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 makes his first stage appearance, in Kyôto at the Minamiza, playing under his real name.

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

March 1934: "Ôishi Saigo no Ichinichi", the tenth and last play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura" is 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 plays the role of Isogai Jûrôzaemon.

1 February 1935: his father Nakamura Ganjirô I dies.

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

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

June 1945: his mother Hayashi Sen dies.

January 1947: Nakamura Kanjaku IV takes 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 are staged within a special program which commemorates 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 are 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 plays the role of Iori's wife Run [casting].

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

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

1955: Ganjirô leaves the Kabuki world to work as a movie actor.

1959: Ganjirô plays in the movie "Ukigusa", directed by Ozu Yasujirô and produced by the Daiei.

1961: Ganjirô plays in the movie "Kobayagawake no Aki", directed by Ozu Yasujirô and produced by the Tôhô.

1965: Ganjirô is back in the Kabuki world.

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

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

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

june 1972: tour in Europe; Ganjirô plays 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 produces the revival in 5 acts and 9 scenes of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri"; Ganjirô plays the role of Konomura Ôinosuke [casting].

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

July 1977: revival at the Kabukiza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô"; Ganjirô plays 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 plays the role of Yashio [casting].

July 1980: revival at the Kabukiza of the never-performed 5th act of "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"; Ganjirô plays 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 plays the role of the playwright Namiki Shôzô [casting].

December 1980: Ganjirô plays for the last time the role of Hiranoya Tokubê in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Sonezaki Shinjû", which is staged in Kyôto at the Minamiza; the role of the courtesan Ohatsu is played as usual by Nakamura Senjaku II; Ganjirô falls 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 plays the role of Tsuruya Nanboku IV [casting].

December 1982: Ganjirô appears 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 is played by Nakamura Senjaku II.

13 April 1983: Ganjirô dies.

Comments:

"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)

Print made by Natori Shunsen in 1952

The Nakamura Senjaku line of actors

The Nakamura Kanjaku line of actors

The Nakamura Ganjirô line of actors