Stage names:

Nakamura Ganjirô II
Nakamura Kanjaku IV
Nakamura Senjaku I

Real name: Hayashi Yukio

Guild: Narikomaya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Existence: 17 February 1902 ~ 13 April 1983

Connections:

Grandfather: Nakamura Kanjaku III

Father: Nakamura Ganjirô I

Brother: Hayashi Mataichirô II

Son: Sakata Tôjûrô IV (Nakamura Ganjirô III)

Grandsons: Nakamura Ganjirô IV, Nakamura Senjaku III

Great-grandsons: Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Toranosuke

Career:

December 1906: he made his first stage appearance, in Kyôto at the Minamiza, performing under his real name.

November 1910: he received the name of Nakamura Senjaku I in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai, playing the roles of Kingoza and Shigezô in "Narihira Azuma Kudari" and "Ranpei Monogurui".

March 1934: "Ôishi Saigo no Ichinichi", the tenth and last play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura" was staged for the first time in Ôsaka and in Kyôto, at the Naniwaza from the 3rd to 16th of March [casting] and at the Minamiza from the 17th to the 27th of March [casting]; Senjaku played the role of Isogai Jûrôzaemon.

1 February 1935: his father Nakamura Ganjirô I died.

October 1941: Nakamura Senjaku I took the name of Nakamura Kanjaku IV in Ôsaka at the Kadoza; his son, who made his first stage appearance, received the name of Nakamura Senjaku II; the new Kanjaku played the role of Miuranosuke in the drama "Kamakura Sandaiki"; the roles of Princess Toki and Sasaki Takatsuna were played by Bandô Tsurunosuke III and Jitsukawa Enjaku II.

March 1945: Kanjaku's family house in the district of Tamaya-chô was destroyed during the terrible air raid conducted by the US army on the city of Ôsaka.

January 1947: Nakamura Kanjaku IV took the name of Nakamura Ganjirô II at the Ôsaka Kabukiza, playing the roles of Jitsukawa Ganjirô (later Nakamura Ganjirô), Kashiwaya Osaga, Karatsuya Eizaburô, Ohaya and Kamiya Jihê in "Nakamura Ganjirô", "Osaga Kaheiji", "Meguru Idoshi Kaeru Karigane", "Hikimado" and "Shinjû Ten no Amijima"; these dramas were staged within a special program which commemorated the 12th anniversary (13th memorial service) of the passing away of Nakamura Ganjirô I and also celebrating the shûmei of Kamimura Kichiya V; his stage partners were Jitsukawa Enjaku II, Bandô Jusaburô III, Hayashi Mataichirô II, Nakamura Baigyoku III, Bandô Mitsugorô VII, Jitsukawa Enjirô II, Bandô Minosuke VI, Nakamura Senjaku II, Arashi Hinasuke X, Nakamura Komanosuke VII, Nakamura Naritarô II, Asao Okuyama VIII, Ichikawa Kudanji III, Nakamura Kasen II, Nakamura Tarô II, Bandô Junosuke II and two family-related actresses (Nakamura Yoshiko and Nakamura Tamao).

February 1947: Nakamura Ganjirô II celebrated his shûmei in Kyôto at the Minamiza, playing the roles of Jitsukawa Ganjirô (later Nakamura Ganjirô), Chôkichi/Ohan, Otoku and Kamiya Jihê in "Nakamura Ganjirô", "Katsuragawa", "Domo Mata" and "Ten no Amijima".

July 1951: premiere at the Ôsaka Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Jiisan Baasan"; Ganjirô played the role of Iori's wife Run [casting].

August 1953: revival of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Sonezaki Shinjû" at the Shinbashi Enbujô; Ganjirô played the role of Hiranoya Tokubê [more details].

June 1954: Ganjirô played in Ôsaka at the Kabukiza the role of Hiranoya Tokubê in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Sonezaki Shinjû"; the role of the courtesan Ohatsu was played by Nakamura Senjaku II.

17 September 1957: release in Japan of Kurosawa Akira's Tôhô-produced movie "Donzoko ('The Lower Depths')" in which Ganjirô played the role of Rokubê.

19 August 1958: release in Japan of Ichikawa Kon's Daiei-produced movie "Enjô ('Conflagration')" in which Ganjirô played the role of the priest Tayama Dôsen.

