松旭斎天一一座 Shōkyokusai Ten-ichi Ichiza
Led by Ten Ichi Shōkyokusai (1852-1912), born 牧野 八之助, Hachinosuke Makino then known as 服部松旭, Hattori Shokyo son of a samurai family, former Buddhist monk, who became a famous magician.
His apprentice was Shōkyokusai Tenkatsu (born Nakai Katsu 1885-1944). She went on to become a well known magician in her own right, and formed her own troupe.
For more on the troupe and Nakai Katsu see https://www.ishilearn.com/staged-identities-ten
1901 in America
“he is about the smallest Jap that ever happened) is touring en vaudeville in this country, with a troupe of artistes. But critically, he, the diminutive Ten-ichi, is the only artiste in the bunch. His wife, or daughter, garbed in all the colours of the Japanese rainbow, presents for the delectation of the public those ” bearded chestnuts ” that came in with the Pyramids and will doubtless go out with them, the egg-bag and the coins caught on the end of a wand. Barring these antiquated specimens of the escamoteur’s art, the Ten-ichi show is a good one. Ten-ichi’s speciality is producing jets of water from sword blades, fans, burning flambeaux, etc. He also gives a good exhibition of fire eating, with a spectacular wind up. The Japs have some clever ideas, and so have the Chinese. Forget not, ye thaumaturgists of the Occident, that the Chinese invented the fish-bowl trick and the rings, which have made the fortune of more than one European conjurer.”
1903 in Canada and USA
1904 August – September – the Ten Ichi Troupe appear at the Alhambra, London. Then Ten-ichi and Ten Katsu returned to Japan via USA. Ten-ichi’s son and Kiyoshi Takase continued touring Europe and America until 1909 when Ten-ichi’s son returned to Japan.
A JAPANESE GEISHA’S ROMANCE. Among a troupe of Japanese magicians now appearing in London is one Teu-Katsu, who has somewhat romantic past. When very young she was placed in geisha society, and her manner was attractive that many rich men in Tokio wished to marry her, but had already given her heart to a youth who lacked riches, and who now fighting for his country. When Teu-Katsu heard that her lover was at the front she took, all her savings and sent them Japan for the widows and orphans the soldiers. Each week she also puts aside a proportion of her salary for the same object. She is now waiting anxiously for peace to be declared so that she can home and marry her lover. Edinburgh Evening News 21 October 1904
1904 September – Messrs Ten Ichi, S Hattori, K Hattori, H Yamaguchi, Miss K Nakai, Miss M Aso, Miss Y Kitashimi depart Liverpool for New York on the Majestic but no sign of Takase. Perhaps mistaken – Hattori Shōkyokusai was Mr Ten Ichi, duplicating S Hattori when should have been Takase.
1904 October – Hattori Shokyokie 57, Hattori Katsuzo 26, Yamaguchi Hajime 29, Miss ?tatsu Nakai 18, Miss Maku Aso 26, Miss Toshi Kitashima 15, Mr Kiyoshi Takase 15, arrive in New York. All had toured USA in 1903, had previously been in London.
1904 Ten-ichi and Ten Katsu (Nakai) returned to Japan.
Ten-ichi’s adopted son Katsuzo (stage name Tenji) and Kiyoshi Takase continued touring Europe and America until 1909 as the Tenji troupe. Tenji then returned to Japan and Takase continued on his own.
Related troupes – the Ten-ji troupe, the Ten Ka troupe and the Ko Ten Ichi troupe
Ninjin 