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For a number of years after his father's death, up through [[1709]], Danjûrô suffered a slump in his career, as enemies of his father with influence among the theatre managers denied him major roles and shut him out from playing any prominent part in the kabuki world.
For a number of years after his father's death, up through [[1709]], Danjûrô suffered a slump in his career, as enemies of his father with influence among the theatre managers denied him major roles and shut him out from playing any prominent part in the kabuki world.
Danjûrô returned to prominence circa 1709, and four years later, in [[1713]]/3, played the lead role in the debut of the first [[Sukeroku]] play, ''Hana Yakata Aigo Zakura''. Over the course of his career, Danjûrô moved between the major Edo theatres, performing in many different plays, including, on occasion, prominent premieres. The first month of [[1719]] marked the kabuki debut of [[Chikamatsu Monzaemon]]'s ''[[Sonezaki Shinju]]'', in which Danjûrô played the lead role.
Danjûrô returned to prominence circa 1709, and four years later, in [[1713]]/3, played the lead role in the debut of the first [[Sukeroku]] play, ''Hana Yakata Aigo Zakura''. Over the course of his career, Danjûrô moved between the major Edo theatres, performing in many different plays, including, on occasion, prominent premieres. The first month of [[1719]] marked the kabuki debut of [[Chikamatsu Monzaemon]]'s ''[[Sonezaki Shinju]]'', in which Danjûrô played the lead role. In [[1727]]/11, Danjûrô performed in a production in which a trap door (''seri'') was used for the first time for actors' entrances. This production also marked the stage debut of Danjûrô's adopted son, then known as Ichikawa Masugorô, who would later become Danjûrô III. Just over a year later, in [[1729]]/1, Danjûrô starred in the premiere of the play ''[[Ya no ne]]''.
On key anniversaries of his father's death, Danjûrô led public performances and private ceremonies in memory of his father. As was typical, guests to these private family affairs would donate "incense money" to help support the costs of the gatherings, and the family would prepare small gifts in return. The woodblock-printed volume ''[[Chichi no on]]'' was produced in [[1730]] as one such gift, setting a precedent for memorial albums for kabuki actors.
On key anniversaries of his father's death, Danjûrô led public performances and private ceremonies in memory of his father. As was typical, guests to these private family affairs would donate "incense money" to help support the costs of the gatherings, and the family would prepare small gifts in return. The woodblock-printed volume ''[[Chichi no on]]'' was produced in [[1730]] as one such gift, setting a precedent for memorial albums for kabuki actors. For the 50th anniversary of his father's death, Danjûrô and his son [[Ichikawa Danjuro IV|Matsumoto Kôshirô II]] commissioned a memorial stone to be erected at the entrance to [[Koyasan|Kôya-san]], the mountain temple where the first Danjûrô had been buried.
Danjûrô took on the name Ichikawa Ebizô II in [[1735]]/11, passing on the name of Ichikawa Danjûrô to his adopted son. In [[1741]]/8, Ebizô performed in Edo for the final time, before departing for Osaka in the 10th month and beginning to take part in performances there; it is said he was paid the enormous sum of 2,000 ''[[currency|ryô]]'' to make the move. Just four months later, in [[1742]]/2, his adoptive son, Danjûrô III, died in Edo; Ebizô returned there from Osaka in the 11th month of that year, and resumed performing there.
In [[1747]]/5, [[1748]]/5, and [[1749]]/6, Danjûrô performed in the premieres of ''[[Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami]]'', ''[[Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura]]'', and ''[[Kanadehon Chushingura|Kanadehon Chûshingura]]'', respectively, which have since become widely regarded as the three most famous, or most popular, plays in the kabuki repertoire.
==References==
==References==
