As the 19th century began, Mitsugorō performed in a great number of plays and a myriad of roles, both male and female, at the Morita-za, Nakamura-za, and Ichimura-za theatres. He came to be known for his dancing, and in particular for "hengemono", dance plays in which he would quick-change through a number of roles. Though he played mostly women in these dance plays, he also frequently played sumo wrestlers, and lead hero roles in some of the most popular and famous kabuki plays.