Stage names:
Nakamura Kankurô III
Nakamura Kanzaburô XII
Nakamura Denkurô V
Nakamura Akashi IV
Guild: Nakamuraya
Line number: JÛNIDAIME (XII)
Existence: 1800 ~ 11 October 1851
Connections:
Great-great-great-grandfather: Nakamura Kanzaburô I
Great-great-grandfather: Nakamura Kankurô I
Great-grandfather: Nakamura Kanzaburô VI
Grandfathers: Nakamura Kanzaburô VIII, Ichikawa Yaozô II
Father: Nakamura Kanzaburô XI
Brother: Nakamura Katsujûrô II
Brother-in-law: Nakamura Denkurô IV
Sons: Nakamura Kanzaburô XIII, Nakamura Jusaburô II
Son-in-laws: Iwai Hanshirô VIII, Nakamura Nakazô III
Grandson: Nakamura Akashi V (Kanzaburô XV)
Great-granddaughter: Nakamura Fujiko (Kanzaburô XVI)
Career:
1800 ~ 1808: born in Edo. Younger son of Nakamura Kanzaburô XI, he makes his first stage appearance at an unknown date and receives the name of Nakamura Akashi IV.
August 1808: Akashi plays the role of Kotarô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", which is staged at the Nakamuraza [illustration].
June 1808: Akashi plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Shigeichi in the drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki".
September 1812: the actor Nakamura Utaemon III, who is about to travel back to his native Kamigata after more than 4 years spent in Edo, performs his onagori kyôgen at the Nakamuraza, which includes the premiere of a sambasô titled "Mata Kuru Haru Suzuna no Tanemaki". The roles of Sambasô, Senzai and Okina were performed by Nakamura Utaemon III, Akashi and Nakamura Shichisaburô IV.
November 1814: Nakamura Akashi IV takes the name of Nakamura Denkurô V.
January 1815: Denkurô achieves a great success at the Nakamuraza by playing the role of Kobayashi no Asaina in the drama "Date Moyô Soga no Hinagata"; This role is closely associated to the great actor Nakamura Denkurô I.
March 1829: Denkurô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Kamei Rokurô in the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura". The 21st of March, a a fire breaks out from the shop of Owariya Tokuemon, in the district of Kanda Sakuma-chô. It spreads and destroys the Edo theaters district. The Nakamuraza is burnt to ashes.
July 1829: the Nakamura clan temporarily settles its theater in the precinct of the Hanazono shrine in the district of Shinjuku.
August 1829: his father Nakamura Kanzaburô XI dies.
November 1829: Nakamura Denkurô V takes the name of Nakamura Kanzaburô XII and becomes the new official zamoto of the Nakamuraza. He produces the drama "Kin no Zai Sarushima Dairi" with the ators Matsumoto Kôshirô V, Segawa Kikunojô V, Nakamura Shikan II, Mimasu Gennosuke I, Arashi Kanjûrô I and Sakata Hangorô IV.
June 1830: Kanzaburô appears on stage as an actor for the last time, playing 4 roles in the drama "Minami ni Kuriki no Mushibôshi", which is staged in his theater.
23 December 1830: a fire breaks out in the district of Nihombashi Kodemma-chô. It spreads and destroys the Ichimuraza and the Nakamuraza.
7 February 1834: a fire breaks out in the district of Kanda Sakuma-chô. It spreads and destroys the Ichimuraza and the Nakamuraza.
6 October 1841: a fire breaks out from the backstages of the Nakamuraza in the district of Kanda Sakai-chô. It spreads and destroys the Ichimuraza and the Nakamuraza.
20 October 1841: the Edo authorities forbid the reconstruction of the destroyed theaters in Sakai-chô.
19 December 1841: the Nakamuraza, Ichimuraza and Kawarazakiza are ordered to move to the remote district of Asakusa Saruwaka-chô.
July 1842: the construction of the new Nakamuraza is completed.
October 1842: opening ceremony for the new Nakamuraza; Kanzaburô produces the drama "Kinryûzan Chikai no Ishizue" with the actors Iwai Tojaku, Sawamura Tosshô II, Arashi Kichisaburô III, Onoe Eizaburô III, Bandô Hikosaburô IV, Osagawa Tsuneyo IV, Arashi Izaburô II and Ichikawa Danzaburô V.
1843: Kanzaburô is condemned by the Edo Authorities for falsification of documents related to the number of shibai jaya in his theater. As a punishment, he is handcuffed at home and his theater is temporarily closed (no kaomise in November).
March 1844: end of punishment for Kanzaburô, who has to pay a heavy fine in order to get his handcuffs removed. He produces the drama "Sugata no Hana Yayoi no Kagamiyama", which celebrates the shûmei of Iwai Hanshirô VII, Matsumoto Kôshirô VI and Ichikawa Komazô VII.
April 1850: Nakamura Kanzaburô XII gives his name to his son Nakamura Denzô III (who becomes Nakamura Kanzaburô XIII) and retires, taking the name of Nakamura Kankurô III.
Comments:
Nakamura Kanzaburô XII was the last great zamoto of the Nakamuraza. He succeeded in keeping the family business up and running for 20 seasons, in spite of the heavy burden of the theater debts, several fires that burnt his theater to ashes or the anti-theater regulations of the Edo authorities.
Nakamura Denkurô V in the backstage of the Nakamuraza in January 1816 (print made by Utagawa Kunisada I)
The Nakamura Denkurô line of actors and theater managers
The Nakamura Kanzaburô line of actors and theater managers
The Nakamura Kankurô line of actors and theater managers