Stage names:

Nakamura Sôjûrô
Nakamura Shirosaburô
Nakamura Sôjûrô

Nickname: Daikichi Sôjûrô

Poetry name: Daikichi

Existence: ??? ~ ???

Career:

1710s: he learnt the art of acting with a travelling troupe performing in Ise and in the province of Owari; his first stage name was Nakamura Sôjûrô.

Fall 1720: he settled in Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1720: he became tachiyaku and made his debut in ôshibai, playing the role of Tomoenojô [illustration] in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Nishiki no Kusazuri", which was produced in Ôsaka by the zamoto Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

Fall 1721: he went to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1721: he took the name of Nakamura Shirosaburô at the Ichimuraza, playinh the role of Ashiya no Saemon in the kaomise drama "Kichirei Imagawajô"; he had to change his name because the actor Sawamura Sôjûrô I was also casted.

Winter 1723: he went to Kyôto.

1st lunar month of 1723: he took back the name of Nakamura Sôjûrô and appeared on stage for the first time in the Imperial Capital, playing at Daikokuya Takenojô's theater the roles of Sakurada Kôsuke and Ude no Manbê in the new year drama "Keisei Hitomaruzuka" which was produced by Otowa Jirosaburô I.

Fall 1724: Sôjûrô went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1724: Sôjûrô became katakiyaku and played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Mikami Nuiemon in the kaomise drama "Senbon Matsu Hi-no-De no Maizuru".

11th lunar month of 1725: Sôjûrô moved to the Kado no Shibai, became jitsuaku and performed in the kaomise drama "Wagô no Futabashira".

11th lunar month of 1728: Sôjûrô became tachiyaku and performed at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Aioi Chôja Sangai-gura", which was produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II.

1st lunar month of 1729: Sôjûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

Fall 1731: Sôjûrô went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1731: Sôjûrô played at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of Manzô in Sawamura Bunji's kaomise drama "Asahi no Ichikura Eigô Seki".

1st lunar month of 1732: Sôjûrô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

Fall 1732: Sôjûrô went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1732: Sôjûrô played at the Naka no Shibai the role of the yakko Dekisuke in the kaomise drama "Shikishima Wakô no Tsuzumi", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô III.

12th lunar month of 1739: Sôjûrô played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Shôgen in the drama "Kewai Musha Ômi Genji"; his stage partners were Yoshizawa Ayame II (Okichi), Segawa Kikunojô I (the courtesan Tôyama), Sakakiyama Shirotarô I (Nagoya Sanza), Arashi Shichigorô I (Fuwa Banzaemon) and Anegawa Shinshirô I (Matahei).

11th lunar month of 1740: Sôjûrô performed at the Ônishi no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Yaguruma Yakata no Fuji", which was produced by Nakamura Tomijûrô I; his stage partners were Yamamoto Kyôshirô I, Nakamura Shingorô I, Nakayama Shinkurô I, Sanogawa Mangiku, Segawa Kikunojô I, Onoe Kikugorô I and Arashi Shichigorô I.

11th lunar month of 1741: Sôjûrô became jitsuaku and achieved a great success at the Naka no Shibai by playing the role of Masuda Hachiheiji in the kaomise drama "Genji Rokujûjô", which was produced by Anegawa Shinshirô I.

1st lunar month of 1742: Sôjûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1742: Sôjûrô played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Shinoda Daizen in the kaomise drama "Sangoku Denrai no Ishi", which was produced by Iwai Hanshirô III.

1st lunar month of 1743: Sôjûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was 3 black strokes above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1743: Sôjûrô played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Gotobê in the kaomise drama "Tanshû Teteuchi Guri" ^[1]. Sôjûrô's name disappeared from theater playbills and hyôbanki in 1744.

Comments:

Nakamura Sôjûrô was a popular Kamigata actor, who could play tachiyaku and jitsuaku roles. He was equally at home in sewamono and jidaimono dramas.

[1] This title was used for the first time in the 5th lunar month of 1729 at the Naka no Shibai.

Nakamura Sôjûrô playing the role of Dekisuke in the kaomise drama "Shikishima Wakô no Tsuzumi", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1732 at the Naka no Shibai

Prints & Illustrations