Teruyuki Kagawa and his wife, Murasaki Fujima, talked about “entering Kabuki” and the “future” of Sawasabaya, as recalled by the death of En’o Ichikawa.

Toshio Ishikawa, entertainment reporter, “Behind the Scenes” of the entertainment industry: ……

It has been 14 years since the death of actress Murasaki Fujima. Her husband, En’o Ichikawa, also died of an irregular heartbeat on September 13.

I have been watching how Mr. En’o had supported Murasaki since the property dispute between Murasaki and her eldest son, and I knew well that it was Mr. En’o who had been supporting Murasaki.

I had the opportunity to meet many of the Sawasagaya actors, including his disciples, at his small restaurant in Akasaka, Tokyo, and at his villa in Karuizawa, Nagano. I have many memories.

Mr. Saroo fell in love with Murasaki’s dancing, and within a year and a few months, he chose Murasaki over the married actress Hama Kiwako, who had a child of her own.

The “abandoned child” is Teruyuki Kagawa (Ichikawa Chuguruma).

I am very proud of the fact that he was loved by so many people, and that he devoted himself to the Kabuki theater to the end, which only he could have done,” said Kagawa, commenting on his father’s death.

I am proud to have been loved by so many people and to have fulfilled the Kabuki way to the end, which only I could have done. He was appearing at the Minami-za Theater in Kyoto, and the delay in seeing his father was a difficult time for an actor who “cannot even see his own death.

A family funeral was held with only close relatives, and a “farewell party” will be held by Shochiku at a later date.

As a close friend of Murasaki and En’o, I had heard from both of them about the relationship that brought Chuguruma into the Kabuki world.

Separated from his father soon after his birth, Mr. Chuguruma went to see Mr. En’o without asking his mother, Hama-san’s opinion when he was 25 or 6 years old. But his father told him.

He said, “It’s not you or my child. There is no need to see him.”

He was told coldly, “I’m not your child, and I don’t need to see you. Several decades later. Mr. Murasaki said to Mr. Saroo, “You are my only child.

“He is your only child, so you should see him properly.

They met in the dressing room and a father-son relationship was born. They met in the dressing room and a father-son relationship was born.

After that, Chuguruma began to visit Mr. En’o’s dressing room often, and he wanted to know more about the world of Kabuki. I want to enter the world of Kabuki,” he told Mr. Saroo again and again.

I want to enter the world of Kabuki.

But Mr. En’o’s reply was

No.

He was a Kabuki performer from the time he was born.

He said, “A person who has been in the Kabuki world since birth is a Kabuki actor even after he steps off the stage. It’s in their blood,” Murasaki said.

Murasaki said.

When Murasaki passed away and En’o’s health began to deteriorate, Chuguruma’s “entry into Kabuki” activities began in earnest.

He made overtures to his cousin, Kamejiro Ichikawa (at the time),

He drew up the plot,” said a source close to the matter.

Shochiku, the promoter, was also very pleased.

Kamejiro was hesitant about taking over the name of Ennosuke, which had become a big name, but the expectations of those around him pushed him to take over as “Ennosuke IV.

The press conference announcing the succession. To Mr. En’o, who attended the press conference with him

Thank you, Hama-san. Thank you beyond my debt to you.

The venue was filled with people who had attended the press conference announcing the successor’s name.

The audience was more interested in the “arrival of Nakaguruma and his son Danko into the Kabuki theatre” than in the Ennosuke successor’s name-attack press conference. It was the moment when the “cousin-brother” relationship, which had been going well up to that point, collapsed.

One of the people involved said, “I was set up by Chuguruma.

We were set up by the middleman.

The fourth generation was very angry. Outwardly, the relationship between the two men was not going well behind the scenes.

Then came Nakaguruma’s “sexual harassment” of a Ginza hostess.

In the end, he was just that kind of guy,” were the words heard from Ennosuke.

Mr. Ennosuke said, “That’s just the way he is.

However, this time, Mr. Ennosuke attempted to commit a suicide.

The sexual harassment problem and the attempted suicide: ……. I can’t help but think that the reason the wheels of “Sawasaburoya” went haywire was because Mr. Chuguruma, whom Mr. Ennosuke and Mr. Murasaki had stopped, entered the world of Kabuki.

What is most disturbing is that the remaining executives of “Sawasaya” do not recognize Mr. Nakaguruma as a “kabuki actor,” even on the surface. The entire Kabuki world does not recognize him either.

Now, Mr. Nakaguruma is the chief executive of Sawasaburoya. It is important for Danko-san to do his best not to erase “Sawasagaya” in the future, but the only person who can pass on the art of “Sawasagaya” is Ennosuke 4th generation. ……

I wonder how they are looking at this situation from heaven–Gassho.