Stage names:
Nakamura Tomijûrô II
Nakamura Matsue III
Nakamura Sankô I
Ichikawa Kumatarô
Guild: Tennôjiya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry names: Sankô, Keishi
Crest: Yattsu Yaguruma
Existence: 1786 ~ 13 February 1855
Connections:
Masters: Nakamura Utaemon III, Ichikawa Jinnosuke
Adopted son: Nakamura Daikichi III
Disciples: Nakamura Kamon I, Nakamura Noshio IV, Nakamura Keijo
Career:
1786 ~ 1808: born in Ôsaka. He starts his career as a disciple of Ichikawa Jinnosuke, who gives him the name of Kumatarô and lets him play in his troupe of children actors (Kodomo Shibai).
July 1808: his master Ichikawa Jinnosuke dies.
1812: he becomes disciple of the Kamigata star Nakamura Utaemon III.
November 1812: Ichikawa Kumatarô takes the name of Nakamura Sankô I at the Naka no Shibai, playing the role of Konami in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
September 1813: Sankô plays for the first time the role of the courtesan Akoya in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki", which is performed in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai. His stage partners in the roles of Shigetada and Iwanaga Saemon are Nakayama Hyakka and Nakamura Utaemon III.
November 1813: Sankô settles in Edo and takes the name of Nakamura Matsue III at the Nakamuraza, playing 3 roles in the drama "Okudôsha Bandô Junrei".
September 1814: Matsue plays the role of the courtesan Akoya in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki", which is staged in the same theater. His stage partners in the roles of Shigetada and Iwanaga Saemon are Bandô Mitsugorô III and Nakamura Utaemon III.
1816: Matsue returns to Kamigata and plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai in Kyôto.
January 1819: Matsue plays the role of the courtesan Akoya in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki", which is performed in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai. His stage partners in the roles of Shigetada and Iwanaga Saemon are Ichikawa Ebijûrô I and Asao Kuzaemon I.
March 1821: premiere at the Kado no Shibai of the drama "Kajiwara Heizô Kôbai Tazuna", a new version of the third act of "Miura no Ôsuke Ôbai Tazuna", revised by Kanazawa Ryûgoku; Matsue plays the role of Kozue [casting]. He also plays the role of Hinadori in the drama "Imoseyma Onna Teikin"; his stage partners are Arashi Koroku IV (Omiwa, Koganosuke), Bandô Mitsugorô III (Daihanji, Iruka, Fujiwara no Tankai) and Nakamura Utaemon III (Fukashichi, Sadaka).
May 1821: Matsue plays in the same theater the roles of Kaoyo and Okita in the drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku".
July 1821: Matsue moves to the Naka no Shibai, playing the role of Masaoka in the play "Hagi ha Sendai Na ha Matsumoto", whose plot and characters belong to the "Meiboku Sendai Hagi" world.
September 1821: Matsue is back at the Kado no Shibai, playing in the drama "Taiheiki Kikusui no Maki" but the performance is not a success because of a quarrel between Nakamura Utaemon III and Ichikawa Danzô V.
1822 ~ 1823: short stay in Edo.
March 1823: Matsue plays the role of Masaoka in the drama "Kaeri Kuruwa Hana no Date Zome", whose plot and characters belong to the "Meiboku Sendai Hagi" world and which is staged at the Nakamuraza.
November 1823: Matsue is back in Kamigata and triumphes at the Kitagawa no Shibai in Kyôto by playing the roles of Oritsu and Omatsu in the drama "Keisei Chigo no Fuchi". He also plays the role of the courtesan Akoya in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki", sharing the stage with the stars Ichikawa Ebijûrô I (Shigetada) and Nakamura Utaemon III (Iwanaga Saemon).
January 1827: Matsue's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He is with Sawamura Kunitarô II the kanjiku for the onnagata actors.
May 1827: Matsue plays for the first time the role of Osono in the drama "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi", which is performed at the Horie Ichigawa no Shibai in Ôsaka. His stage partner in the role of Rokusuke is Seki Sanjûrô II. The same play is performed with the same casting in June at the Kita-Shinchi no Shibai.
July 1827: Matsue plays the roles of Miyako and Ohaya in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki", which is performed at the Kado no Shibai.
June 1828: tour in Miyajima. Matsue plays among others the prestigious role of the courtesan Akoya in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki".
September 1829: Matsue plays the role of Otoku in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Hangonkô", which is produced at the Kado no Shibai by the zamoto Nakamura Umematsu. His stage partners are Nakamura Utaemon III (Matahei), Arashi Rikan II (Utanosuke) and Kataoka Nizaemon VII (Shôgen). The same play is performed with the same casting in November at the Kitagawa no Shibai in Kyôto.
