Ebizo ICHIKAWA (the 8th succession) (市川海老蔵 (8代目))

Ebizo ICHIKAWA the 8th (1845 - November 12, 1886) was a Kabuki actor, who actively played various roles from the end of Edo Period to the early Meiji Period. His real name was Hisashi HORIKOSHI. His Yago (stage family name) was Narita-ya. His Haimyo (offstage name of Kabuki actor) was Jusho.

He was born in Osaka in 1845, as the 7th son of Danjuro ICHIKAWA (the 7th succession). He was originally named as Akanbei ICHIKAWA, and he once moved back to Edo (Tokyo) with his father; he later renamed Shinnosuke ICHIKAWA the 4th after 1856, and later he renamed again to Juzo ICHIKAWA, and Saruzo ICHIKAWA the 2nd. He temporarily moved back and stayed in Kansai Region in around 1870, but once again he headed to Tokyo in 1881 in order to succeed the name of Ebizo ICHIKAWA the 8th.

He often played at the Shintomi-za Kabuki Theatre with his elder brother, Danjuro ICHIKAWA (the 9th succession).

[Original Japanese]