Stage names:

Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII
Nakamura Moshio IV
Nakamura Yonekichi III

Real name: Namino Seiji

Guild: Nakamuraya

Line number: JÛSHICHIDAIME (XVII)

Poetry name: Bukaku

Existence: 29 July 1909 ~ 16 April 1988

Connections:

Grandfather: Nakamura Karoku I

Father: Nakamura Karoku III

Father-in-law: Onoe Kikugorô VI

Brothers: Nakamura Kichiemon I, Nakamura Tokizô III

Son: Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII

Grandsons: Nakamura Kankurô VI, Nakamura Shichinosuke II

Great-grandsons: Nakamura Kantarô III, Nakamura Chôzaburô II

Career:

November 1916: first stage appearance, in Tôkyô at the Ichimuraza, where he received the name of Nakamura Yonekichi III and performed in the drama "Hanakawado Uwasa no Manaita".

April 1926: Yonekichi played at the Hongôza the role of Ôboshi Rikiya in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

October 1927: revival at the Hongôza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", produced under the title "Kiyomizudera Azuma Bunshô", which has not been staged since 3rd lunar month of 1817; Yonekichi played the role of Yoshida Matsuwaka [casting].

October 1929: Nakamura Yonekichi III took the name of Nakamura Moshio IV at the Meijiza.

September 1931: premiere at the Kabukiza of Ômori Chisetsu's drama "Taruya Osen"; Moshio played the role of the musume Okimi [more details].

October 1933: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of Yoshida Genjirô's drama "Nijô-jô no Kiyomasa"; Moshio played the role of Toyotomi Hideyori [more details].

February 1934: premiere at the Kabukiza of "Ôishi Saigo no Ichinichi", the tenth and last play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Moshio played the role of Hosokawa Naiki [casting].

July 1937: premiere in Tôkyô at the Yûrakuza of Hasegawa Shin's drama "Ori", with a casting mixing Kabuki and non-Kabuki actors. Moshio, Bandô Minosuke VI and Nakamura Komanosuke VII played the roles of Yûchin/Goroichi, Shichibê and the daiku Gen.

December 1946: Moshio was a member of the Kabuki troupe which celebrated the reopening of the rebuilt Mitsukoshi Gekijô [more details].

January 1950: Nakamura Moshio IV took the name of Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII at the Tôkyô Gekijô. This prestigious Edo zamoto name has not been holden since 1875. The new Kanzaburô played the roles of Nakamura Kanzaburô I, Ichijô Ôkura Naganari and the Nakamuraza's zamoto in "Jôran Saruwaka-mai", "Ichijô Ôkura Monogatari" and "Kaozoroi Yagura no Nigiwai". Kanzaburô's stage partners were Nakamura Kichiemon I, Nakamura Tokizô III, Matsumoto Kôshirô VIII, Ichikawa Ebizô IX, Morita Kan'ya XIV, Nakamura Shikan VI, Onoe Shôroku II, Onoe Baikô VII, Ôtani Tomoemon VII, Bandô Mitsugorô VII, Ichikawa Danzô VIII, Ichikawa Omezô IV, Sawamura Tosshô IV, Nakamura Matagorô II, Nakamura Fukusuke VII, Bandô Hikosaburô VII, Ichimura Uzaemon XVI, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô II and Ichikawa Sanshô V.

May 1950: Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII celebrated his shûmei in Nagoya at the Misonoza with the troupe led by his brother Nakamura Kichiemon I; Kanzaburô played the role of Kasugaya Tokijirô in the drama "Akegarasu Yume no Awayuki" (the role of Urazato was played by Nakamura Shikan VI).

December 1950: Matsumoto Kôshirô VIII and Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII celebrated their shûmei in Kyôto at the Minamiza; Kanzaburô played the roles of Toyotomi Hideyori, Hayano Kanpei, Omiwa and the tamaya Yonekichi in "Nijô-jô no Kiyomasa", "Ochiudo" (the role of Okaru was played by Nakamura Shikan VI), "Mikasayama Goten" and "Tamaya".