March 1830: At the beginning of the month, Matsue plays the roles of Osono, Tonase and Okaru in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which is performed in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai. He also plays the role of the courtesan Agemaki, [Shigeharu print] in the drama "Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura". His stage partners in the roles of Sukeroku and Soga Jûrô are Ichikawa Hakuen II and Nakamura Utaemon III. In the middle of March, Matsue plays the roles of Ohatsu and Okon in the dramas "Kagamiyama Gonichi no Omokage" and "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba". He also performs the main role of the dance "Keisei Dôjôji", which commemorates the first anniversary of the death of Nakamura Noshio II and belongs to the "Musume Dôjôji" world, a role popularized by Nakamura Tomijûrô I.
April 1830: Matsue plays 2 roles in the same theater in the drama "Ôtô-no-Miya Asahi no Yoroi".
June 1830: tour in Miyajima in the company of Nakamura Utaemon III. They perform in "Hirakana Seisuiki".
November 1830: Matsue plays the roles of Yae, Tonami and Kakuju in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", which is performed in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai. He also plays the role of Osato in the "Sushiya" scene of the play "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
January 1831: Matsue is back in Ôsaka, playing 3 roles in the drama "Keisei Shigeshige Yawa", produced by Nakamura Baika I at the Naka no Shibai.
March 1831: the troupe performing at the Naka no Shibai moves to the Kado no Shibai. Matsue plays the roles of Shinobu and Okoma in the dramas "Onna Setsuyô Emon Kagami" and "Koi Musume Mukashi Hachijô".
May 1831: Matsue plays in the same theater the role of Itotaki in the drama "Musume Kagekiyo". The role of Kagekiyo is played by Nakamura Utaemon III.
July 1831: the troupe performing at the Kado no Shibai moves to the Naka no Shibai. Matsue plays the roles of the Kiku-no-Mae and Sagami in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki". He also plays the role of the courtesan Umegawa in "Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ôrai", sharing the stage with Nakamura Utaemon III in the role of Kameya Chûbei.
September 1831: Matsue plays in the same theater the role of Namiji in the drama "Takane no Nami".
November 1831: Matsue, following his master and his troupe, moves to Kyôto, performing for the Kitagawa no Shibai kaomise program. He plays the roles of Okaru, Tonase and Osono in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
January 1832: Matsue, Utaemon and his troupe are back in Ôsaka, playing in the drama "Keisei Hana no Yamazaki", which is produced by Nakamura Tamanosuke at the Naka no Shibai.
February 1832: the troupe moves to the Kado no Shibai. Matsue plays the role of Omiwa in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", which is produced by Sawamura Montarô.
September 1832: Matsue plays in the same theater the role of Shigenoi in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".
November 1832: Matsue takes part in the kaomise program of the Kado no Shibai, playing in the dramas "Nichiren Shônin Minori no Umi" and "Suda no Haru Geisha Katagi" and the dance "Tokiwa Akizuki no Aki", which are produced by Nakamura Umematsu.
January 1833: Nakamura Matsue III takes the prestigious name of Nakamura Tomijûrô II, which has not been held since August 1786, at the Kado no Shibai, playing in the new year drama "Keisei Chigo-ga-Fuchi". This is also the premiere of "Chichi Morai", staged as the second part of "Keisei Chigo-ga-Fuchi", in which Tomijûrô plays the role of Koyuki [casting].
February 1833: tour in the province of Bizen.
March 1833: Tomijûrô is back in Kyôto and plays the roles of Sadaka and Omiwa in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", which is staged at the Kitagawa no Shibai. Premiere at the Kitagawa no Shibai of "Hana Fubuki Koi no Tekagami", in which Tomijûrô plays the role of Koyuki [casting].
May 1833: Tomijûrô is back in Ôsaka and plays the role of Kinshôjo in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Kokusen'ya Gassen", which is produced by Nakamura Tamanosuke at the Kado no Shibai. The role of Watônai is played by Arashi Rikan II.
July 1833: Tomijûrô moves to Kyôto, performing in the drama "Kokusen'ya Gassen" and "Gokusaishiki Musume Ôgi", which are staged at the Kitagawa no Shibai.
December 1833: Tomijûrô is back in Ôsaka, playing the role of Sagami in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki", which is produced by Nakamura Tsurunosuke at the Kado no Shibai.
January 1834: his rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki is dai-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent).
