Stage names:

Nakamura Kichiemon I
Nakamura Kitsuemon
Nakamura Jûzô I
Sanogawa Jûzô

Guild: Hiranoya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: 1694 ~ 17 June 1770

Connections:

Brother/master: Sanogawa Mangiku

Adopted son: Nakamura Jûzô II

Disciples: Edosaka Kyôemon, Nakamura Danzô, Nakamura Bunzô, Nakamura Kichiji, Nakamura Ushiemon, Nakamura Yaehachi, Takeshima Kôzaemon IV, Nakamura Taizô, Nakamura Matsusuke

Career:

1694: born in the province of Banshû. His father is a rônin named Sudô. He starts his career when he is over 20 and becomes a disciple of his brother Sanogawa Mangiku, who gives him the name of Sanogawa Jûzô.

Fall 1723: Jûzô goes to Edo after a tour in Ise.

November 1723: Jûzô becomes tachiyaku and plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Yorimasa Kaikeizan".

Fall 1724: Jûzô goes to Kyôto.

November 1724: Sanogawa Jûzô takes the name of Nakamura Jûzô I, playing the role of Hanazato Kakubei in the kaomise drama "Yomeiri Miyako no Shimadai", which is produced by the zamoto Ogino Umenosuke for the nadai Ebisuya Kichirôbei.

November 1725: Jûzô becomes jitsuaku and plays in the kaomise drama "Ôkamado Hatsumen Bako", which is produced by his brother Sanogawa Mangiku for the nadai Hayagumo Chôdayû. He also changes the writing of his first name:

Fall 1726: Jûzô goes to Ôsaka.

November 1726: Jûzô switches back to tachiyaku roles and plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Kanematsu Miyakonosuke in the kaomise drama "Hakoiri Daikoku Gane", which is produced by Kaneko Kichizaemon.

November 1730: Jûzô plays in Ôsaka the role of Sakuragawa Kôsuke in the kaomise drama "Kunkoku Ôe no Kôbai", which is produced by Asao Motogorô.

January 1731: Jûzô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).

January 1732: Jûzô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - almost excellent).

November 1733: Jûzô becomes zamoto and produces in Ôsaka the kaomise drama "Shigeri Matsu Kogane no Takaragura".

November 1734: Jûzô produces at the Ônishi no Shibai the kaomise drama "Asahi no Matsu Kogane no Shinbashira".

September 1735: Jûzô produces at the Ônishi no Shibai the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami", in which he plays the role of Dôman.

November 1735: Jûzô produces at the Ônishi no Shibai the kaomise drama "Ôyamato Kane no Kinzan".

November 1736: Jûzô plays at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Furômon Kon no Shikigawara"; his stage partners are Arashi San'emon III, Arashi Sanjûrô II, Sanogawa Hanazuma I, Yamashita Matatarô I, Nakayama Shinkurô I and Fujikawa Heikurô.

November 1740: Jûzô produces at the Kado no Shibai the kaomise drama "Hanaikusa Nishiki no Manmaku".

January 1741: Jûzô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).

November 1742: Jûzô produces at the Ônishi no Shibai the kaomise drama "Kudô Suketsune Ôiso Gayoi".

Summer 1743: tour in Nara.

September 1745: Jûzô produces at the Ônishi no Shibai the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami", in which he plays the role of Dôman; his stage partners are Yoshizawa Ayame II (Kuzu-no-Ha), Bandô Toyosaburô I (Abe no Yasuna), Nakayama Shinkurô I (Yokampei), Arashi Shichigorô I (Yakampei, Shôgen) and Ichikawa Danzô III (Sakon Tarô).

Fall 1745: Jûzô goes to Kyôto after 19 seasons spent in Ôsaka.

November 1745: Jûzô plays the role of Kuroda Honzô in the kaomise drama "Toragoyomi Hoteibukuro", which is produced by Nakamura Kumetarô I.

January 1746: Jûzô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).

March 1747: Jûzô plays at Miyako Handayû's theater the role of Kanki in Chikamatsu Monaemon's drama "Kokusen'ya Gassen"; the roles of Watônai and Kinshôjo are played by Fujikawa Heikurô and Tatsuoka Hisagiku.

January 1748: Jûzô goes to Ôsaka and produces at the Kado no Shibai the new year drama "Keisei Yoshiokazome".