October 1951: Matsumoto Kôshirô VIII, Nakamura Utaemon VI and Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII celebrated their shûmei in Ôsaka at the Ôsaka Kabukiza; Kanzaburô played the roles of Yamazaki Yogorô/Hanaregoma Chôkichi, Shigaraki Tarô, Ichijô Ôkura Naganari, Togashi Saemon and Hayano Kanpei in "Sumôba", "Moritsuna Jin'ya", "Ichijô Ôkura Monogatari", "Kanjinchô" (the roles of Benkei and Yoshitsune were played by Matsumoto Kôshirô VIII and Nakamura Tokizô III) and "Ochiudo" (the role of Okaru was played by Nakamura Utaemon VI).

November 1952: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kema Nanboku's revision of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Daikyôji Mukashi Goyomi"; Kanzaburô played the role of the bantô Sukeemon [casting].

July 1953: premiere at the Meijiza of Hôjô Hideji's drama "Ukifune"; Kanzaburô played the role of Niou-no-Miya [casting]. Revival at the Meijiza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's 1878 drama "Tsûzoku Saiyûki"; Kanzaburô played the role of Son Gokû [casting].

July 1954: revival at the Kabukiza of the dance-drama "Oshidori" as part of a regular Kabuki program; Kanzaburô played the roles of Kawazu Saburô Sukeyasu and the spirit of the male mandarin duck [more details].

November 1954: premiere at the Kabukiza of Mishima Yukio's comical play "Iwashi Uri Koi no Hikiami"; Kanzaburô played the role of Sarugenji [casting].

March 1955: Hasegawa Shin's drama "Ori" was staged with a full Kabuki casting for the first time, in Tôkyô at the Meijiza; Kanzaburô played the roles of Yûchin and Goroichi [more details].

July 1955: premiere at the Tôkyô Takarazuka Theater of Uno Nobuo's drama "Mômoku Monogatari"; Kanzaburô played the roles of Tôkichirô/Hideyoshi and Yaichi [more details]. This drama was part of the first Tôhô Kabuki postwar performance. The Tôkyô Takarazuka Theater was taken over by the American occupation forces in 1945, becoming the Ernie Pyle Theater. It was forbiden to Japanese for 10 years and was finally given back to the Tôhô Company in 1955, which renamed it with its original name.

April 1959: Kanzaburô played at the Kabukiza the roles of the old woman, Kamiya Jihê and Togachi Saemon in "Mukashi Banashi Momotarô" ^[5], "Kawashô" and "Kanjinchô".

February 1960: premiere at the Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Shiranui Kengyô"; Kanzaburô played the roles of the fishmonger Shichibei and the masseur Tominoichi, later Shiranui Kengyô II [casting].

June ~ July 1960: Kanzaburô took part in the first Kabuki tour in the USA; He played the roles of Togashi, Sawaichi, En'ya Hangan, Yamakage Ukyô, Tarôkaja and Jirozaemon in the dramas "Kanjinchô", "Tsubosaka Reigenki", "Kanadehon Chûshingura" "Migawari Zazen", "Takatsuki" and "Kagotsurube Sato no Eizame" [casting].

November 1961: premiere in Kabuki at the Ôsaka Shinkabukiza of Hôjô Hideji's drama "Korikori Banashi"; Kanzaburô played the role of the priest Jûzen [casting].

December 1961: premiere at the Meijiza of Kawaguchi Matsutarô's drama "Oedo Miyage"; Kanzaburô played the role of Otsuji [more details].

June 1963: premiere at the Kabukiza of Hagiwara Yukio's Nagauta-based dance-drama "Ôeyama Shuten Dôji"; Kanzaburô played the role of Shuten Dôji [casting]. Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Yadonashi Danshichi Shigure no Karakasa" was produced for the first time at the Kabukiza; Kanzaburô played the role of the playwright Namiki Shôzô [casting].

May 1964: premiere at the Kabukiza of Hagiwara Yukio's Nagauta-based dance-drama "Bukaku Setsugekka"; Kanzaburô played the roles of the spirit of the cherry blossoms, the insect and the snowman [casting].

October 1965: first Kabuki tour in Western Europe, in West Berlin at the Der Freien Volksbühne (2~8 october), in Paris at the Théâtre de l'Odéon (15~24 october) and in Lisbonne at the Teatro São Luis (29~31 october); Kanzaburô played the roles of Shunkan, Kô no Moronô and Yayoi in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Heike Nyogo no Shima", the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura" and the dance "Kagami Jishi" [more details].

