Stage names:
Nakamura Tomijûrô V
Ichimura Takenojô VI
Bandô Tsurunosuke IV
Real name: Watanabe Hajime
Guild: Tennôjiya
Line number: GODAIME (V)
Crest: Yattsu Yaguruma
Birthday: 4 June 1929
Connections:
Great-grandfather: Bandô Hikojûrô I
Grandfathers: Bandô Hikojûrô II, Ichimura Uzaemon XV
Father: Nakamura Tomijûrô IV
Half-brother: Nakamura Kikaku I
Son: Nakamura Takanosuke
Disciples: Nakamura Kikaku II, Arashi Kitsusaburô VI
Career:
August 1943: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Nakaza Theater (Ôsaka), receiving the name of Bandô Tsurunosuke IV and playing in the dance "Kagami Jishi".
July 1951: premiere at the Ôsaka Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Jiisan Baasan"; Tsurunosuke plays the role of Iori's son Kyûya [casting].
July 1952: Tsurunosuke plays for the first time the main role of the dance "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji", which is a creation of the great actor Nakamura Tomijûrô I.
Spetembre 1956: Tsurunosuke and Ôtani Tomoemon VII play together for the first time in the dance "Ninin Wankyû", which is performed at the Meijiza Theater.
1957: tour in the USA.
January 1964: revival at the Nissay Theatre of Tsuruya Namboku IV's spectacular drama "Kin no Zai Sarushima Dairi"; Tsurunosuke plays the role of Kitashirakawa no Anchin (in reality Minamoto no Raikô) [casting].
May 1964: Bandô Tsurunosuke IV takes the name of Ichimura Takenojô VI at the Kabukiza by playing in the plays "Kanadehon Chûshingura" (ninth act), "Yoritomo no Shi" and "Ninin Wankyû".
September 1972: Ichimura Takenojô VI takes the prestigious name of Nakamura Tomijûrô V at the Kabukiza, playing the role of Higuchi in the play "Hirakana Seisuiki" (the "Sakaro" act) and the snake-spirit dancer Hanako in the dance "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji".
April 1976: the National Theatre produces the revival in 5 acts and 9 scenes of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri"; Tomijûrô plays the role of Segawa Uneme [casting].
August 1980: revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Yadonashi Danshichi Shigure no Karakasa"; Tomijûrô plays the role of Iwai-buro Jisuke [casting].
January 1984: historic revival at the National Theatre of the play "Sankai Nagoya" in which Tomijûrô plays the role of Ôgimachi Dazainojô [casting].
1986: tour in the USA.
1987: tour in the USSR.
October 1988: Tomijûrô takes part in a Kabuki tour in Egypt; he plays the roles of Shunkan and Tarôkaja in the drama "Shunkan" and the dance "Bô Shibari".
March 1989: Tomijûrô plays for the first time the role of Dôgen in the drama "Mekura Nagaya Ume-ga-Kagatobi", which is performed at the National Theatre.
1994: Tomijûrô receives the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (ningen kokuhô in Japanese).
1995: Tomijûrô plays the role of the Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjûrô V in the movie "Sharaku". This film narrates the life of the famous print-maker Tôshûzai Sharaku, who produced all his works between 1794 and February 1795 and disappeared mysteriously, leaving behind him some of the most famous actor prints.
1996: tour in Italy.
1997: tour in France.
December 2000: the National Theatre produces the revival of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Tomioka Koi no Yamabiraki", which has not been staged for 77 years; Tomijûrô plays the role of Demura Shimbei.
January 2002: the National Theatre produces the revival of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Koharunagi Okitsu Shiranami", which has not been played in its full length since November 1864; Tomijûrô plays the role of the thief Nippon Daemon [casting].
May 2009: Tomijûrô does his sanju kinen performance (for his coming 80th birthday); It is celebrated at the Kabukiza, not within a regular Kabuki program, but as a short dance program of the association Yaguruma no Kai (yaguruma is the mon of Tomijûrô). The star plays the role of Musashibô Benkei in the spectacular dance-drama "Kanjinchô". He also performs with his son Nakamura Takanosuke in the dance "Renjishi".
Comments:
Nakamura Tomijûrô is an amazing actor endowed with one of the most powerful voices of the Kabuki world. He is also the first tachiyaku of a line of onnagata actors.
Nakamura Tomijûrô playing the role of Kô no Moronô in the third act of the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura" in a print made by Tsuruya Kôkei in September 1986
Print courtesy of Castle Fine Arts, Inc. (all rights reserved)
Print made by Tsuruya Kôkei in 1990
The Bandô Tsurunosuke line of actors
The Ichimura Takenojô line of actors
The Nakamura Tomijûrô line of actors
