Stage names:

Mikuni Fujigorô
Nakamura Shirogorô IV
Nakamura Namizô
Nakamura Tominosuke
Nakamura Matsubê II
Yamashita Masutarô

Poetry name: Kidô

Existence: ???

Connection:

Masters: Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Nakamura Kiyosaburô I, Yamashita Kinsaku I

Brother: Nakamura Shirogorô V

Career:

Before 1750: he starts his career in Kamigata as a disciple of Yamashita Kinsaku I, who gives him the name of Yamashita Masutarô.

2nd day of the 7th lunar month of 1750: his first master Yamashita Kinsaku I dies.

After Summer 1750: he becomes disciple of Nakamura Kiyosaburô I and receives the name of Nakamura Matsubê II.

Fall 1758: Matsubê goes to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1758: Matsubê performs at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise program "Kaomise Sajikigadake". He gets on well with Nakamura Tomijûrô I, who is member of the Ichimuraza troupe.

Summer 1759: Matsubê goes back to Kamigata with Nakamura Tomijûrô I.

1761: he becomes disciple of Nakamura Tomijûrô I and receives the name of Nakamura Tominosuke.

11th lunar month of 1761: Tominosuke plays in Kyôto at Kameya Kumenojô's theater the role of the keisei Kotoura in Amano Kyûshichi's kaomise drama "Mineiri Futaba Genji", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I.

1st lunar month of 1762: Tominosuke's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is one black stroke above jô-(shiro)jô [visual].

11th lunar month of 1765: Nakamura Tominosuke takes the name of Nakamura Namizô in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai, performing in the kaomise drama "Takara-Kita-Yama Kogane no Ishizue".

20th day of the 9th lunar month of 1766: Nakamura Kiyosaburô I's disciple Nakamura Shirogorô III dies.

Fall 1769: Namizô goes to Edo with Yamashita Kinsaku II.

11th lunar month of 1769: Nakamura Namizô takes the name of Nakamura Shirogorô IV at the Moritaza, performing as a katakiyaku in the kaomise drama "Na ni Takashi Kumoi no Yumihari", which welcomes in Edo the actors Yamashita Kinsaku II and Kasaya Matakurô II (who also celebrates his shûmei).

11th lunar month of 1771: his brother Nakamura Shinshirô takes the name of Nakamura Shirogorô V in Ôsaka. The two brothers will hold the same stage name up to the 10th lunar month of 1772.

11th lunar month of 1772: Nakamura Shirogorô IV takes the name of Mikuni Fujigorô at the Moritaza, performing in the kaomise drama "Izu Goyomi Shibai no Ganjitsu", which also celebrates the shûmei of Sawamura Chôjûrô IV and Sawamura Kijûrô II.

1st lunar month of 1773: Fujigorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô.

18th day of the 6th lunar month of 1777: his second master Nakamura Kiyosaburô I dies.

4th lunar month of 1783: first Kabuki adaptation of Yô Yôdai's puppet theater drama "Kagamiyama Kokyô no Nishikie". The play is staged in Edo at the Moritaza; Fujigorô plays the role of Iwafuji [casting].

1st lunar month of 1784: Fujigorô's name appears for the last time in a Kabuki hyôbanki.

7th lunar month of 1784: Fujigorô plays at the Moritaza the roles of Washizuka Kandayû and Edohei in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".

Fall 1784: Fujigorô goes to Ôsaka with Matsumoto Kôshirô IV and Iwai Hanshirô IV.

11th lunar month of 1784: Fujigorô performs in the kaomise drama "Naka ni Môketa Otogo Kaomise", which is produced by Nakamura Kumetarô II at the Naka no Shibai. This is his last recorded performance in ôshibai. We don't know what happens to him afterwards for he disappears from the records.

1st lunar month of 1785: Fujigorô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô.

Comments:

Mikuni Fujigorô was born in Kamigata and trained as an onnagata actor but he switched to katakiyaku in the 1770s when he settled in Edo. His best ranking in Edo was only two white strokes above jô-jô. He did not become a top-ranking katakiyaku but it is worthy to note that he was the first Kabuki actor to perform the prestigious role of the evil Iwafuji in "Kagamiyama".

Mikuni Fujigorô (left/standing) and Nakamura Noshio I (right/bottom) in a print made by Torii Kiyohide in 1772

The Nakamura Shirogorô line of actors