NAKAMURA SHIKAN VII

November 1933: he made his first appearance on stage, in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza, where he received the name of Nakamura Kotarô IV and performed in the drama "Kiri Hitoha".

12 September 1940: his grandfather Nakamura Utaemon V died.

October 1941: Nakamura Kotarô IV and his uncle Nakamura Fukusuke VI respectively took the names of Nakamura Fukusuke VII and Nakamura Shikan VI at the Kabukiza; the new Fukusuke played the roles of the kamuro Tayori^[3] and Honzô's daughter Konami^[4] in "Modori Kago" and "Yamashina Kankyo".

July 1951: revival at the Shinbashi Enbujô of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Jitsugetsusei Kyôwa Seidan"; Fukusuke played the role of the okujochû Kumemura [casting].

March 1953: premiere at the Kabukiza of Osaragi Jirô's drama "Edo no Yûbae"; Fukusuke played the role of Otose [casting].

October 1953: premiere at the Kabukiza of Osaragi Jirô's drama "Tsukiyama-dono Shimatsu", which was staged within a special program celebrating the 50th anniversary of the passing away of the Meiji star Ichikawa Danjûrô IX; Fukusuke played the role of the jijo Kozasa [more details].

March 1954: premiere at the Kabukiza of the 1st part of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Fukusuke played the role of the yatsu yûjo Osome [more details].

March 1954: first edition at the Kabukiza from the 27th to the 28th of March of the Tsubomikai, a study group led by Nakamura Utaemon VI [more details]. It included the revival of the dance-drama "Imayô Suma no Utsushie" in which Fukusuke played the role of the ama Murasame [more details].

October 1954: premiere at the Kabukiza of the 2nd part of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Fukusuke played the role of Ikushima Shingorô's younger sister Utsu [more details].

December 1954: premiere at the Meijiza of Kawaguchi Matsutarô's revision of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Daikyôji Mukashi Goyomi", which was entitled "Osan Mohei"; Fukusuke played the role of Otama [casting].

March 1955: premiere at the Kabukiza of the 3rd (and last) part of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Fukusuke played the role of Ikushima Shingorô's younger sister Utsu [more details].

January 1958: premiere at the Shinbashi Enbujô of the of the matsubamemono dance-drama "Tôzumô"; Fukusuke played the role of the Chinese Empress [more details].

June 1963: premiere at the Kabukiza of Hagiwara Yukio's Nagauta-based dance-drama "Ôeyama Shuten Dôji"; Fukusuke played the role of Sawarabi [casting].

January 1967: revival at the National Theatre of "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura"; Fukusuke played the role of Princess Taema [casting].

April 1967: great shûmei at the Kabukiza for the Narikomaya and Kagaya guilds; Nakamura Fukusuke VII, Kagaya Fukunosuke, Kagaya Hashinosuke and Nakamura Tamatarô III respectively took the names of Nakamura Shikan VII, Nakamura Fukusuke VIII, Nakamura Matsue V and Nakamura Tôzô VI; Shikan's son Nakamura Kotarô V made his first stage appearance; the new Shikan played the roles of Omitsu and Princess Yaegaki in the dramas "Nozaki-mura" and "Jusshukô".

May 1967: second month of shûmei at the Kabukiza for the Narikomaya and Kagaya guilds; the new Shikan played the roles of the spirit of the shishi and Miuraya Agemaki in "Kagami Jishi" and "Sukeroku Kuruwa no Momoyogusa"^[1].

May 1968: revival at the National Theatre of "Ura Omote Sendai Hagi"; Shikan played the role of Masaoka [casting].

July 1968: revival at the Kabukiza of the drama "Kama-ga-Fuchi Futatsu Domoe"; Shikan played the role of Goemon's wife Otaki [casting].

April 1981: revival at the National Theatre of Nishizawa Ippô's drama "Keisei Hama no Masago"; Shikan played the role of Yodo-no-Kata [casting].

January 1982: revival at the National Theatre of "Zôhiki", a bombastic play in the aragoto style which belongs to the Kabuki Jûhachiban; Shikan played the role of the widow Atago-no-Mae [casting].

15 December 1989: Shikan joined the prestigious Japan Art Academy (Nihon Geijutsuin).

June 1991: premiere at the Shinbashi Enbujô of Hagiwara Yukio's dance-drama "Sakuragawa"; Shikan played the role of Somenoi-no-Mae [casting].

1996: Shikan received the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhô in Japanese).

November 2005: tôshi kyôgen revival at the National Theatre of the drama "Ehon Taikôki"; Shikan played the role of Mashiba Hisayoshi [casting].

September 2011: Shikan appeared on stage for the last time, in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza, where he played the role of Yodogimi^[2] in the drama "Hototogisu Kojô no Rakugetsu". He also appeared in the kôjô celebrating the shûmei of Nakamura Matagorô III and Nakamura Kashô IV.

10 October 2011: Shikan died of lung failure in Tôkyô.

Comments:

Nakamura Shikan VII was one of the most talented and experienced post-WWII Shôwa/Heisei onnagata actors, who was able to play the difficult role of Kakuju in the "Dômyôji" act of the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". Some members of the audience used to shout "Kamiyachô" during his performances - this was the name of his neighboorhood in Tôkyô and an original way to appraise this great actor. He was also an excellent Buyô dancer, excelling in dances like "Kagami Jishi", "Yasuna", "Toshima" or "Onna Date"

[1] The role of Hanakawado Sukeroku was played by Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII.

[2] One of the atariyaku of his grandfather Nakamura Utaemon V.

[3] In "Modori Kago", the roles of Naniwa no Jirosaku (in reality Ishikawa Goemon) & Azuma no Yoshirô (in reality Mashiba Hisayoshi) were played by Matsumoto Kôshirô VII & Ichimura Uzaemon XV.

[4] in "Yamashina Kankyo", the roles of Kakogawa Honzô, Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Honzô's wife Tonase, Yuranosuke's wife Oishi & Ôboshi Rikiya were played by Nakamura Kichiemon I, Onoe Kikugorô VI, Nakamura Baigyoku III, Nakamura Tokizô III & Nakamura Shikan VI.

The Nakamura Kotarô line of actors

The Nakamura Fukusuke line of actors

The Nakamura Shikan line of actors