It was an eventful year (1949) as his father Koshiro MATSUMOTO (VII) and Kikugoro ONOE (VI) died, however after the death of Kikugoro ONOE (VI), he formed the Kikugoro theater, and was very active in Kabuki.
父七代目松本幸四郎と六代目尾上菊五郎の死（1949年）など身辺多端であったが、六代目の死後ただちに菊五郎劇団を結成し、旺盛な活躍を見せるようになる。