Kasugano Yachiyo has passed away.
Here are some quick and messy translations of two obituaries.
Kasugano Yachiyo-san Deceased, 96 years old... A Takarazuka Otokoyaku Star
An otokoyaku star for the Takarazuka Revue since before the War [WWII], a member of the company for many years (called the "White Rose Prince") and also an emiritus member of the Board of Directors: Kasugano Yachiyo-san (real name Ishii Yoshiko) passed away from pneumonia at 10:34 am on August 29th.
She was 96 years old. Her funeral will be closed for near relatives and later there will be a service for members of the Revue.
She was born in Kobe City. She entered the Hyogo Takarazuka Musical Opera School (the precursor of Takarazuka Music School) in 1928 at the age of 12, and debuted the following year. She stood out for her clear-cut features, and gathered popularity representing Takarazuka as a handsome otokoyaku star through her gallant posture, creating a model which has continued through otokoyaku performances today.
After the War she was a central pillar of the Revue, staring in the first production ("Carmen") in the Grand Theater in '46 after it was reconverted from being the US army's General Headquarters. In '49 she paired with musumeyaku Otowa Nobuko in "Hamlet", creating a Golden Combi. Some of her best-known roles were Kou'u in "Gu Bijin" ('51) and Hikaru Genji in "The Tale of Genji" ('52). In '56 she both starred in and directed "Rosa Flamenca", distinguishing herself as a director.
In the 1951 film "Enjou Ichidai Onna", she played a female Japanese dance master, co-staring with Hanayagi Shoutarou of a new school of dance.
From 1949, for more than half a century, she worked as a member of the Board of Directors, and was an emeritus member from 2006. Even after she passed 90, she still was earning new qualifications as a master of Japanese dance. She guided the younger members in vocalization and delivering lines. Her last Japanese dance performance was in 2008 in the "49th Takarazuka Buyoukai", where she danced Kiyomoto's "Hamayukihira", and displayed deft footwork and fanwork. She participated in a 95th Takarazuka Anniversary talk show in 2009, where she spoke to her juniors: "Please grow as performers who never forget dignity and modesty."
(August 29th, 2012 - 20:30 Yomiuri Shunbun)
春日野八千代さん死去、９６歳…宝塚男役スター
戦前から宝塚歌劇団の男役スターとして活躍し、「白薔薇(ばら)のプリンス」と呼ばれた最年長の団員で、名誉理事の春日野八千代（かすがの・やちよ、本名・石井吉子＝いしい・よしこ）さんが２９日午前１０時３４分、肺炎のため亡くなった。
９６歳だった。告別式は近親者で行い、後日、歌劇団葬を行う。
神戸市生まれ。１９２８年に１２歳で兵庫・宝塚音楽歌劇学校（現・宝塚音楽学校）に入学し、翌年に初舞台。端正な顔立ちと、りりしい立ち姿で宝塚を代表する二枚目男役スターとして人気を集め、今に続く男役演技の原型を作った。
戦後は歌劇団復興の大黒柱として、連合国軍総司令部（ＧＨＱ）から返還された宝塚大劇場の再開第一作「カルメン」（４６年）に主演。「ハムレット」（４９年）などで娘役の乙羽信子さんと共演、ゴールデンコンビと呼ばれた。当たり役に「虞美人(ぐびじん)」（５１年）の項羽、「源氏物語」（５２年）の光源氏など。５６年の「ローサ・フラメンカ」では主演と演出を兼ね、演出家としても頭角を現した。
５１年の映画「情艶一代女」では女優として舞踊家を演じ、新派の花柳章太郎さんとも共演した。
４９年から半世紀以上にわたり歌劇団理事を務め、２００６年から名誉理事。９０歳を過ぎても名取の資格を持つ日本舞踊を披露。発声法や、せりふ術などを後輩に指導した。最後の舞踊公演は０８年の「第４９回宝塚舞踊会」で清元の「浜行平(はまゆきひら)」を舞い、鮮やかな足さばきと扇取りを披露した。０９年は歌劇団創立９５周年記念公演のトークショーに参加し、後輩たちに「品格と謙虚さを忘れない舞台人に育ってください」と語った。
（2012年8月29日20時36分 読売新聞）
Kasugano Yachiyo-san Deceased: She Symbolized the Takarazuka Revue
Mainichi Newspaper August 29th, 2012 - 21:28
Kasugano Yachiyo passed away on the 29th. A popular otokoyaku star of the Takarazuka Revue both before, after, and through the War, she was a living symbol of the Takarazuka Revue. She spent 80 years performing. She declined offers for a film career, remaining with her beloved Takarazuka Revue. She spent her life as "one of the seito" on stage, even while working as a member of the Board of Directors.