November 1748: Jûzô goes back to Kyôto and plays the role of Ashikaga Yoshinori in the kaomise drama "Jidai Makie Chûshingura", which is produced by Nakamura Matsubei I.

Fall 1749: Jûzô goes to Ôsaka.

November 1749: Jûzô produces at the Naka no Shibai the kaomise drama "Fûryû Gosho Zakura".

January 1750: Jûzô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is kô-jô-jô-kichi (meritorious - superior - superior - excellent).

November 1750: Jûzô produces at the Naka no Shibai the kaomise drama "Yasa Heike Sakiwake Musha".

January 1751: Jûzô is sôkanjiku ("global kanjiku") in the Ôsaka hyôbanki.

November 1752: the play "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki" is staged for the first time in Ôsaka, at the Naka no Shibai; it is produced by Jûzô, who also plays the role of Okabe Rokuyata [casting].

Fall 1755: Jûzô goes to Kyôto.

November 1755: Jûzô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Noto-no-Kami Noritsune in the kaomise drama "Onna Monji Heike Monogatari".

January 1756: Jûzô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).

Fall 1756: Jûzô goes to Ôsaka.

November 1756: Jûzô plays at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Taihei Yamato Monogatari".

January 1757: Jûzô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is goku-jô-jô-kichi (extreme - superior - superior - excellent).

Fall 1757: Jûzô goes to Kyôto.

November 1757: Jûzô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Okabe Rokuyata in the kaomise drama "Ôyashiro Musubu no Sanban Tsuzuki", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I and Somematsu Matsujirô. He also plays the role of Kan Shôjô in the drama "Kitano no Goengi Sembon Ume".

January 1758: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki", which is simultaneously produced at the Minamigawa no Shibai [casting] and the Kitagawa no Shibai [casting]; Jûzô plays in the former theater the role of Konoshita Tôkichi.

November 1758: Jûzô plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Homare Musha Senri no Kachidoki", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I and Somematsu Matsujirô.

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.

February 1760: Nakamura Kichiemon I takes the name of Nakamura Kitsuemon at the Minamigawa no Shibai, playing the role of Watanabe Honzô in the new year drama "Keisei Chikai no Kane".

Fall 1761: Kitsuemon goes to Ôsaka.

November 1761: Nakamura Kitsuemon takes back the name of Nakamura Kichiemon I at the Kado no Shibai, playing in the kaomise drama "Sôtsui Hoshi Kamakura Kagami", which is produced by Nakayama Bunshichi I.

July 1763: Kichiemon plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Kan Shôjô in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; his stage partners are Nakayama Shinkurô I (Kakuju, Fujiwara no Shihei), Arashi Hinasuke I (Haru), Anegawa Daikichi (Tonami, Yae), Asao Tamejûrô I (Hyôe, Shundô Genba), Nakayama Raisuke I (Umeômaru), Bandô Toyosaburô I (Shiratayû), Fujikawa Hachizô I (Genzô, Sukune Tarô), Ichinokawa Hikoshirô II (Sakuramaru), Yoshizawa Sakinosuke II (Chiyo, Tatsuta) and Nakayama Bunshichi I (Matsuômaru, Terukuni).

November 1767: Kichiemon plays at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Shitennô Maizuru Ôgi".

Fall 1768: Kichiemon goes to Kyôto.

November 1768: Kichiemon plays in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Enmusubi Asahi no Shimadai", which is produced by Onoe Kumesuke.

January 1769: Kichiemon appears on stage for the last time, in Kyôto, playing the role of Asai Shûrinosuke in the new year drama "Keisei Sato no Kinzan".

17 June 1770: Kichiemon dies.

Comments:

"Nakamura Kichiemon began to rise as Anegawa Shinshirô I declined. Kichiemon had the advantage of being ten years younger than Shinshirô, and was well-born, since he was the son of a samurai who had turned rônin. He lived in Ôsaka, and as his younger brother became an onnagata, he was also influenced to enter the profession, performing during his earlier career in provincial theatres, especially in Ise, and later in Edo. His specialty was to represent samurai, and he was excellent as a stage fighter. No doubt his samurai antecedents had given him his taste in this direction. As samurai of noble mien and aristocratic bearing he was at his best." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")

Nakamura Kichiemon I playing the role of the curio dealer Magoemon in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami", which was staged in May 1765 at the Naka no Shibai

The Nakamura Kichiemon line of actors