Stage names:

Nakamura Jiroza I [1]
Otowa Jiroza I [1]

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: ??? ~ 1748

Connection:

Masters: Nakamura Yazaemon, Otowa Jirosaburô I (?) ^[2]

Brother: Nakamura Senjûrô

Disciple: Nakamura Jiroza II

Career:

Before 1735: he did his training in Kamigata in koshibai venues or in travelling Kabuki troupes (tabi shibai), performing under the name of Otowa Jiroza I ^[1]. There might be a master-disciple relationship with the actor Otowa Jirosaburô I ^[2], but so far there was no element to prove it.

1735: Jiroza worked as a zamoto in Nagoya.

1738: he became a disciple of Nakamura Yazaemon.

11th lunar month of 1738: he became katakiyaku and took the name of Nakamura Jiroza I ^[1] at the Kado no Shibai, performing in the kaomise drama "Sanpukutsui Kogane no Ichigura", which was produced by Nakamura Jûzô I.

11th lunar month of 1741: Jiroza played at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Nagasaki Kageyu Saemon in the kaomise drama "Bankoku Taiheiki", which welcomed in Ôsaka the Edo actors Ichikawa Ebizô II and Ichikawa Danjûrô III. It included the "Uirô Uri" scene and was produced by Sadoshima Chôgorô I.

1st lunar month of 1742: premiere at the Ônishi no Shibai of the play "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura"; Jiroza played the role of Hayagumo no Ôji [casting]. Jiroza's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1743: Jiroza performed at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Tanshû Teteuchi Guri" ^[3].

1st lunar month of 1744: Jiroza's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual].

12th lunar month of 1745: the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" was performed for the first time in Ôsaka, simultaneously in the three major theaters of the city, which started a competition for the best performance; Jiroza played the role of Mikawaya Giheiji at the Naka no Shibai [casting].

Spring 1748: Jiroza went on tour with Kataoka Nizaemon IV in Iga and Ise. He died the same year.

Comments:

Nakamura Jiroza I was a katakiyaku actor, who spent all his career in Kamigata during the first half of the 18th century. He spent less than 10 years in ôshibai but became quickly popular because of his manly bearing and his ranking was a little bit below jô-jô-kichi when he died.

[1] Jirozô, not Jiroza, in Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten".

[2] Assumption without any evidence.

[3] This title was used for the first time in the 5th lunar month of 1729 at the Naka no Shibai.

Nakamura Jiroza I at the Ônishi no Shibai in the 7th lunar month of 1742

The Nakamura Jiroza line of actors