Stage names:

Nakayama Bungorô II
Nakayama Hyakuzô I

Guild: Bintsukeya, Daikokuya, Ôzakaya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry names: Binan, Gan'en

Existence: ??? ~ 1862

Connection:

Master: Nakayama Bunshichi III (Nakayama Hyakka)

Disciple: Nakayama Hyakuzô II (?)

Career:

1818: Hyakuzô became katakiyaku, performing in Kyôto and Ôsaka ôshibai venues.

11th lunar month of 1825: Nakayama Hyakuzô I took the name of Nakayama Bungorô II at the Kado no Shibai, playing the roles of Ushijima Takubei and Senoo Tarô in the kaomise drama "Ume no Naniwa Hayazaki Genji"; his main stage partners were Onoe Kikugorô III, Fujikawa Tomokichi II, Arashi Koroku IV (who made his last stage appearances) and Asao Kunigorô III.

Fall 1826: Bungorô went to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1828: Bungorô performed at the Kawarasakiza in Mimasuya Nisôji's kaomise drama "Sakigake Genji no Kibamusha", which welcomed in Edo the actors Sawamura Gennosuke II, Arashi Danpachi and Yoshizawa Enjirô; his yearly salary was 80 ryô.

11th lunar month of 1829: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Kin no Zai Sarushima Dairi"; Bungorô played the role of Narukawa Gunzô [more details].

2nd lunar month of 1834: Bungorô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Sagisaka Bannai and Ichimonjiya Saibê in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

3rd lunar month of 1834: Bungorô went back to Ôsaka, where he became dôkegata.

1st lunar month of 1847: Bungorô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, dôkegata section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Nakamura Tomosa II.

3rd lunar month of 1847: Bungorô went to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1847: Bungorô performed at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Genke Hachidai Megumi no Tsuwamono", which welcomed back in Edo the actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV.

1st lunar month of 1848: Bungorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku/dôkegata section, was two black strokes above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi [visual].

11th lunar month of 1848: Bungorô performed at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Goban Tadanobu Yuki no Kuroshiro", an extended version of a drama which was originally staged in the 11th lunar month of 1832 at the Nakamuraza.

1st lunar month of 1850: Bungorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku/dôkegata section, was 3 black strokes above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi [visual].

11th lunar month of 1850: Bungorô performed at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Go Taiheiki Date no Masugata", which celebrated the shûmei of Morita Kan'ya XI.

1st lunar month of 1851: Bungorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Ôtani Tomoemon IV.

1st lunar month of 1852: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Sakurada Jisuke III's drama "Satomi Hakkenden"; Bungorô played the role of Kamezasa [casting]. Bungorô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku/dôkegata section, was one black stroke above jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi [visual].

15th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1853 ^[1]: his master Nakayama Hyakka died.

1853: Bungorô went back to Kamigata.

1st lunar month of 1854: Bungorô's rank in the Kamigata hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku/dôkegata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual]. He shared the same rank with Nakamura Jakuemon I and Arashi Kanjûrô II.

11th lunar month of 1854: Bungorô performed at the Kitagawa no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Jiraiya". He also performed in "Kiichi Hôgen Sanryaku no Maki".

1st lunar month of 1855: Bungorô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, jitsuaku/katakiyaku/dôkegata section, was jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

1862: Bungorô died.

Comments:

Nakayama Bungorô II was a Kamigata actor, who achieved fame for himself not only in the Ôsaka/Kyôto theaters but also in Edo from the end of the Tenpô era to the Kaei era. He was specialized in katakiyaku and dôkegata roles. His kôseki was highly-praised. He lost his energy and strength from the middle of the 1850s and his popularity declined as well.

[1] The 15th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 6th year of the Kaei era was the 24th of March 1853 in the western calendar.

Nakayama Bungorô II portraying Tanigawa Akuemon in a print made by Utagawa Kunisada I)

Prints & Illustrations

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1851

The Nakayama Bungorô line of actors