March 1834: Tomijûrô plays the role of princess Taema in the drama "Narukami Zakura", produced by Nakamura Tsurunosuke at the Kado no Shibai. The role of the wicked priest Narukami is played by Ichikawa Ebizô V.
October 1834: Tomijûrô plays the role of Otoku in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Hangonkô", which is performed in the same theater. The role of Matahei, Otoku's husband, is played by Nakamura Shikan II.
November 1834: Tomijûrô stays a few weeks in Kyôto, participating in the kaomise of the Kitagawa no Shibai. He plays the role of Sagami in the "Kumagai Jin'ya" scene of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki". He also plays the role of Sekijo, Gotobei's wife, in "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô". The role of Gotobei is played by Nakamura Utaemon III.
January 1835: Tomijûrô plays in Ôsaka in the drama "Keisei Iriai Zakura", which is produced by Nakamura Tsurunosuke at the Kado no Shibai. This is also the premiere of the dance "Wake Futatsu Ninin Dôjôji", which stars Tomijûrô and Nakamura Shikan II.
April 1835: Tomijûrô moves to the Naka no Shibai, playing the role of Okon in the drama "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba". His stage partner in the role of Fukuoka Mitsugi is Nakamura Shikan II.
June 1835: Tomijûrô and Nakamura Shikan II settle in Kyôto.
September 1835: Tomijûrô plays the roles of Ohaya, Oyasu and Oseki in the dramas "Hikimado", "Hime Komatsu Ne-no-Hi no Asobi" and "Kiyomizu Seigen", which are performed at the Kitagawa no Shibai.
January 1836: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Nishizawa Ippô's drama "Hana no Ani Tsubomi no Yatsufusa" Tomijûrô plays the roles of Princess Fuse and Hamaji [casting].
August 1836: Tomijûrô plays 2 roles in the drama "Yorimasa Nue Monogatari", which is performed in the same theater. He also plays the role of the courtesan Fujiya Azuma in the drama "Abura Uri Kuruwa Banashi".
October 1836: Tomijûrô plays in the dramas "May Ôgi" and "Gosho Zakura Horikawa no Youchi", which are performed at the Kita-Shinchi no Shibai in Ôsaka.
February 1837: Tomijûrô plays the roles of Shigenoi, Osan and Koman in the drama "Keisei Tamate Zuna", which is produced by Nakamura Umetarô at the Naka no Shibai.
July 1837: Tomijûrô plays the roles of Sadaka and Omiwa in the classic "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", which is produced by Arashi Kitsuzô at the Horie Ichigawa no Shibai.
August 1837: Tomijûrô plays the role of Princess Toki in the drama "Kamakura Sandaiki", which is performed at the Kita-Shinchi no Shibai.
September 1837: Tomijûrô plays the role of Princess Minazuru in the classic "Kiichi Hôgen Sanryaku no Maki", which is performed at the Naka no Shibai.
November 1837: Tomijûrô takes part in the kaomise of the Minamigawa no Shibai in Kyôto. He plays the roles of Masaoka and the courtesan Takao in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi".
January 1838: Tomijûrô is back in Ôsaka, playing in the drama "Keisei Sato no Funauta", which is staged at the Kado no Shibai and celebrates the shûmei of Nakayama Ittoku III and Nakayama Yoshio III.
May 1838: Tomijûrô moves to the Naka no Shibai, playing the roles of Yûshide and Kozue in the dramas "Karukaya Dôshin Tsukushi no Iezuto" and "Kajiwara Heizô Kôbai Tazuna".
September 1838: Tomijûrô plays the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami", which is performed in the same theater.
November 1838: Tomijûrô takes part in the kaomise of the Kitagawa no Shibai in Kyôto. He plays the roles of Sagami and Otani in the dramas "Kumagai Jin'ya" and "Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku".
January 1839: Tomijûrô is back in Ôsaka, playing the roles of Gion no Okaji, Otaki and Masago [print] in the drama "Keisei Hama no Masago", which is produced by his disciple Nakamura Tomigiku at the Kado no Shibai. He also plays the role of Masaoka in "Chiyo no Haru Hagi no Wakabae", a play with a script similar to the classic "Meiboku Sendai Hagi".
March 1839: the play "Sesshû Gappô-ga-Tsuji" is staged for the first time in Ôsaka, at the Kado no Shibai; Tomijûrô plays the roles of Tamate Gozen and Irihei's wife Osode [casting]. He also plays the roles of Hinadori and Omiwa in the great drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".
August 1839: Tomijûrô plays the roles of Shimabara Kochô and Kozue in the dramas "Shimabara Zome Nanagusa Moyô" and "Kajiwara Heizô Kôbai Tazuna", which are produced in the same theater.
