Stage names:

Nakamura Kanzaburô II
Akashi Kanzaburô
Nakamura Kanzaburô II
Nakamura Akashi I
Nakamura Kansuke

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Existence: 1647 ~ 26th day of the 8th lunar month of 1674 ^[1]

Connections:

Father: Nakamura Kanzaburô I

Brothers: Nakamura Kankurô I, Nakamura Kanzaburô III

Son: Nakamura Akashi II

Son-in-law: Nakamura Shichisaburô I

Grandsons: Nakamura Seizaburô II, Nakamura Shôchô

Great-great-grandson: Nakamura Kanzaburô IX

Disciples: Saruwaka Sanzaemon I, Hanai Saizaburô I, Nakamura Seigorô I, Nakamura Kannojô I

Career:

1647: born in Edo. His first name was Nakamura Kansuke.

18th day of the 1st lunar month of 1657 ^[4]: a fire broke out in the Honmyôji temple in the district of Hongô and devastated Edo. All the Kabuki theaters were destroyed by the flames, including the Nakamuraza. His father Nakamura Kanzaburô I took it as an opportunity to travel with his son to his native city of Kyôto.

5th lunar month of 1657: Nakamura Kanzaburô I and his son were invited to perform before the Imperial Court. As a reward, the young boy was allowed to take the name of Nakamura Akashi I.

9th lunar month of 1657: Akashi and his father went back to Edo.

9th day of the 6th lunar month of 1658 ^[3]: his father Nakamura Kanzaburô I died.

8th lunar month of 1658: Nakamura Akashi I took the name of Nakamura Kanzaburô II and became the new zamoto of the Nakamuraza.

14th day of the 1st lunar month of 1660 ^[2]: a fire broke out in the district of Yushima, burning down the Nakamuraza.

28th day of the 10th lunar month of 1661 ^[5]: the Nakamuraza was burnt down in a big fire.

2nd lunar month of 1662: he temporarily took the name of Akashi Kanzaburô.

Later in 1662: he took back the name of Nakamura Kanzaburô II.

8th lunar month of 1673: Kanzaburô was invited to perform with his troupe at the mansion of the daimyô Matsudaira Yamato-no-Kami.

26th day of the 8th lunar month of 1674 ^[1]: Kanzaburô died.

Comments:

Nakamura Kanzaburô II was the second zamoto of the Nakamuraza. He managed (sometimes under the name of Tsuruya Kanzaburô) his theater for 17 years wihtout going bankrupt and he was affected only by 2 fires. As an actor, he was mainly a wakashugata and a talented dancer. He unfortunately died in his prime.

[1] The 26th day of the 8th lunar month of the 2nd year of the Enpô era was the 25th of September 1674 in the western calendar.

[2] The 14th day of the 1st lunar month of the 3rd year of the Manji era was the 24th of February 1660 in the western calendar.

[3] The 9th day of the 6th lunar month of the 4th year of the Meireki era was the 9th of July 1658 in the western calendar.

[4] The 18th day of the 1st lunar month of the 3rd year of the Meireki era was the 2nd of March 1657 in the western calendar.

[5] The 28th day of the 10th lunar month of the 1sy year of the Kanbun era was the 19th of December 1661 in the western calendar.

The mon of Nakamura Kanzaburô II (the ginkgo tree)

Prints & Illustrations

The Nakamura Kanzaburô line of actors and theater managers