Kakoshu (可江集)
Kakoshu refers to twelve programs selected by Uzaemon ICHIMURA the fifteenth for which he had gained a reputation.
They are, in a sense, arts handed down from father to son of Kabuki, but in many cases they are not clearly recognized as arts of the Ichimura family, because the family line substantially failed after the death of Uzaemon ICHIMURA the fifteenth due to a lack of appropriate successors. Furthermore, their style is not greatly different from that of Danjuro ICHIKAWA the ninth and of Kikugoro ONOUE the sixth, and so they have more of a feature of 'Uzaemon ICHIMURA the fifteenth's Ohako (favorite stunts)' listing distinctive roles created by his unsurpassed individuality and benevolence.
Many programs contained in the selection feature a role of a handsome man or boy with his face painted white (or a similar role), or a role that appeals his good voice and eloquency, or a role with Edo-style sophisticated and gallant appearance in the case of plays dealing with the lives of ordinary people, and the selection contains few works of Maruhon Kabuki (Plays written for ningyo joruri (traditional Japanese puppet theater) that have been adapted for Kabuki (traditional drama performed by male actors)).
Ishikiri Kajiwara
Maruhon Kabuki.
The formal title is 'Kajiwara Heizo Homare no Ishikiri.'
It was originally the scene of Kajiwara Heizo Shimeiken Hoshiai-ji in 'Miura Osuke Kobai Tazuna' written by Senshi HASEGAWA and Bunkodo (Joruri dramtists in the mid Edo period) and the scene has become a separate program.
However, when Uzaemon ICHIMURA acted in that program, he often called it 'Nani tachibana Homare no Ishikiri.'
Needless to say, he always played the role of Heizo Kagetoki KAJIWARA.
The program is a story of KAJIWARA, who, secretly feeling sympahy for Genji (Minamoto clan) when the Taira family was at the height of its prosperity, obtained from a grinder and his son a celebrated sword related to Genji and looked forward to the future rising of Genji, and the main highlights of the program are the scene of Goro MATANO, a samurai belonging to the Taira family, who tries to buy the sword but is given a cold reception, the scene of judgement of the sword, and that of cutting someone with the sword by way of experiment. It almost totally consists of solo performance, and was often played with the purpose of showing the dashing appearance, good voice and eloquence of Uzaemon ICHIMURA the fifteenth.
Moritsuna Jinya
Maruhon Kabuki.
The formal title is 'Omi-Genji Senjinyakata.'
It is jointly written by several authors including Hanji CHIKAMATSU. Uzaemon ICHIMURA the fifteenth always played the role of Shiro Moritsuna SASAKI.
Naozamurai (the faithful samurai)
Kirare Yosaburo
Omatsuri Sashichi
Sanemori
Gonpachi
GOSHO no Gorozo
Igami no Gonta
Kampei