Stage names:

Nakamura Baigyoku III
Nakamura Fukusuke IV
Nakamura Masajirô II

Real name: Sasaki Inosuke

Guild: Takasagoya

Line number: SANDAIME (III)

Poetry name: Sanjaku

Existence: 14 January 1875 ~ 18 March 1948

Connections:

Father: Nakamura Baigyoku II

Adopted son: Nakamura Fukusuke V

Disciples: Nakamura Komanosuke VII, Nakamura Fukunosuke VI, Nakamura Fukunosuke VII, Nakamura Masanosuke III, Nakamura Masanosuke, Nakamura Fukushô, Nakamura Masatarô

Career:

1875: born in Ôsaka in the district of Kita-Shinchi (a famous pleasure quarter).

September 1880: he made his first appearance on stage in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai, where he received the name of Nakamura Masajirô II.

October 1907: Nakamura Masajirô II and his adoptive father Nakamura Fukusuke III took the respective names of Nakamura Fukusuke IV and Nakamura Baigyoku II in Ôsaka at the Kadoza; the new Fukusuke played the roles of Terukuni and Yodarekuri Yotarô in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". Premiere at the Kadoza of Watanabe Katei's chûshinguramono "Tsuchiya Chikara"; Fukusuke played the role of Osono [more details].

October 1919: premiere at the Naniwaza (Ôsaka) of the drama "Tôjûrô no Koi", a drama inspired by the life of the actor Sakata Tôjûrô I; Fukusuke played the role of Okaji [more details].

8 June 1921: his adoptive father Nakamura Baigyoku II died.

March 1923: Fukusuke played at the Minamiza the role of Sôshichi in the drama "Koi Minato Hakata no Hitofushi"; his stage partners were Jitsukawa Enjaku II (Kezori) and Arashi Hirosaburô (the courtesan Kojorô).

March 1924: Fukusuke played at the Naniwaza (Ôsaka) the role of Katsuyori in the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô"; the roles of Nureginu and Princess Yaegaki were played by Sawamura Sônosuke I and Nakamura Jakuemon III.

May 1927: Fukusuke played at the Nakaza the role of Princess Yaegaki in the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô"; the roles of Nureginu and Katsuyori were played by Nakamura Jakuemon III and Jitsukawa Enjaku II.

January 1935: Nakamura Fukusuke IV and Nakamura Masajirô III respectively took the names of Nakamura Baigyoku III and Nakamura Fukusuke V in Ôsaka at the Nakaza; the new Baigyoku played the roles of Sodehagi and the tsubone Ishida in "Sodehagi Saimon" and "Ishida no Tsubone".

1 February 1935: Nakamura Ganjirô I died.

April 1936: Baigyoku played at the Kabukiza the role of Chiyo in the "Terakoya" scene of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; his stage partners were Onoe Kikugorô VI (Matsuômaru), Nakamura Kichiemon I (Genzô) and Nakamura Tokizô III (Tonami).

April 1939: premiere at the Kabukiza of "Fushimi Shumokumachi", the fourth play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Baigyoku played the role of Shindô Hachirôemon [casting].

May 1939: Baigyoku played at the Kabukiza the role of Otoku in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Hangonkô"; the role of Matahei was played by Onoe Kikugorô VI.

April 1940: Baigyoku played at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the role of Otoku in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Hangonkô"; the role of Matahei was played by Onoe Kikugorô VI.

May 1943: Baigyoku played at the Minamiza the role of Masaoka in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi"; the role of Yashio was played by Nakamura Tokizô III.

March 1944: Baigyoku played at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the role of Princess Toki in the classic "Kamakura Sandaiki"; his stage partners were Jitsukawa Enjaku II (Sasaki Takatsuna) and Ichimura Uzaemon XV (Miuranosuke).

November 1946: Baigyoku played at the Tôkyô Gekijô the role of the courtesan Yûgiri in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô"; the role of Fujiya Izaemon was played by Onoe Kikugorô VI.

December 1946: Baigyoku played at the Minamiza the role of the courtesan Yûgiri in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô"; the role of Fujiya Izaemon was played by Onoe Kikugorô VI.

March 1947: Baigyoku played in Nagoya at the Chûkyô Gekijô the role of the courtesan Yûgiri in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô"; the role of Fujiya Izaemon was played by Onoe Kikugorô VI.

April 1947: Baigyoku played for the last time the role of the courtesan Akoya, in Ôsaka at the Ôsaka Kabukiza, in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki".

June 1947: Baigyoku played in Ôsaka at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the role of the courtesan Yûgiri in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô"; the role of Fujiya Izaemon was played by Onoe Kikugorô VI.

February 1948: Baigyoku appeared on stage for the last time, in Ôsaka at the Ôsaka Kabukiza, where he played the role of Honzô's wife Tonase in the 9th act of the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; the role of Kakogawa Honzô was played by Bandô Jusaburô III.

18 March 1948: Baigyoku died.

Comments:

Nakamura Baigyoku III was an outstanding Kamigata onnagata and nimaime. His two great stage partners were Nakamura Ganjirô I in Kamigata and Onoe Kikugorô VI in Tôkyô. He was outstanding in maruhonmono.

Bandô Keizô I (bottom/left) and Nakamura Baigyoku III (top/right) playing the roles of Sankichi and Shigenoi in the drama "Shigenoi Kowakare", which was staged in September 1936 at the Kabukiza

Prints & Illustrations

The Nakamura Masajirô line of actors

The Nakamura Fukusuke line of actors

The Nakamura Baigyoku line of actors