As he won popularity in Osaka and Tokyo with natural beauty and elegant style of performance, he was selected for the part of Agemaki in "Sukeroku" ("Sukeroku Yukari no Edozakura") when Danjuro ICHIKAWA (the ninth) played the leading character, and after that, he co-starred with Danjuro and with Kikugoro ONOE (the fifth) as female impersonator.
生まれついての美貌と品のある芸風で新進気鋭の若手として東京、大阪で人気を集め、1884年（明治17年）市川團十郎(9代目)の『助六』で揚巻役に抜擢され、以降團十郎や尾上菊五郎(5代目)の相手を務める。