2 September 1958: release in Japan of Naruse Mikio's Tôhô-produced movie "Iwashigumo ('Summer Clouds')" in which Ganjirô played the role of Wasuke.

23 June 1959: release in Japan of Ichikawa Kon's Daiei-produced movie "Kagi ('Odd Obsession')" in which Ganjirô played the role of Kenmochi Kenji.

17 November 1959: release in Japan of Ozu Yasujirô's Daiei-produced movie "Ukigusa ('Floating Weeds')" in which Ganjirô played the role of the tabi shibai zagashira Arashi Komajûrô.

29 October 1961: release in Japan of Ozu Yasujirô's Tôhô-produced movie "Kohayagawa-ke no Aki ('The End of Summer')" in which Ganjirô played the role of Kohayagawa Manbê.

13 January 1963: release in Japan of Ichikawa Kon's Daiei-produced movie "Yukinojo Henge ('An Actor's Revenge')" in which Ganjirô played the role of Dobe Sansai.

December 1964: Ganjirô played at the Minamiza the roles of Sagami, Nagisa-no-Kata, Takechi Jûjirô Mitsuyoshi and Tan Saemon Motoyasu in the dramas "Kumagai Jin'ya", "Nigatsudô", "Amagasaki Kankyo" and "Shunkan", which were staged in two kaomise programs celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Shôchiku Company.

12 March 1966: release in Japan of Imamura Shôhei's Nikkatsu-distributed movie "Erogotoshitachi Yori Jinruigaku Nyumon ('The Pornographers')" in which Ganjirô played the role of an elderly executive.

November 1966: opening ceremony of the National Theatre in Tôkyô with the full length performance of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; Ganjirô played the roles of Fujiwara no Shihei and Kakuju [casting].

February 1967: Ganjirô played at the Ôsaka Shinkabukiza the roles of Mimyô, Kamiya Jihê, Tsuchiya Chikara and Miuranosuke Yoshimura in the dramas "Moritsuna Jin'ya", "Shigure no Kotatsu", "Tsuchiya Chikara" and "Kamakura Sandaiki", which were staged in two programs commemorating the 32nd anniversary (33th memorial service) of the passing away of Nakamura Ganjirô I.

April 1967: revival at the National Theatre of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Yari no Gonza Kasane Katabira"; Ganjirô played the role of Ichinoshin's wife Osai [casting].

April 1967: Ganjirô received the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhô in Japanese).

October 1968: Ganjirô played at the Misonoza the roles of the tsubone Yashio, Kameya Chûbê/Magoemon, Sagami and Kamiya Jihê in the dramas "Meiboku Sendai Hagi", "Ninokuchi-mura", "Kumagai Jin'ya" and "Shigure no Kotatsu", which were staged in two kaomise programs celebrating the shûmei of Onoe Kikunosuke IV, Onoe Tatsunosuke I and Ichikawa Shinnosuke VI.

December 1968: Ganjirô played at the Minamiza the roles of Izutsuya Denbê, Sakata Tôjûrô, Kakogawa Honzô and Hiranoya Tokubê in the dramas "Horikawa", "Tôjûrô no Koi", "Yamashina Kankyo" and "Sonezaki Shinjû", which were staged in two kaomise programs celebrating the 350th anniversary of the most famous theater in Kyoto.

November 1969: premiere at the National Theatre of Mishima Yukio's drama "Chinsetsu Yumihari-zuki"; Ganjirô played the roles of the ghost of Emperor Sutoku and Kumagimi [more details].

june 1972: tour in Europe; Ganjirô played in London (Sadler's Wells) and Munich (Gärtnerplatz) the roles of Kô no Moronô and the ferryman in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura" and the dance "Sumidagawa".

April 1976: the National Theatre produced the revival in 5 acts and 9 scenes of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri"; Ganjirô played the role of Konomura Ôinosuke [casting].

May 1977: revival at the Minamiza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô"; Ganjirô played the role of Ogasawara Tôtômi-no-Kami [casting].

July 1977: revival at the Kabukiza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô"; Ganjirô played the role of Ogasawara Tôtômi-no-Kami [casting].