September 1839: Tomijûrô moves to the Naka no Shibai and plays 3 roles, including the famous role of Hangaku, in the drama "Wada Gassen Onna Maizuru".
November 1839: Tomijûrô and all the actors playing at the Naka no Shibai move to Kyôto. They perform at the Kitagawa no Shibai in the dramas "Keisei Sato no Funauta", "Wada Gassen Onna Maizuru", "Hirai Gompachi", "Honchô Nijûshikô" and "Kuruwa Bunshô".
January 1840: Tomijûrô is back in Ôsaka, playing 4 roles in the drama "Keisei Setsugekka", which is produced by his disciple Nakamura Tomisuke at the Naka no Shibai.
March 1840: Tomijûrô plays 4 roles in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki", which is performed in the same theater.
April 1841: Tomijûrô plays the role of the courtesan Yûgiri in the drama "Yûgiri Kuruwa Bunshô", which is performed at the Naka no Shibai. His stage partner in the role of Fujiya Izaemon is Ichikawa Danzô V.
January 1842: Tomijûrô performs in the same theater in the drama "Keisei Tsukushi no Tsumagoto" and the dance "Keisei Dôjôji".
March ~ April 1842: Tomijûrô plays the roles of Ohatsu and Okon in the dramas "Kagamiyama Gonichi no Omokage" and "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba". He also performs the main role of the dance "Keisei Dôjôji".
1843: Tomijûrô is victim of the repressive sumptuary laws which are directed at the Kabuki actors. He is expelled from Ôsaka and has to settle for a while in the port of Sakai.
November 1845: Tomijûrô is back in Kyôto and takes part in the kaomise of the Kitagawa no Shibai. He plays 5 roles in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami". He also plays the roles of Sagami and Kiku-no-Mae in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".
May 1846: Tomijûrô play the role of Oginoya Yaegiri in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Komochi Yamamba", which is performed in the same Theater.
Spring 1847: tour in Ise (Furuichi Shibai).
Summer 1847: tour in Nagoya (Tachibana no Shibai).
January 1849: his rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki is dai-goku-jô-jô-kichi (grand - extreme - superior - superior - excellent).
November 1849: Tomijûrô plays the roles of Shizuka Gozen and Osato in the michiyuki and the "Sushiya" scene of the play "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which is performed at the Tachibana no Shibai in Nagoya. The roles of Yasuke and Tadanobu are played by Arashi Rikaku II. Tomijûrô also plays the role of the courtesan Akoya in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki".
January 1850: Tomijûrô plays for the last time the role of the courtesan Akoya in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki", which is performed in Sakai at the Minami no Shibai.
November 1851: Tomijûrô plays the role of Sodehagi in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara", which is produced in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai by the nadai Kameya Kumenojô and Hayagumo Chôdayû. His stage partners are Arashi Rikaku II (Abe no Munetô), Kataoka Ichizô I (Abe no Sadatô) and Jitsukawa Enzaburô I (Hachiman Tarô).
September 1853: Tomijûrô returns in Edo in the company of the tachiyaku Nakamura Nakazô III. He plays for the last time the role of Osono in the drama "Kana Kyodai Musume no Adachi", whose plot and structure are very similar to "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi", which is performed at the Ichimuraza. His stage partners in the roles of Rokusuke and Kyôgoku no Takumi are Arashi Kichisaburô III and Ôtani Tomoemon IV.
November 1853: Tomijûrô takes part in the Ichimuraza's kaomise, playing the roles of Shizuka Gozen and Owasa in the drama "Gosho Zakura Horikawa no Youchi".
November 1854: Tomijûrô plays the prestigious roles of Sodehagi and Omiwa in the dramas "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara" and "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", which are performed at the Ichimuraza.
January 1855: Tomijûrô returns in Kamigata but falls seriously ill and dies in February.
Comments:
Great onnagata trained in the Kamigata acting traditions, Nakamura Tomijûrô II was also an excellent dancer and a renowned musician. His best roles were Omiwa ("Imoseyama Onna Teikin"), Masaoka ("Meiboku Sendai Hagi") Osono ("Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi") and Akoya ("Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki").
Nakamura Tomijûrô II playing the role of the courtesan Yûgiri in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô" (commonly called "Yoshidaya") in a print made by Utagawa Sadamasu (1840~1842)
Print made by Shumbaisai Hokuei in 1835
Print made by Hasegawa Sadanobu in 1837
Print made by Hasegawa Sadanobu in 1839
The Nakamura Matsue line of actors
The Nakamura Tomijûrô line of actors