Stage names:

Nakamura Jûzô II
Ogurayama Sentarô

Guild: Hiranoya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Koyû

Existence: 1740 ~ 12 June 1788

Connections:

Father: Ogurayama Hyakumatsu II

Adopted father: Nakamura Kichiemon I

Disciples: Nakamura Iwazô, Nakamura Iwamatsu, Nakamura Jûmatsu, Nakamura Hikosaburô, Ogurayama Senzô

Career:

1740: born in Kyôto. Son of the dôkegata actor.

12 November 1756: his father Ogurayama Hyakumatsu II dies.

November 1759: Nakamura Jûzô I and his disciple Ogurayama Sentarô respectively take the names of Nakamura Kichiemon I and Nakamura Jûzô II at the Minamigawa no Shibai, playing together in the kaomise drama "Hônen no Miyako Mutsuki no Kotobuki", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I and also celebrates the shûmei of Matsuya Shinjûrô.

17 June 1770: his adopted father Nakamura Kichiemon I dies.

Fall 1771: Jûzô goes to Edo.

November 1771: Jûzô plays at the Moritaza the role of Fuwa Banzaemon in the kaomise drama "Fukikaete Tsuki no Yoshiwara", which celebrates the arrival of the new zagashira Ichikawa Danjûrô V.

January 1772: Jûzô plays in the same theater the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the new year drama "Hatsu Akebono Niwatori Soga"; the roles of Soga Jûrô Sukenari and Kudô Saemon Suketsune are played by Ichikawa Danjûrô V and Nakamura Tomijûrô I.

Fall 1774: Jûzô goes back to Ôsaka.

November 1774: Jûzô plays at the Naka no Shibai in the drama "Gosho Zakura Horikawa no Youchi".

January 1775: Jûzô is listed in the Ôsaka hyôbanki in the "kanjiku sampukutsui" section (a trio of kanjiku tachiyaku actors), along with Arashi Kichisaburô I and Nakayama Raisuke I.

Summer 1781: tour in Nagoya, Matsuzaka and Ise.

Summer 1782: Jûzô goes to Edo.

August 1782: Jûzô plays at the Moritaza in the drama "Koko ga Otoko no Tatehiki Tokoro".

Fall 1782: Jûzô goes to Kyôto.

November 1782: Jûzô plays in Kyôto the roles of Katô Saemon Shigeuji and Araki Saemon in the kaomise drama "Gosekkyô Suehiro Keizu", which celebrates the shûmei of Nakamura Utaemon II.

January ~ April 1784: tour in Nagoya with Nakamura Tomijûrô I.

End of 1784: Jûzô goes to Edo.

November 1785: Jûzô plays at the Kiriza the roles of Watanabe no Tsuna and Tawara Senju in the kaomise program "Otokoyama Furisode Genji", which celebrates the shûmei of Bandô Mitsugorô II.

November 1786: Jûzô plays at the Kiriza in the kaomise program "Mutsu no Hana Izu no Hataage", which celebrates the shûmei of Nakayama Kojûrô VI who takes back the name of Nakamura Nakazô I.

November 1787: Jûzô plays in Kyôto at the Nishi no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Koko ni Kiwamaru Gojin no Sonae".

January 1788: Jûzô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).

February 1788: the troupe moves from the Nishi no Shibai to the Ônishi no Shibai in Ôsaka to perform in the drama "Gishinden Yomikiri Kôshaku"; Jûzô plays the role of Yuranosuke.

March 1788: Jûzô leaves the Ônishi no Shibai to join the Naka no Shibai.

May 1788: Jûzô appears on stage for the last time, in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai, playing the role of Masaki Otoemon in the drama "Takakiyabashi Kenka no Shôbuzuke".

12 June 1788: Jûzô dies in Ôsaka.

Comments:

Nakamura Jûzô II was a talented and popular tachiyaku actor, who spent most of his career during the second half of the 18th century in Kamigata and made some successful stays in Edo. His two fields of excellence were wajitsu and budôgoto. He was said to be "personally charming and a brilliant actor" (according to "The Actor's Image").

He temporarily changed the writing of his first name during his first stay in Edo (1771~1774):

Nakamura Jûzô II playing the role of Kajiwara Heizô Kagetoki in the kaomise drama "Izu Goyomi Shibai no Ganjitsu", which was staged in November 1772 at the Moritaza (print made by Katsukawa Shunshô)