1652: a theater is built by Shioya Kuroemon in Ôsaka in the Dôtonbori district. Its name is Naka no Shibai ("The central stage").

1st lunar month of 1720: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's puppet theater drama "Heike Nyogo no Shima", which was written in 1719. The play is produced by Takeshima Kôzaemon II in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai and staged with the following casting:

1st lunar month of 1743: the star Anegawa Shinshirô I, who became zamoto at the Naka no Shibai in the 11th lunar month of 1742, produces Namiki Jôsuke and Sawamura Bunji drama "Kurofune Isse Ichidai Otoko". Some features used on stage become the latest fashion in the city of Ôsaka, like the anegawa zukin (Anegawa's turban) or the anegawa geta (Anegawa's wooden clogs). Here is the casting:

12th lunar month of 1745: the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" is staged at the Naka no Shibai for the first time, produced by Ichiyama Sukegorô I with the following casting:

The same play is simultaneously produced at the Ônishi no Shibai [casting], Kado no Shibai [casting] and Naka no Shibai.

8th lunar month of 1748: the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura" is performed for the first time in Ôsaka, at the Naka no Shibai. It is produced by Ichikawa Ryûzô with the following casting:

12th lunar month of 1750: the drama "Keisei Hangonkô" is produced at the Naka no Shibai for the first time. The zamoto is Nakamura Jûzô I, who works for the nadai Shioya Kuroemon. It is staged under a different title, "Keisei Tôyama Zakura", with the following casting:

11th lunar month of 1752: the play "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki" is staged for the first time in Ôsaka, at the Naka no Shibai as a kaomise drama produced by Nakamura Jûzô I with the following casting:

1st lunar month of 1758: first Kabuki adaptation of the 5-act maruhonmono drama "Hime Komatsu Ne-no-Hi no Asobi", which was premiered for the puppet theater at the Takemotoza in the 2nd lunar month of 1757. The play was produced at the Naka no Shibai by Anegawa Shinshirô II with the following casting:

12th lunar month of 1761: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Takeda Haruzô's drama "Akiba Gongen Kaisen Banashi", the first drama in Kabuki history using gandô-gaeshi on stage, which was staged with the following casting:

4th lunar month of 1762: first Kabuki adaptation of the 5-act puppet theater drama "Gosho Zakura Horikawa no Youchi", which was originally written by Matsuda Bunkôdô and Miyoshi Shôraku and Takeda Inaba and performed at the Takemotoza in the 1st lunar month of 1737. The play is produced at the Naka no Shibai by Mimasu Daigorô I with the following casting:

11th lunar month of 1763: the play "Suma no Miyako Genpei Tsutsuji", which was originally written by Hasegawa Senshi and Matsuda Bunkôdô for the puppet theater in 1730, is adapted for Kabuki 33 years later by the playwright Namiki Eisuke I. It is entitled "Sakigake Genpei Tsutsuji" (the second drama of an unusual 3-part kaomise program) and staged at the Naka no Shibai, starring Nakamura Kichiemon I and Arashi Hinasuke I in the roles of Kumagai Jirô Naozane and Taira no Atsumori.

9th lunar month of 1764: première in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai of "Hare Kosode Tsuzure no Nishiki", based on the puppet drama "Katakiuchi Tsuzure no Nishiki", which is revised by Namiki Eisuke I. A similar play was staged one day before under a different title, "Oriawase Tsuzure no Nishiki", at the Kado no Shibai [casting]. The competition for the best performance and the best line-up is open between the 2 theaters. The performance at the Kado no Shibai is more successful than the one at the Naka no Shibai. "Tsuzure no Nishiki" is produced at the Naka no Shibai by Mimasu Daigorô I with the following casting:

5th lunar month of 1766: first Kabuki adaptation of the 5-act puppet theater drama "Honchô Nijûshikô", which was originally written by Chikamatsu Hanji, Miyoshi Shôraku and Takeda Inaba and performed at the Takemotoza in the 1st lunar month of 1766. The play is produced at the Naka no Shibai by both Nakamura Utaemon I and Mimasu Daigorô I with the following casting:

12th lunar month of 1768: the play "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki" is simultaneously staged at the Naka no Shibai and the Ônishi no Shibai. The actors Nakayama Bunshichi I and Arashi Hinasuke I compete for the best performance in the role of Nuregami Chôgorô and the title of Ôsaka best tachiyaku. "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki" is produced at the Naka no Shibai by Mimasu Tanin I for the nadai Shioya Kuroemon with the following casting:

5th lunar month of 1770: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Hanji's gidayû kyôgen "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata". The play is staged in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai, produced by the zamoto Nakayama Yosaburô II with the following casting:

1st lunar month of 1771 (the premiere was the 27th day of the 12th lunar month of the previous year, which was the 11th February of 1771 in the western calendar): premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Kuwanaya Tokuzô Irifune Monogatari", which is produced by Ogawa Kichitarô I and staged with the following casting:

8th lunar month of 1771: the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin" is staged at the Naka no Shibai. This is the first-known casting of "Imoseyama Onna Teikin" in Ôsaka history:

4th lunar month of 1775: premiere in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai of Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Hade Kurabe Ise Monogatari", which is produced by Arashi Matsujirô I with the following casting:

12th lunar month of 1776: premiere in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai of Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa", which is produced by Arashi Shichisaburô II with the following casting:

4th lunar month of 1777: premiere in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai of Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi", which is produced by Arashi Shichisaburô II with the following casting:

12th lunar month of 1781: premiere in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai of Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Tengajaya-mura" [casting]. A similar play is staged a few days later under a different title, "Renga Chaya Homare no Bundai", at the Naka no Shibai. The competition for the best performance and the best line-up is open between the 2 theaters. "Renga Chaya Homare no Bundai" is produced by Yamashita Kinsaku II with the following casting:

4th lunar month of 1782: first Kabuki adaptation of Suga Sensuke's 1767 puppet theater drama "Some Moyô Imose no Kadomatsu"; it is produced by Yamashita Kinsaku II at the Naka no Shibai (unknown casting).

9th lunar month of 1783: the play "Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku", which was originally written for the puppet theater and staged for the first time in the 4th lunar month of 1783 in Ôsaka at the Takemotoza, is adapted for Kabuki for the first time, produced by Arashi Tanin at the Naka no Shibai with the following casting:

1st lunar month of 1784: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Namiki Gohê's drama "Keisei Yamato Zôshi", which is produced by Arashi Tanin with the following casting:

5th lunar month of 1784: the play "Katsuragawa Renri no Shigarami", which was originally written by Suga Sensuke for the puppet theater and staged for the first time in the 10th lunar month of 1776 in Ôsaka, is adapted by Namiki Gohê to Kabuki, and staged in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai with the following casting:

5th lunar month of 1785: first Kabuki adaptation of Chikamatsu Hanji's puppet theater drama "Shinpan Utazaimon", which was written in the 9th lunar month of 1780. The play is produced in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai with the following casting:

3rd lunar month of 1787: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Namiki Gohê's drama "Taikô Shinkenki", a play similar to "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"; it is produced by Bandô Iwagorô and staged with the following casting:

1st lunar month of 1793: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of the ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Yanagi Zakura", the first yanagisawa-sôdômono in Kabuki history, written by Tatsuoka Mansaku and Chikamatsu Tokusô, which is staged with the following casting:

2nd lunar month of 1794: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Shima Meguri Uso no Kikigaki"; the last scenes are a sewamono drama, which will be staged independently in the 5th lunar month of 1794 under the title "Godairiki Koi no Fûjime"; these final scenes are staged with the following casting:

11th lunar month of 1807: Seki Sanjûrô I and Seki Utasuke I respectively take the names of Seki San'emon and Seki Sanjûrô II at the Naka no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1808: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Nagawa Tokusuke I's ni-no-kawari new year drama "Keisei Shina Sadame", which was staged with the following casting:

2nd day of the 9th lunar month of 1813: a fire breaks out in Ôsaka in a chaya near the Naka no Shibai; it partially destroys this theater.

9th lunar month of 1824: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of the drama "Banshû Sarayashiki", a revision of the puppet play by Nagawa Harusuke I; it stars Ôtani Tomoemon II and Arashi Koroku IV in the roles of Aoyama Daihachi and Okiku.

1st lunar month of 1836: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of Nishizawa Ippô's drama "Hana no Ani Tsubomi no Yatsufusa", which is produced by Arashi Kitsuzô and staged with the following casting:

The actors Seki Sanjûrô II and Arashi Rikan II fall ill and have to be replaced by Ichikawa Ebijûrô III and Arashi Rikaku II.

5th lunar month of 1838: the great Kamigata star Nakamura Tamasuke I appears on stage for the last time, at the Naka no Shibai, playing the roles of Kajiwara Heizô Kagetoki and Tatara Shindôzaemon in the dramas "Kajiwara Heizô Kôbai Tazuna" and "Karukaya Dôshin Tsukushi no Iezuto".

1876: the Naka no Shibai is destroyed by a fire.

January 1877: premiere at the Naka no Shibai of "Shunshoku Ume Goyomi", an adaptation to Kabuki by the playwright Katsu Genzô II of Tamenaga Shunsui's 1833 novel, which is staged with the following casting:

1884: the Naka no Shibai is destroyed by a fire, a few days before the first stage appearance of a new troupe led by Nakamura Ganjirô I. The theater is rebuilt and equipped with a modern electric installation.

