Stage names:

Nakamura Hashinosuke III
Nakamura Kôji

Real name: Nakamura Kôji

Guild: Narikomaya

Line number: SANDAIME (III)

Birthday: 31 August 1965

Connections:

Great-grandfather: Nakamura Utaemon V

Grandfather: Nakamura Fukusuke V

Father: Nakamura Shikan VII

Brother: Nakamura Fukusuke IX

Brother-in-law: Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII

Sons: Nakamura Kunio, Nakamura Muneo, Nakamura Yoshio

Career:

May 1970: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Kabukiza, playing under his real name in the play "Mukashi Banashi Momotarô".

April 1980: Nakamura Kôji takes the name of Nakamura Hashinosuke III at the Kabukiza, playing roles of the naked warrior, Tezuka no Tarô and the priest Shûron in the dramas "Hototogisu Kojô no Rakugetsu", "Onna Shibaraku" and "Renjishi".

January 1982: revival at the National Theatre of "Zôhiki", a bombastic play in the aragoto style which belongs to the Kabuki Jûhachiban; Hashinosuke plays the role of Funakata Kôza [casting].

April 1986: Hashinosuke plays for the first time the prestigious role of the warrior Taira no Tomomori in the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura", which is staged at the National Theatre.

August 1990: revival at the Kabukiza of the kaidanmono "Kaidan Chibusa no Enoki"; Hashinosuke plays the role of Isogai Namie [casting].

June 1991: premiere at the Shinbashi Enbujô of Hagiwara Yukio's dance-drama "Sakuragawa"; Hashinosuke plays the role of the Isobedera Temple head Chikukei [casting].

January 1994: Hashinosuke plays for the first time the bombastic role of Soga Gorô in the drama "Ya-no-Ne", which is staged at the Asakusa Kôkaidô.

May~June 1994: first edition of the Cocoon Kabuki, which is staged at the Shibuya Bunkamura Theatre Cocoon and recreates the atmosphere of the Edo koshibai and brings the actors closer to the audience. The play "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan" is coproduced by Nakamura Kankurô V and the playwright Kushida Kazuyoshi; Hashinosuke plays the role of Tamiya Iemon [more details].

August~September 1996: second edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; Hashinosuke plays the role of Issun Tokubê [more details].

September 1998: third edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Kamikakete Sango Taisetsu"; Hashinosuke plays (in turns with Nakamura Kankurô) the roles of Satsuma Gengobê or Sasanoya Sangorô [more details].

September 1999: revival at the Minamiza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô"; Hashinosuke plays the roles of Okada Ryôsuke and Ogasawara Tôtômi-no-Kami [casting].

September 2000: his two sons Muneo and Kunio make their first appearance on stage at the Kabukiza.

June 2001: 4th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Sannin Kichisa"; Hashinosuke plays the role of Obô Kichisa [more details].

June 2003: 5th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; Hashinosuke plays the role of Issun Tokubê [more details].

July 2004: Fifth edition of the Heisei Nakamuraza, staged abroad for the first time; Nakamura Kankurô and his troupe, which includes Hashinosuke, Nakamura Senjaku, Bandô Yajûrô, Kataoka Kamezô and Nakamura Shichinosuke, perform in Boston (8~10 July, Cutler Majestic Theatre), New York City (17~25 July, Lincoln Center) and Washington DC (28 July, Warner Theater). In Boston and Washington, the troupe presents the dances "Bô Shibari" and "Renjishi". In New York, an Edo 545-seat traditional theater is built within the Lincoln Center and the troupe presents the great Kamigata drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" [more details].

June 2005: 6th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki (the first one without Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII) with the production of "Sakura Hime"; Hashinosuke plays the roles of the priest Seigen and Tsurigane Gonsuke [more details].

November 2005: tôshi kyôgen revival at the National Theatre of the drama "Ehon Taikôki"; Hashinosuke plays the role of Takechi Mitsuhide [casting].

March~April 2006: 7th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production (in two different programs) of "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan"; Hashinosuke plays the roles of Tamiya Iemon or Tamiya Iemon/Oshioda Matanojô [more details].

June 2007: 8th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Sannin Kichisa"; Hashinosuke plays the role of Obô Kichisa [more details].

July 2007: second Heisei Nakamuraza tour in the USA, in New York (Lincoln Center, 16~22 July) and Washington (Warner Theatre, 26 July); Hashinosuke plays in New York the roles of a priest and Jinzaburô in "Renjishi" and "Sumidagawa Gonichi no Omokage". He also plays in Washington the role of Musashibô Benkei in "Kanjinchô" [more details].

May~June 2008: first Heisei Nakamuraza tour in Europe, in Berlin at the The House of World Cultures (Germany) from the 14th to the 21st of May 2008 and in Sibiu (Rumania) from the 29th of May to the 1st of June 2008 for the International Theatre Festival; Hashinosuke plays the role of Issun Tokubê in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" [casting].

June 2008: 9th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki with the production of "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; Hashinosuke plays the role of Issun Tokubê [more details].

January 2009: revival at the National Theatre of "Zôhiki", a bombastic play in the aragoto style which belongs to the Kabuki Jûhachiban; Hashinosuke plays the role of the priest Gazenbô [casting].

July 2009: 10th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki [more details].

September 2009: Heisei Nakamuraza in Nagoya [more details].

June 2010: 11th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki [more details].

July 2010: Heisei Nakamuraza in Matsumoto [more details].

October 2014: the October Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza commemorates the 26th anniversary (27th memorial service) and the 2nd anniversary (3rd memorial service) of late Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII and late Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII [more details].

Comments:

Nakamura Hashinosuke III is a young and outstanding tachiyaku actor, who was born in a family of onnagata stars. His art and physical appearance remind us of the prestigious ancestors of his clan, like Nakamura Shikan IV or Nakamura Utaemon IV. He will take the name of Nakamura Shikan VIII in October 2016!

Nakamura Hashinosuke III in a print made by Lynn Matsuoka
Print courtesy of Lynn Matsuoka Studios (all rights reserved)
Lynn Matsuoka worked in the dressing room and back stage, right in front of the actor, not from Pictures!!!

The Nakamura Hashinosuke line of actors