Stage names:
Mikuni Fujigorô
Nakamura Shirogorô IV
Nakamura Namizô
Nakamura Tominosuke
Nakamura Matsubei 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.
2 July 1750: his first master Yamashita Kinsaku I dies.
After Summer 1750: he becomes disciple of Nakamura Kiyosaburô I and receives the name of Nakamura Matsubei II.
Fall 1758: Matsubei goes to Edo.
November 1758: Matsubei 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: Matsubei goes back to Kamigata with Nakamura Tomijûrô I.
1761: he becomes disciple of Nakamura Tomijûrô I and receives the name of Nakamura Tominosuke.
November 1761: Tominosuke plays in Kyôto at Kameya Kumenojô's theater the role of the keisei Kotoura in Tatsuoka Hisagiku's kaomise drama "Mineiri Futaba Genji", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I.
January 1762: Tominosuke's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is one black stroke above jô-(shiro)jô [visual].
November 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".
20 September 1766: Nakamura Kiyosaburô I's disciple Nakamura Shirogorô III dies.
Fall 1769: Namizô goes to Edo with Yamashita Kinsaku II.
November 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".
November 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 October 1772.
November 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.
January 1773: Fujigorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô.
18 June 1777: his second master Nakamura Kiyosaburô I dies.
April 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].
January 1784: Fujigorô's name appears for the last time in a Kabuki hyôbanki.
July 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.
November 1784: Fujigorô performs in the kaomise drama "Naka ni Môkeru 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 disappeared from the records.
January 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