Stage names:

Nakamura Jakuemon I
Nakamura Gizaemon
Nakamura Shibazô I
Nakamura Genji

Guild: Edoya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry names: Shinjaku, Shito, Shiyô, Shigan

Existence: 1806 ~ 18th day of the 8th lunar month of 1871 ^[1]

Connections:

Master: Nakamura Tôtarô (Utaemon IV)

Disciples: Nakamura Jakuemon II, Nakamura Koshiba, Nakamura Shibasaburô, Nakamura Tasaburô, Nakamura Shibazô

Career:

1806~1825: born in Ôsaka in the district of Shinbori. His father was the owner of a tea house called Edogen. He started his career at an early age, playing under the name of Nakamura Genji in the children-actors troupe (kodomo shibai) led by Nakamura Tôtarô. They performed mainly in the precincts of temples and shrines (miyaji shibai).

3rd lunar month of 1826: Genji settled in Edo and took the name of Nakamura Shibazô I at the Nakamuraza, performing in the dramas "Sanmon Gosan no Kiri" and "Hatsu Yagura Yayoi no Kotobuki".

11th lunar month of 1829: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Kin no Zai Sarushima Dairi"; Shibazô played the role of Izawa Yakurô [more details].

1834: Shibazô went back to Kamigata.

3rd lunar month of 1845: Shibazô played at the Chikugo no Shibai the role of Adachi Motoemon in the drama "Ehon Tengajaya-mura"; his stage partners were Nakamura Shikan III (Hayase Iori), Arashi Rikaku II (Adachi Yasuke), Sawamura Kitô (Somenoi) and Kataoka Ichizô I (Tôma Saburôemon).

1st lunar month of 1847: Nakamura Shibazô I took the name of Nakamura Gizaemon at the Chikugo no Shibai.

Spring 1851: Nakamura Gizaemon took the name of Nakamura Jakuemon I in Nagoya at the Wakamiya no Shibai.

11th lunar month of 1851: official shûmei in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai; Jakuemon played the roles of Kurosuke and Hida Saemon in the classic "Genpei Nunobiki no Taki".

17th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1852 ^[2]: his master Nakamura Utaemon IV died in Ôsaka.

8th lunar month of 1854: Jakuemon achieved a great success in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai by playing the role of Rôikkan in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Kokusen'ya Gassen"; the roles of Watônai, Kanki, Kinshôjo and Gosankei were played by Onoe Waichi II, Onoe Tamizô II, Ichikawa Ichizô III and Sawamura Shirogorô III.

Spring 1860: Jakuemon became zagashira at the Chikugo no Shibai; he successfully produced the drama "Hime Kurabe Futaba Ezôji".

6th ~ 7th lunar months of 1860: tour in Miyajima with Bandô Kamezô I, Bandô Hikosaburô V, Fujikawa Tomokichi III and Ôtani Tomomatsu; Jakuemon played the role of Nikki Danjô in "Meiboku Sendai Hagi".

9th lunar month of 1864: Jakuemon played at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Kakogawa Honzô, Yakushiji Jirozaemon and Ono Sadakurô in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; his stage partners were Arashi Kichisaburô III, Jitsukawa Enzaburô I, Ogino Senjo and Arashi Hinasuke VI.

1866: Jakuemon's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku section, was ô-jô-jô-kichi (grand - superior - superior - excellent) [Visual].

9th lunar month of 1870: Jakuemon played at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Yazaemon ("Sushiya") and Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

5th lunar month of 1871: Jakuemon appeared on stage for the last time, in Ôsaka at the Takeda no Shibai, playing the roles of Wada no Hyôe Hidemori and Magoemon in the jidaimono "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata" and the sewamono "Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ôrai".

18th day of the 8th lunar month of 1871 ^[1]: Jakuemon died ^[3].

Comments:

Nakamura Jakuemon I was a great and popular Kamigata actor, who excelled in katakiyaku and jitsuaku roles. He was also at the end of his career an outstanding oyajigata.

[1] The 18th day of the 8th lunar month of the 4th year of the Meiji era was the 2nd of October 1871 in the western calendar.

[2] The 17th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 5th year of the Kaei era was the 7th of March 1852 in the western calendar.

[3] Nakamura Jakuemon I's tombstone was located in Ôsaka in the precinct of the Yûkôji temple in the district of Shimoteramachi.

The actors Fujikawa Tomokichi III (left) and Nakamura Jakuemon I (right) playing the roles of Kozue and Rokurôdayû in the drama "Kajiwara Heizô Kôbai Tazuna", staged in the 4th lunar month of 1860 in Ôsaka at the Kita-Horie Ichi-no-Gawa Shibai (print made by Hasegawa Munehiro)

Prints & Illustrations

The Nakamura Shibazô line of actors

The Nakamura Jakuemon line of actors