April 1979: historic revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV long-forgotten play "Haji Momiji Ase no Kaomise" (commonly called "Date no Jûyaku"); Ganjirô played the role of Yashio [casting].

July 1980: revival at the Kabukiza of the never-performed 5th act of "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"; Ganjirô played the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune [more details].

August 1980: revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Yadonashi Danshichi Shigure no Karakasa"; Ganjirô played the role of the playwright Namiki Shôzô [casting].

December 1980: Ganjirô played for the last time the role of Hiranoya Tokubê in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Sonezaki Shinjû", which was staged in Kyôto at the Minamiza; the role of the courtesan Ohatsu was played as usual by Nakamura Senjaku II; Ganjirô fell ill the 10th day and has to be replaced by his grandson Nakamura Tomotarô.

July 1981: revival at the Kabukiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Hitori Tabi Gojûsan Tsugi"; Ganjirô played the role of Tsuruya Nanboku IV [casting].

December 1982: Ganjirô appeared on stage for the last time, in Kyôto for the great kaomise at the Minamiza, playing the role of Kameya Chûbê in the "Ninokuchi-mura" scene of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ôrai"; the role of Umegawa was played by Nakamura Senjaku II.

13 April 1983: Ganjirô died.

Comments:

Living National Treasure Nakamura Ganjirô II was an important post-WW2 Kamigata actor, who was active on stage for more than 70 years. He was also a movie actor, who performed in 73 movies (52 produced by the Daiei Film Company). He was able to perform a wide range of roles, as a tachiyaku or an onnagata. He showed his real ability in wagoto as the worthy heir of his father Nakamura Ganjirô I. His best tachiyaku roles were Hiranoya Tokubê ("Sonezaki Shinjû"), Kameya Chûbê/Magoemon ("Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ôrai"), Kamiya Jihê ("Shinjû Ten no Amijima"), ("Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ôrai"), the dry goods merchant Jûbê ("Numazu"), Nan Yohê/Nanpô Jûjibê ("Hikimado"), Takebe Genzô/Fujiwara no Shihei ("Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"), Tôma Saburôemon ("Tengajaya"), the boatman ("Sumidagawa"), Igami no Gonta/Taira no Koremori/Minamoto no Yoshitsune ("Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"), Ôboshi Yuranosuke/Kô no Moronô ("Kanadehon Chûshingura"), Minamoto no Yoshitsune ("Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki"), Fukashichi/Kanawa Gorô Imakuni ("Imoseyama Onna Teikin"), the yakko Tsumahei ("Shin Usuyuki Monogatari"), Tsuchiya Chikara ("Tsuchiya Chikara"), the Aburaya bantô Zenroku ("Choinose"). His best onnagata roles were Kakuju/Chiyo ("Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"), Ohatsu/Iwafuji ("Kagamiyama"), Yashio ("Meiboku Sendai Hagi"), Mimyô ("Moritsuna Jin'ya") and Sagami ("Kumagai Jin'ya").

"Nakamura Ganjirô II like his father, Nakamura Ganjirô I, matured early in his life. Already in the early 1900's he had become a leader of children's Kabuki and later of youth Kabuki. At that time he had already adopted several of his father's roles as his own and was considered a full-fledged actor. However, he was not satisfied with simply duplicating his father's portrayal of roles, so he would modernize them and achieve an entirely innovative style of his own. [...] The roles of youth were his specialty but his full range was much wider, varying from the roles of old women to villains. [...] If we look at "Kanadehon Chûshingura", Nakamura Ganjirô I would perform Yuranosuke, Wakasanosuke, Kanpei and Tadayoshi but Nakamura Ganjirô II would also tackle the roles of Tonase, Honzô and Moronô, which were masterpieces of acting. He was also good in performing the roles of new plays and as well as including the rich touch of the old, familiar Kabuki he managed to portray a role in an entirely new light." (Ishibashi Ken'ichirô in "Senjaku Kamigatagei to Chikamatsu")

Nakamura Ganjirô II playing the role of Kamiya Jihê in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Shinjû Ten no Amijima" (print made by Natori Shunsen in 1952)

Prints & Illustrations

The Nakamura Senjaku line of actors

The Nakamura Kanjaku line of actors

The Nakamura Ganjirô line of actors