよばれた。1857年座頭(ざがしら)となり、翌年以後の江戸劇壇は小団次の独壇場となったが、当時の退廃した社会を微細にうつした演技が、1866年（慶応2）の『鋳掛松(いかけまつ)』で幕府の取締りの対象になり、それが原因で憤死したという。

［古井戸秀夫］