Ichikawa Sadanji I (初代市川左團次: from 1/1865 to August 7, 1904) (actor 1842 – 1904)
Beikaku (poetry name - 米鶴)Beishō (poetry name - 米升)
Enshō (poetry name - 莚升)
Kashō (poetry name - 花升)
Shōchō (poetry name - 松蔦)
Takahashi Eizō (real name - 高橋榮三)
Ichikawa Koyone I (初代市川小米: until 12/1861)
Ichikawa Shōchō I (poetry name - 初代 市川松蔦)
Ichikawa Shōjaku (市川升若: from 1/1862 to 12/1864)
Ichikawa Tatsuzō (市川辰蔵)
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Kabuki21Biography:
It should be noted that there were two Ichikawa Sadanji lines of actors. The first was from the 1740s, and this is Sadanji is from the newer, much later group.
This actor held this name from 1864 to August 1904. He was adopted by Ichikawa Kodanji IV (1812-66). His brothers were Nakamura Jusaburō III (1839-96) and Ichikawa Arajirō I (1850-1907).
Sadanji I was born on the 28th day of the 10th lunar month of 1842 and died on August 7, 1904.
Ichikawa Sadanji I belonged to the triumvirate of stars who dominated the Kabuki world during the Meiji era (the two others were Ichikawa Danjūrō IX and Onoe Kikugorō V). He was the leading actor of many shinkabuki dramas and worked on scripts written by authors who did not belong to the Kabuki world, like Matsui Shōō, or adapted contemporary popular novels, like Kōda Rohan's "Hige Otoko". His two most successful roles were Marubashi Chūya and Baba Saburobei in "Keian Taiheiki" and "Ōsakazuki".
"At first he was a poor actor, and gave no sign of a promising career. Mokuami, the playwright, assisted him greatly by providing him with new plays and furnishing him with advice, and so great was his advancement that he was able to hold his own with Danjūrō and Kikugorō" (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")
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At the National Diet Library they wrote: "Born in Osaka as the son of Tokoyama (theater hair-dresser). After studying under the tutorship of Kodanji Ichikawa IV, he was adopted into the family in 1864 and started to use the name of Sadanji Ichikawa. Backed by Mokuami Kawatake, he played Chuya Marubashi in 1870 in "Keian taiheiki," a new production that was favorably reviewed. He was called "Dankikusa", together with Danjuro Ichikawa IX and Kikugoro Onoe V, who both performed around the same time. In 1893, he established the Meijiza (Meiji theater), serving as its Zato (head)."