Stage names:

Nakamura Kanzaburô VIII
Nakamura Denkurô II
Nakamura Katsujûrô I

Guild: Kashiwaya

Line number: HACHIDAIME (VIII)

Poetry names: Bukaku ^[7], Kanshi ^[6], Shôki ^[5], Ichô ^[4]

Existence: 1719 ~ 15th day of the 11th lunar month of 1777 ^[1]

Connections:

Great-grandfather: Nakamura Kanzaburô I

Grandfather: Nakamura Kankurô I

Father: Nakamura Kankurô II (Nakamura Kanzaburô VI)

Brother: Nakamura Kanzaburô VII

Adopted son: Nakamura Kanzaburô IX

Son-in-laws: Nakamura Kanzaburô X, Nakamura Kanzaburô XI

Grandsons: Nakamura Kanzaburô XII, Nakamura Katsujûrô II

Disciples: Nakamura Nakazô I, Nakamura Daitarô

Career:

1719: born in Edo (according to some documents, his birthyear may be 1723). Younger son of the zamoto Nakamura Kanzaburô VI.

11th lunar month of 1733: first stage appearance, at the Nakamuraza, where he received the name of Nakamura Katsujûrô I and played a child role in the kaomise drama "Nagi no Hana Asahi Genji".

11th lunar month of 1745: Nakamura Katsujûrô took the name of Nakamura Denkurô II at the Nakamuraza, performing in the kaomise drama "Suehiro Izu Nikki", which celebrated the arrival in Edo of the Kamigata actor Fujikawa Heikurô and the shûmei of Ôtani Hiroemon II.

Spring 1746: Denkurô achieved a great success at the Nakamuraza by playing the role of Kobayashi no Asahina in the new year sogamono drama "Fuji no Yuki Mitsugi Soga". This role was closely associated to the great actor Nakamura Denkurô I.

5th lunar month of 1747: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" was produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time; Denkurô played the role of Umeômaru [picture] [casting].

1st lunar month of 1748: Denkurô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Kobayashi no Asahina in the new year sogamono drama "Kazari Ebi Yoroi Soga".

5th lunar month of 1748: the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura" was performed for the first time in Edo, at the Nakamuraza; Denkurô played the roles of Tokiaya Ginpei and Taira no Tomomori [picture] [casting].

6th lunar month of 1749: the play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" was produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time; Denkurô played the role of Teraoka Heiemon [casting].

8th lunar month of 1750: his father retired, taking the name of Nakamura Kankurô II and giving the management of the Nakamuraza to his elder son Nakamura Akashi III, who became Nakamura Kanzaburô VII.

7th lunar month of 1751: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna", which was originally written by Miyoshi Shôraku and Yoshida Kanshi in the 2nd lunar month of 1751. The play was staged in Edo at the Nakamuraza; Denkurô played the role of Yurugi Saemon [casting].

4th lunar month of 1752: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki", which was staged in Edo at the Moritaza; Denkurô played the roles of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane and the yakko Tagohei [casting].

11th lunar month of 1754: Denkurô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Kudô Kanaishimaru in the kaomise drama "Miura no Ôsuke Bumon no Kotobuki", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Danjûrô IV, Matsumoto Kôshirô III and Tsuuchi Monzaburô II.

1st lunar month of 1755: Denkurô played in the same theater the roles of Suruga no Jirô and Kobayashi no Asahina in the new year sogamono drama "Waka Midori Nishiki Soga".

25th day of the 11th lunar month of 1757 ^[2]: his father Nakamura Kankurô II died.

11th lunar month of 1764: Denkurô achieved a great success at the Moritaza by performing in the kaomise drama "Gyosei Kanatami no Megumi".

8th lunar month of 1768: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the drama "Tenjiku Tokubê Kokyô no Torikaji"; Denkurô played the roles of Akaneya Hanbê and Miyoshi Chôkei [more details].

11th lunar month of 1770: Denkurô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Senoo Tarô [picture] and Hacchô-tsubute no Kiheiji in the kaomise drama "Nue no Mori Ichiyô no Mato", which celebrated the shûmei of Matsumoto Kôshirô II, Ichikawa Danjûrô V, Nakamura Shôchô, Ichikawa Monnosuke II, Nakamura Shichisaburô III and Bandô Sanpachi II.

11th lunar month of 1771: Denkurô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Suma no Dairyô [picture] in the kaomise drama "Kuni no Hana Ono no Itsumoji".

2nd lunar month of 1773: the Nakamuraza celebrated its 150th anniversary.

28th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1775 ^[3]: his brother Nakamura Kanzaburô VII died.

9th lunar month of 1775: Nakamura Denkurô II took the name of Nakamura Kanzaburô VIII and became the new zamoto of the Nakamuraza.

11th lunar month of 1775: Kanzaburô produced at the Nakamuraza the kaomise drama "Hana Zumô Genji Biiki". Premiere at the Nakamuraza of Kanai Sanshô's Tomimoto-based dance-drama "Shijûhatte Koi no Showake", the first version of "Oshidori", which was staged within the kaomise drama "Hana Zumô Genji Biiki" [more details].

3rd lunar month of 1776: first Kabuki adaptation of Matsu Kanshi's puppet theater drama "Koi Musume Mukashi Hachijô", which was written in 1775. The play was staged in Edo at the Nakamuraza [casting].

5th lunar month of 1776: the play "Honchô Nijûshikô" was performed for the first time in Edo, at the Nakamuraza [casting].

11th lunar month of 1776: Kanzaburô produced at the Nakamuraza the kaomise drama "Sakuya Kono Hana no Kaomise".

11th lunar month of 1777: Kanzaburô produced at the Nakamuraza the kaomise drama "Masakado Kanmuri no Hatsuyuki".

15th day of the 11th lunar month of 1777 ^[1]: Kanzaburô suddenly fell ill and died in Edo.

Comments:

Nakamura Kanzaburô VIII spent most of his career acting at the Nakamuraza. He was a good jitsugotoshi and an excellent dancer. He ended his career as zamoto of the Nakamuraza for two seasons (he died at the beginning of the third one). He was well-versed in Tea Ceremony and poetry. He was also the manager of a cosmetics shop in the district of Nihonbashi, selling a successful dye named "Denkurô Some" (Denkurô's dye in Japanese).

[1] The 15th day of the 11th lunar month of the 6th year of the An'ei era was the 14th of December 1777 in the western calendar.

[2] The 25th day of the 11th lunar month of the 7th year of the Hôreki era was the 4th of January 1758 in the western calendar.

[3] The 28th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 4th year of the An'ei era was the 29th of March 1775 in the western calendar.

[4] His haimyô when he was Nakamura Katsujûrô I.

[5] His haimyô when he was Nakamura Denkurô II.

[6] His haimyô when he was Nakamura Denkurô II and Nakamura Kanzaburô VIII.

[7] His haimyô when he was Nakamura Kanzaburô VIII.

The name of Nakamura Kanzaburô VIII in a 1777 Edo hyôbanki (within the red shape); all the names were the zamoto at the Nakamuraza, Ichimuraza and Moritaza

Prints & Illustrations

The Nakamura Denkurô line of actors

The Nakamura Kanzaburô line of actors and theater managers