bˈɔːɹn ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi ˈeɪt, ɪn ˈiːdoʊz sˈækaɪ dˈɪstɹɪkt, ðə fˈɪfθ sˈʌn ʌv ˌɪkɪkˈɑːwə dændʒjˈʊɹɹoʊ ɹˌoʊmən sˈɛvən, hɪz pˈɛɹənts wɜː nˌɑːt lˈiːɡəli mˈæɹid.
Born in 1838, in Edo's Sakai district, the fifth son of Ichikawa Danjūrō VII, his parents were not legally married.