April 1887: premiere at the Nakaza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Nikaigasa Yagyû Jikki", which is staged with the following casting:

1920: the Shôchiku takes over the management of the theater, rebuilds it and names it Nakaza.

1922: the two rival Kamigata stars Nakamura Ganjirô I and Kataoka Nizaemon XI become reconciled and perform together at the Nakaza.

November 1927: the actor Nakamura Jakuemon III collapses and dies on stage at the Nakaza, while playing the role of Princess Michitose in the drama "Honzô Shimoyashiki".

January 1934: Kataoka Tsuchinosuke II takes the name of Kataoka Gadô IV at the Nakaza.

1934: The Nakaza is rebuilt and becomes the most important theater in Ôsaka, supplanting its main rival, the Naniwaza.

January 1935: Nakamura Fukusuke IV and Nakamura Masajirô III respectively take the names of Nakamura Baigyoku III and Nakamura Fukusuke V in Ôsaka at the Nakaza.

13 March 1945: US Army B29 bombers completely destroy Ôsaka in a horrible air raid; the Nakaza is burnt to ashes.

January 1948: reopening of the theater.

April 1954: revival (the 1st since the end of WW2) at the Nakaza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô", which is staged with the following casting:

January 1965: premiere at the Nakaza of the spectacular hengemono "Ôtsue Dôjôji", which is staged with the following casting:

January 1991: Nakamura Ganjirô III celebrates his first month of shûmei in Ôsaka at the Nakaza, playing the roles of Tsuchiya Chikara, the spirit of the Lion and Kamiya Jihê in the drama "Tsuchiya Chikara", the dance "Kagami Jishi" and Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Shinjû Ten no Amijima" (the "Kawashô" scene).

February 1991: Nakamura Ganjirô III celebrates his second month of shûmei at the Nakaza, playing the roles of Kameya Chûbê, the snake disguised as the dancing girl Hanako and the hair-dresser Sanni no goroshichi (in fact Asaka Yoichirô Haruyoshi) in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ôrai" (the "Fûin Giri" scene), the dance "Musume Dôjôji" and the drama "Kari no Tayori".

January 1995: Nakamura Tomotarô and Nakamura Hirotarô respectively take the names of Nakamura Kanjaku V and Nakamura Senjaku III at the Nakaza.

August 1999: final Kabuki performance at the Nakaza, about to be closed by the Shôchiku. The drama "Natsu Sugata Naniwa Goyomi" is staged, starring the Kamigata actors Kataoka Hidetarô II, Arashi Tokusaburô VII, Bandô Takesaburô V, Kataoka Ainosuke VI and Kamimura Kichiya VI.

Nakaza Theater in Ôsaka closes

The 802-seat theater was built in 1652 in the theater district of Shibaimachi, on Dôtonbori street, and became the most influential of the theaters. However the final death knell seemed to have tolled when the Shôchikuza Theater was rebuilt in March 1997, and the Nakaza was changed into a rental hall. The patrons and actors are not the only ones to suffer by the closure. The nearby okonomiyaki restaurant which had taken care of the actors' culinary needs for years, also allowiing them to use the upper floor as a rehearsal room, has lost the heart of its business. Likewise the private ticket sales company which specialized in selling Nakaza's tickets has been wiped out by the closure.

Even though Kabuki started in the Kansai area, it has struggled for popularity in the post-WWII era, and in the 1950's many of the famous Kansai Kabuki actors moved to the Tôkyô area. Various attempts were made to revive Kabuki in Ôsaka, and for a while in the early 1960's, thanks partly to the efforts of Nizaemon XIII (father of the present Nizaemon), it made a comeback. In fact, the present Nizaemon, then called Takao, played his first principal role at the age of 20 at the Asahiza (now the Bunrakuza). A year later, in 1965, the Nakaza also staged Kabuki, but it was short-lived. The next Kabuki performance there was in 1974, but is has only been performed sporadically since then. Even the Shinkabukiza Theater (the "New Kabukiza"), which was built to be Ôsaka's answer to Tôkyô's Kabukiza, failed to make an impression on the populace and nowadays Kabuki is never performed there. The Shôchikuza seems to be Shôchiku Company's last ditch effort to make Kabuki a viable proposition in Ôsaka.

So although the last play has been staged at the theater, let's hope that at least the beautiful and distinctive Nakaza building will be spared the wrecker's ball.

Jean Wilson (1999)

P.S. It did indeed escape the wrecker's ball. It burned to the ground on the night of 8th Sept. 2002, from a supposed gas explosion, and has now been replaced with a concrete and glass office building, leaving no trace that it ever existed.