Stage names:

Nakamura Jakuemon II
Nakamura Shibajaku II
Nakamura Shibanosuke I

Real name: Nakajima Yasubê or Nakajima Yasuhei

Guild: Kyôya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Baito

Existence: 1841 ~ 20 July 1895

Connections:

Master: Nakamura Jakuemon I

Adopted sons: Nakamura Shibajaku III, Nakamura Jakuemon III

Disciples: Nakamura Shibazô III, Nakamura Jakusaburô, Nakamura Shibazô IV (?)

Career:

1841 ~ 1866: born in Ôsaka. He became disciple of Nakamura Jakuemon I, received the name of Nakamura Shibanosuke I and joined his troupe performing in the precincts of temples and shrines (miyaji shibai).

4th lunar month of 1866: Nakamura Shibanosuke I took the name of Nakamura Shibajaku II in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai, playing the roles of Matsugae Tetsunosuke, the menoto Masaoka, the yakko Mitahei and Gekizaemon in the classic "Meiboku Sendai Hagi".

18th day of the 8th lunar month of 1871 ^[1]: his master Nakamura Jakuemon I died.

1st lunar month of 1872: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the drama "Ume Kyôdai Naniwa Senki" (one act has survived and became the independent drama "Kimura Nagato-no-Kami"); Shibajaku played the role of Toyotomi Hideyori [casting].

March 1875: great shûmei at the Kado no Shibai (Ôsaka); Nakamura Shibajaku II took the name of Nakamura Jakuemon II, playing the roles of Oniô Shinzaemon, Iwane Gozen and Gosho no Goromaru in the dramas "Wagô Soga Homare no Fuji", "Hibariyama Himesute Matsu" and "Goshikigumo Mitsu no Tamajishi". This great program, which commemorated the 12th anniversary (13th memorial service) of late Arashi Rikan III, gathered on the same stage the best Kamigata actors like Ichikawa Udanji I, Arashi Rikan IV, Onoe Tamizô II, Jitsukawa Enjaku I and Jitsukawa Yaozô I.

December 1887: Jakuemon played in Kyôto at the Sakaiza the role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".

January 1893: Jakuemon went to Tôkyô and performed at the Harukiza in the dramas "Sôma Tarô Mibae Bundan" and "Yoshitsune Koshigoejô".

April 1893: Jakuemon played in the same theater the role of the fisherman Fukashichi (in reality Kanawa Gorô Imakuni) in the classic "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".

July 1893: Jakuemon played in the same theater the role of Yokozô in the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô"; the role of Yokozô's mother Koshiji, Yokozô's brother Jihizô and Jihizô's wife Otane were played by Nakamura Shikaku I, Nakamura Komanosuke VI and Nakamura Tomijûrô III.

August 1893: Jakuemon played in the same theater the role of Jinzaburô in the drama "Sumidagawa Gonichi no Omokage".

November 1893: Jakuemon played in the same theater the roles of Matsugae Tetsunosuke and Hosokawa Katsumoto in the classic "Meiboku Sendai Hagi"; the role of Nikki Danjô was played by Ichikawa Yaozô VII.

January 1894: Jakuemon played in the same theater the role of Sasaki Takatsuna in the drama "Kamakura Sandaiki"; the roles of Princess Toki and Miuranosuke were played by Iwai Matsunosuke IV and Nakamura Fukusuke IV.

March 1894: Jakuemon played in the same theater the roles of Fujiwara no Shihei and Kakuju in the drama "Tenmangû Aiju no Meiboku" ^[2].

April 1894: Jakuemon played in the same theater the role of Karaki Masaemon in the dramas "Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku".

june 1894: Jakuemon played in the same theater the role of Sasaki Moritsuna in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".

November 1894: Jakuemon was back in Ôsaka and played at the Bentenza the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke and Kiichi Hôgen in the dramas "Kanadehon Chûshingura" and "Kiichi Hôgen Sanryaku no Maki"; his stage partners were Nakamura Ganjirô I (Momonoi Wakasanosuke, Okaru, Torazô) and Nakamura Fukusuke III (Chienai).

July 1895: Jakuemon appeared on stage for the last time, in Kôbe at the Daikokuza, playing the roles of Soga no Iruka and Daihanji no Kiyosumi in the classic "Imoseyama Onna Teikin"; he also played the role of Sasano Sangobê in the drama "Godairiki Koi no Fûjime".

20 July 1895: Jakuemon died.

Comments:

Nakamura Jakuemon II was a talented kaneru yakusha, famous for his excellent personal appearance and diction. He played any kind of katakiyaku, tachiyaku or onnagata roles during his career spent mostly in the Kamigata theaters. He spent two successful years in Tôkyô at the Harukiza in 1893 and 1894.

[1] The 18th day of the 8th lunar month of the 4th year of the Meiji era was the 2nd of October 1871 in the western calendar.

[2] Plot and characters of this drama belonged to the "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" world.

Nakamura Jakuemon II

Prints & Illustrations

The Nakamura Shibajaku line of actors

The Nakamura Jakuemon line of actors