In 1928 she overcame tough odds to enter the Takarazuka Musical Opera School (the precursor of Takarazuka Music School) which had an acceptance rate of one in fourteen. There's an anecdote about this "audacious girl" in 1932: While substituting for Sayo Fukuko she "couldn't remember her lines" and so performed on stage with script book in hand. Takarazuka Girls' Operetta (former name) founder and Hankyu Railway President Kobayashi Ichizo noticed her early on, and created Star Troupe in 1933 as a way of increasing the popularity of Kasugano Yachiyo-san.
Kasugano-san studied foreign movies as models for an otokoyaku. And she was always devising new schemes. For example, they wore boots with high heels to make their legs look longer, and to disguise this she had her pants tailored longer in the back in a morning cut. This practice has continued into the current day. In "Princess Nanette" in 1935, she made the first attached eyelashes for an otokoyaku to give herself a gloomy air. Her mother lamented that she did circular exercises with her arms to give herself square shoulders and that her body was all angular.
春日野八千代さん死去:宝塚歌劇を象徴する存在
毎日新聞 2012年08月29日 21時28分（最終更新 08月29日 22時01分）
２９日死去した春日野八千代さんは、戦前戦後を通じて宝塚歌劇の人気男役スターであり続け、宝塚歌劇を象徴する存在だった。舞台生活８０年。映画などからの誘いも断って、愛する宝塚歌劇に在籍。理事を務めながらも舞台では「一生徒」として生涯をまっとうした。
１９２８年、１４倍の難関を突破し宝塚音楽歌劇学校（現・宝塚音楽学校）に入学。３２年、小夜福子の代役をした時「せりふをおぼえていないから」と台本を持って舞台に出て「大胆なコ」と話題になった。早くから注目され宝塚少女歌劇（当時）の創設者、阪急電鉄の小林一三社長が３３年、星組を新設したのも春日野さんを売り出すためだった。
春日野さんは外国映画を手本に男役を研究した。工夫も怠らなかった。例えば、足が長く見えるよう靴のかかとを高くし、それを隠すためにズボンのすその後ろだけ長めに仕立てるモーニングカット。これはその後、世間でも流行した。３５年「プリンセス・ナネット」では、憂いを出すために男役で初めて付けまつ毛を使った。いかり肩になるように、と腕をぐるぐる回す運動をしてゴツゴツした体になり母親が嘆いたという。
Kasugano Yachiyo-san Deceased, 96 years old... A Takarazuka Otokoyaku Star
An otokoyaku star for the Takarazuka Revue since before the War [WWII], a member of the company for many years (called the "White Rose Prince") and also an emiritus member of the Board of Directors: Kasugano Yachiyo-san (real name Ishii Yoshiko) passed away from pneumonia at 10:34 am on August 29th.
She was 96 years old. Her funeral will be closed for near relatives and later there will be a service for members of the Revue.
She was born in Kobe City. She entered the Hyogo Takarazuka Musical Opera School (the precursor of Takarazuka Music School) in 1928 at the age of 12, and debuted the following year. She stood out for her clear-cut features, and gathered popularity representing Takarazuka as a handsome otokoyaku star through her gallant posture, creating a model which has continued through otokoyaku performances today.
After the War she was a central pillar of the Revue, staring in the first production ("Carmen") in the Grand Theater in '46 after it was reconverted from being the US army's General Headquarters. In '49 she paired with musumeyaku Otowa Nobuko in "Hamlet", creating a Golden Combi. Some of her best-known roles were Kou'u in "Gu Bijin" ('51) and Hikaru Genji in "The Tale of Genji" ('52). In '56 she both starred in and directed "Rosa Flamenca", distinguishing herself as a director.
In the 1951 film "Enjou Ichidai Onna", she played a female Japanese dance master, co-staring with Hanayagi Shoutarou of a new school of dance.
From 1949, for more than half a century, she worked as a member of the Board of Directors, and was an emeritus member from 2006. Even after she passed 90, she still was earning new qualifications as a master of Japanese dance. She guided the younger members in vocalization and delivering lines. Her last Japanese dance performance was in 2008 in the "49th Takarazuka Buyoukai", where she danced Kiyomoto's "Hamayukihira", and displayed deft footwork and fanwork. She participated in a 95th Takarazuka Anniversary talk show in 2009, where she spoke to her juniors: "Please grow as performers who never forget dignity and modesty."