November 1966: opening ceremony of the National Theatre in Tôkyô with the full length performance of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; Kanzaburô played the role of Kan Shôjô [casting].

May 1968: revival at the National Theatre of "Ura Omote Sendai Hagi"; Kanzaburô played the roles of Yorikane, Kosuke, Yashio and Nikki Danjô [casting].

March 1969: Hôjô Hideji's dance-drama "Adayume" was adapted to Kabuki for the first time and staged at the Kabukiza; Kanzaburô played the role of the tanuki [more details].

April 1971: revival at the National Theatre of Nagawa Shimesuke I's drama "Sumidagawa Gonichi no Omokage"; Kanzaburô played the role of Hôkaibô [casting].

December 1986: Kanzaburô played at the Minamiza the roles of the ugly girl and Takebe Genzô ^[4] in "Tsuri Onna" and "Terakoya".

January 1987: Kanzaburô played at the Kabukiza the roles of the old man, a kôken and Ichijô Ôkura Naganari in "Kadonde Futari Momotarô" ^[3], "Onna Shibaraku" and "Ichijô Ôkura Monogatari".

March 1987: Kanzaburô played at the Kabukiza the role of the sakan Chôbê in "Ninjô Banashi Bunshichi Mottoi".

April 1987: Kanzaburô played at the Kanamaruza the roles of the ugly girl and the old kumosuke Heisaku in "Tsuri Onna" and "Numazu".

May 1987: Kanzaburô played at the Kabukiza the role of the a beggar priest in the dance-drama "Ukare Bôzu".

June 1987: Kanzaburô played at the Kabukiza the role of the taiko mochi Sakuragawa Hanroku in the drama "Oyako Dôrô".

September 1987: Kanzaburô played at the Kabukiza the role of the ugly girl in "Tsuri Onna" ^[1].

October 1987: Kanzaburô played at the Misonoza the roles of the ugly girl and the sakan Chôbê in "Tsuri Onna" and "Ninjô Banashi Bunshichi Mottoi" ^[2].

November 1987: Kanzaburô played at the Kabukiza the role of Fujiya Izaemon in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô"; the role of Ôgiya Yûgiri was played by Onoe Baikô VII.

January 1988: Kanzaburô appeared on stage for the last time, in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza, where he played the role of Shunkan in the drama "Shunkan"; he fell ill and had to be replaced from the 9th of January by his son Nakamura Kankurô.

16 April 1988: Kanzaburô died in Tôkyô.

Comments:

Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII was an amazing kaneru yakusha of the Shôwa era. He was the actor of more than 800 roles.

Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII's best roles: Shunkan ("Heike Nyogo no Shima"), Ichijô Ôkura Naganari ("Ichijô Ôkura Monogatari"), the hairdresser Shinza ("Kamiyui Shinza"), Sodehagi ("Sodehagi Saimon") & Sawaichi ("Tsubosaka Reigenki").

Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII was the first of this line to be an actor without being a zamoto.

[1] This program celebrated the shûmei of Bandô Mitsugorô IX and Bandô Shûchô V in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza.

[2] This program celebrated the shûmei of Bandô Mitsugorô IX and Bandô Shûchô V in Nagoya at the Misonoza.

[3] This newly-created drama was staged to celebrate the hatsubutai of Kanzaburô's grandsons Nakamura Kantarô II & Nakamura Shichinosuke II. It also celebrated the 360th anniversary of Edo Kabuki. Saruwaka Kanzaburô received a license from the authorities to open a theater in Edo the 15th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 10th year of the Genna era, which was the 2nd of April 1624 in the western calendar. In 1627, the Saruwaka no Mai, the Saruwaka Dance, was staged for the first time in Edo.

[4] The roles of Matsuômaru, Chiyo & Tonami were played by Kataoka Nizaemon XIII, Onoe Baikô VII & Sawamura Tôjûrô II.

[5] This newly-created drama was staged to celebrate the hatsubutai of Kanzaburô's son Nakamura Kankurô V.

Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII playing the role of Tabakoya Genshichi in the drama "Komochi Yamanba"

The Nakamura Yonekichi line of actors

The Nakamura Moshio line of actors

The Nakamura Kanzaburô line of actors and theater managers