Stage names:
Nakayama Nanshi II
Nakayama Yoshio III
Nakayama Isshi I
Nakayama Ittoku II
Nakayama Azuma
Nakayama Torakichi
Guild: Daikokuya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry names: Isshi, Yoshio
Existence: 1790 ~ 23 July 1858
Connection:
Master: Nakayama Yoshio I
Career:
1790 ~ 1808: born in Ôsaka. He starts his career as a disciple of the actor Nakayama Yoshio I, who gives him the name of Nakayama Torakichi.
1808: Nakayama Torakichi takes the name of Nakayama Azuma.
1815: Nakayama Azuma takes the name of Nakayama Ittoku II; he performs in hama shibai.
1815 ~ 1818: Nakayama Ittoku II takes the name of Nakayama Isshi I.
23 January 1818: his master Nakayama Yoshio I dies.
February ~ March 1819: tour in Nagoya; Ittoku performs at the Seijuin no Shibai, sharing the stage with Kataoka Ichizô I, Onoe Fujaku III and Arashi Mitsugorô.
January 1826: Isshi plays at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Princess Terute in the drama "Hime Kurabe Futaba Ezôshi"; the role of Oguri Hangan is played by Onoe Fujaku III.
November 1831: Nakayama Isshi I takes the name of Nakayama Nanshi II. (Nanshi was a haimyô used by Nakayama Yoshio I, who is considered as Nakayama Nanshi I).
March 1832: Nanshi plays in Ôsaka at the Takeda no Shibai the roles of Okaru, Oishi and Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
January 1836: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Nishizawa Ippô's drama "Hana no Ani Tsubomi no Yatsufusa" Nanshi plays the roles of Tamazusa, Bansaku's wife and the servant Onaka [casting].
January 1838: Nanshi's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). The actors Nakayama Nanshi II and Nakayama Yoshio II respectively take the names of Nakayama Yoshio III and Nakayama Ittoku III at the Kado no Shibai, playing in the new year drama "Keisei Sato no Funauta".
May 1841: Yoshio plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Okon in the drama "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba"; the roles of Fukuoka Mitsugi and Kisuke are played by Kataoka Gadô II and Nakamura Shikan III. The performance is a commercial failure and some actors move to Kyôto.
October 1843: Yoshio plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Okaru and Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
October 1843: Yoshio plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Okaru in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
January 1845: Nakayama Yoshio III takes back the name of Nakayama Nanshi II at the Kado no Shibai, playing 2 roles in the new year drama "Keisei Tamate Zuna".
January 1846: Nanshi plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Oritsu and Otaki in the drama "Keisei Hama no Masago", which celebrates the shûmei of Mimasu Daigorô IV.
March 1846: Nanshi plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Okaru, Konami, Okita and Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
November 1846: Nanshi plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
January 1849: Nanshi's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent). He plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of the courtesan Temmaya Ohatsu in the drama "Sonezaki Shinjû"; the role of Hiranoya Tokubei is played by Jitsukawa Enzaburô I.
November 1849: Nanshi plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai the role of Miyuki in the drama "Keisei Tsukushi no Tsumagoto"; the role of Miyagi Asojirô is played by Jitsukawa Enzaburô I.
March 1850: Nanshi plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Hinadori and Omiwa in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".
September 1850: Nanshi plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of the courtesan Ôgiya Yûgiri in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô"; the role of Fujiya Izaemon is played by Nakamura Utaemon IV.
May 1851: Nanshi plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Okaru in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
September 1851: Nanshi plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Yae and Tonami in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
October 1852: Nanshi plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Onoe in the drama "Kagamiyama Sugata no Utsushie"; the roles of Ohatsu and Iwafuji are played by Kataoka Gadô II and Mimasu Daigorô IV.
November 1852: Nanshi plays at the Minamigawa no Shibai (Kyôto) the role of Onoe in the drama "Tsugiawase Koshiji no Ume", which belongs to the "Kagamiyama" world; the roles of Ohatsu and Iwafuji are, just like the previous month in Ôsaka, played by Kataoka Gadô II and Mimasu Daigorô IV. Nanshi also plays the role of Princess Yaegaki in the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô".
March 1853: Nanshi plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Okaru, Okumi and Okita in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
March 1854: Nanshi plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Osan in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Daikyôji Mukashi Goyomi"; the role of Mohei is played by Jitsukawa Enzaburô I.
January 1857: Nanshi plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of Kizue in the new year drama "Keisei Chôja Kagami". He also plays the roles of Sasao and Otane in the drama "Igagoe". Then, he does his isse ichidai peformance, playing the role of the ghost of Murakaze in "Yukihira Isonare Matsu". Nanshi retires and opens a hair pomade shop in Ôsakan, close to Ebisubashi.
23 July 1858: Nanshi dies in Ôsaka.
Comments:
Nakayama Nanshi II was a popular and talented 19th century Ôsaka onnagata actor, who was able to perform any kind of female role. He was considered as the last great Kamigata onnagata of the Edo period.
Nakayama Nanshi II in a print made by Utagawa Kunishige in 1849