Stage name:

Nakajima Kanzaemon I

Guild: Nakajimaya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry names: Zeshô, Jûshi

Existence: 1662 ~ 22nd day of the 4th lunar month of 1716 ^[1]

Connection:

Father: Abura Kanroku

Brother: Nakajima Saburoshirô

Son: Nakajima Kanzaemon II

Grandson: Nakajima Kanzaemon III

Disciple: Nakajima Mihoemon I

Career:

1662: born in Ôsaka; his father was the low-ranking dôkegata actor Abura Kanroku.

1686: he settled in Edo and performed as a katakiyaku actor.

11th lunar month of 1696: Kanzaemon performed at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Neko no Koneko", commonly called "Onna Narukami"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danjûrô I, Ogino Sawanojô, Nakamura Shichisaburô I, Nakamura Denkurô I, Sodeoka Masanosuke II and Ôtani Hiroemon I.

11th lunar month of 1706: Kanzaemon became tachiyaku and performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Mano no Chôja Kogane no Torii".

3rd lunar month of 1707: Kanzaemon's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1707: Kanzaemon performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Kankatsu Kayoi Komachi".

11th lunar month of 1709: Kanzaemon performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Imagawajô Ryôshun Katoku".

1st lunar month of 1710: Kanzaemon played in the same theater the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the new year sogamono drama "Senrei Homare Soga" ^[2]; the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari was played by Katsuyama Matagorô.

3rd lunar month of 1710: Tsuuchi Jihê II worked at the Nakamuraza on the revival of the seigen-sakurahimemono "Isshin Niga Byakudô", which was staged for the first time in the 7th lunar month of 1695 at the Yamamuraza. The roles of Seigen and Princess Sakura were played by Kanzaemon and Tsutsui Kichijûrô I. For the first time, Tsuuchi Jihê II mixed jidaimono and sewamono elements in the same drama. This was the first jidai-sewamono in Kabuki history.

11th lunar month of 1711: Kanzaemon played at the Ichimuraza the role of Hata Rokurôzaemon in the kaomise drama "Shusse Taiheiki".

11th lunar month of 1714: Kanzaemon played at the Moritaza the role of Abe no Sadatô in the kaomise drama "Onna Ryûko Futatsu Gashira".

11th lunar month of 1715: Kanzaemon played at the Moritaza the role of Yamana Saemon in Mitsushima Shichirôzaemon's drama "Hayazaki Onna Shimabara".

2nd lunar month of 1716: Kanzaemon appeared on stage for the last time, performing at the Moritaza in the new year sogamono drama "Wakayagi Shiai Soga".

22nd day of the 4th lunar month of 1716 ^[1]: Kanzaemon died in Edo.

Comments:

Nakajima Kanzaemon I, the founder of the Nakajima clan, was a prominent tachiyaku actor, who achieved fame for himself in Edo during the 1700s and the 1710s. He was nicknamed "tôse no arahitogami", the "God of Wild Men" of modern times, in the 1716 hyôbanki. His field of excellence was jitsugoto.

[1] The 22nd day of the 4th lunar month of the 6th year of the Shôtoku era was the 11th of June 1716 in the western calendar.

[2] This new year drama was staged to commemorate the 2nd anniversary (3rd memorial service) of the passing away of Nakamura Shichisaburô I.

Nakajima Kanzaemon I (seated, left), Hamazaki Isogorô (standing) and Nakamura Kichibê I (right) playing the roles of Kume-no-Hachirô, Daikaku Jirô and Iwatonosuke in the new year drama "Chûjôhime", which was staged in the 1st lunar month of 1715 at the Moritaza