young lover Yosaburō in the new Kirare Yosa by Segawa Jōkō III. His popularity in these young lover roles (nimaime) are said to have been such that when he played Sukeroku, a role which involves immersing himself in a barrel of water in one scene, the water was sold afterwards to clamoring female fans. In 1854, however, shortly after arriving in Osaka for a performance tour with his father, Danjūrō was found in his room at the inn with his wrists slashed. Some scholars surmise that he suffered from extensive debts as a result of the extravagant lifestyle he and his father led, and that his early successes and popularity attracted the envy or ire of other actors, worsening his relationships with them and complicating his personal problems. See also Shūmei Notes References Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII at Kabuki21.com See also Ichikawa Danjūrō Ichikawa Danjūrō I Ichikawa Ebizō XI 1823 births 1854 deaths Kabuki actors Suicides in Japan Male actors from Tokyo 19th-century Japanese male actors