(August 29th, 2012 - 20:30 Yomiuri Shunbun)
春日野八千代さん死去、９６歳…宝塚男役スター
戦前から宝塚歌劇団の男役スターとして活躍し、「白薔薇(ばら)のプリンス」と呼ばれた最年長の団員で、名誉理事の春日野八千代（かすがの・やちよ、本名・石井吉子＝いしい・よしこ）さんが２９日午前１０時３４分、肺炎のため亡くなった。
９６歳だった。告別式は近親者で行い、後日、歌劇団葬を行う。
神戸市生まれ。１９２８年に１２歳で兵庫・宝塚音楽歌劇学校（現・宝塚音楽学校）に入学し、翌年に初舞台。端正な顔立ちと、りりしい立ち姿で宝塚を代表する二枚目男役スターとして人気を集め、今に続く男役演技の原型を作った。
戦後は歌劇団復興の大黒柱として、連合国軍総司令部（ＧＨＱ）から返還された宝塚大劇場の再開第一作「カルメン」（４６年）に主演。「ハムレット」（４９年）などで娘役の乙羽信子さんと共演、ゴールデンコンビと呼ばれた。当たり役に「虞美人(ぐびじん)」（５１年）の項羽、「源氏物語」（５２年）の光源氏など。５６年の「ローサ・フラメンカ」では主演と演出を兼ね、演出家としても頭角を現した。
５１年の映画「情艶一代女」では女優として舞踊家を演じ、新派の花柳章太郎さんとも共演した。
４９年から半世紀以上にわたり歌劇団理事を務め、２００６年から名誉理事。９０歳を過ぎても名取の資格を持つ日本舞踊を披露。発声法や、せりふ術などを後輩に指導した。最後の舞踊公演は０８年の「第４９回宝塚舞踊会」で清元の「浜行平(はまゆきひら)」を舞い、鮮やかな足さばきと扇取りを披露した。０９年は歌劇団創立９５周年記念公演のトークショーに参加し、後輩たちに「品格と謙虚さを忘れない舞台人に育ってください」と語った。
（2012年8月29日20時36分 読売新聞）
Kasugano Yachiyo-san Deceased: She Symbolized the Takarazuka Revue
Mainichi Newspaper August 29th, 2012 - 21:28
Kasugano Yachiyo passed away on the 29th. A popular otokoyaku star of the Takarazuka Revue both before, after, and through the War, she was a living symbol of the Takarazuka Revue. She spent 80 years performing. She declined offers for a film career, remaining with her beloved Takarazuka Revue. She spent her life as "one of the seito" on stage, even while working as a member of the Board of Directors.
In 1928 she overcame tough odds to enter the Takarazuka Musical Opera School (the precursor of Takarazuka Music School) which had an acceptance rate of one in fourteen. There's an anecdote about this "audacious girl" in 1932: While substituting for Sayo Fukuko she "couldn't remember her lines" and so performed on stage with script book in hand. Takarazuka Girls' Operetta (former name) founder and Hankyu Railway President Kobayashi Ichizo noticed her early on, and created Star Troupe in 1933 as a way of increasing the popularity of Kasugano Yachiyo-san.
Kasugano-san studied foreign movies as models for an otokoyaku. And she was always devising new schemes. For example, they wore boots with high heels to make their legs look longer, and to disguise this she had her pants tailored longer in the back in a morning cut. This practice has continued into the current day. In "Princess Nanette" in 1935, she made the first attached eyelashes for an otokoyaku to give herself a gloomy air. Her mother lamented that she did circular exercises with her arms to give herself square shoulders and that her body was all angular.
春日野八千代さん死去:宝塚歌劇を象徴する存在
毎日新聞 2012年08月29日 21時28分（最終更新 08月29日 22時01分）
２９日死去した春日野八千代さんは、戦前戦後を通じて宝塚歌劇の人気男役スターであり続け、宝塚歌劇を象徴する存在だった。舞台生活８０年。映画などからの誘いも断って、愛する宝塚歌劇に在籍。理事を務めながらも舞台では「一生徒」として生涯をまっとうした。
１９２８年、１４倍の難関を突破し宝塚音楽歌劇学校（現・宝塚音楽学校）に入学。３２年、小夜福子の代役をした時「せりふをおぼえていないから」と台本を持って舞台に出て「大胆なコ」と話題になった。早くから注目され宝塚少女歌劇（当時）の創設者、阪急電鉄の小林一三社長が３３年、星組を新設したのも春日野さんを売り出すためだった。
春日野さんは外国映画を手本に男役を研究した。工夫も怠らなかった。例えば、足が長く見えるよう靴のかかとを高くし、それを隠すためにズボンのすその後ろだけ長めに仕立てるモーニングカット。これはその後、世間でも流行した。３５年「プリンセス・ナネット」では、憂いを出すために男役で初めて付けまつ毛を使った。いかり肩になるように、と腕をぐるぐる回す運動をしてゴツゴツした体になり母親が嘆いたという。