Stage names:

Nakamura Kanzaburô VII
Nakamura Akashi III

Guild: Kashiwaya

Line number: SHICHIDAIME (VII)

Existence: 1717 ~ 28th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1775 ^[1]

Connections:

Great-grandfather: Nakamura Kanzaburô I

Grandfather: Nakamura Kankurô I

Father: Nakamura Kankurô II (Kanzaburô VI)

Brother: Nakamura Kanzaburô VIII

Career:

1717: born in Edo. He was the eldest son of Nakamura Kankurô I.

8th lunar month of 1750: his father decided to give his name to his elder son and to retire; Nakamura Kanzaburô VI and his son Nakamura Akashi III respectively took the names of Nakamura Kankurô II and Nakamura Kanzaburô VII. The latter became the new manager of the Nakamuraza.

14th day of the 1st lunar month of 1756 ^[3]: a fire broke out in the district of Shinzaimoku-chô, which destroyed both the Ichimuraza and the Nakamuraza. Kanzaburô had to rebuild his theater.

25th day of the 11th lunar month of 1757 ^[2]: his father Nakamura Kankurô II died.

11th lunar month of 1758: Kanzaburô produced at the Nakamuraza the kaomise drama "Kigoto no Hana Aioi Hachinoki", which welcomed the Kamigata actor Nakamura Utaemon I, who left the Ichimuraza, and also celebrated the shûmei of Mizuki Tatsunosuke III. Kanzaburô also produced the Nagauta-based dance-drama "Kotobuki Aioi Hagoromo".

11th lunar month of 1759: Kanzaburô produced at the Nakamuraza the kaomise drama "Shôgaichi Kaomise Matsuri". He also produced Horikoshi Nisôji's Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Kumo no Hana Yoshino no Obi".

6th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1760 ^[6]: a fire broke out in the district of Kanda Hatago-chô and spread to Susaki in the district of Fukagawa, which destroyed both the Ichimuraza and the Nakamuraza. It was called Akashiya no Kaji ('The Akashiya fire'), based on the name of the shop where it started. Kanzaburô had to finance and supervise the rebuilding of his theater.

11th lunar month of 1761: Kanzaburô produced at the Nakamuraza the kaomise drama "Nihongahana Hôgan Biiki", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Raizô I. He also produced the Nagauta-based dance-drama "Kankôbai Gyôretsu Tanzen".

11th lunar month of 1764: Kanzaburô produced at the Nakamuraza the kaomise drama "Azuma no Hana Sôma no Dairi". He also produced the dance-dramas "Gosho Fûzoku Teguruma Tanzen" (Nagauta-based), "Enmusubi Iwai Kuzu-no-Ha" (Nagauta-based) and "Tsumoru Yuki Ikada no Shinamono" (Tomimoto-based).

29th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1766 ^[5]: a fire broke out in the district of Sakai-chô, in the cosmetics shop owned and managed by the actor Onoe Kikugorô I. It destroyed both the Ichimuraza and the Nakamuraza. This fire was nicknamed "Kikugorô Aburamise Kaji" ('Kikugorô's cosmetics shop fire'). Kanzaburô had to rebuild his theater.

29th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1772 ^[4]: a fire broke out in Meguro Gyôninzaka. It spread and destroyed both the Ichimuraza and the Nakamuraza.

2nd lunar month of 1773: the Nakamuraza celebrated its 150th anniversary. Kanzaburô performed with Nakamura Denkurô II and Nakamura Shôchô in the dances "Kadomatsu" and "Shinbochi Daiko". He also performed in duo with Nakamura Denkurô II in the dance "Saruwaka".

28th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1775 ^[1]: Kanzaburô died in Edo.

Comments:

Nakamura Kanzaburô VII was the zamoto of the Nakamuraza for 25 years. He appeared on stage only for kôjô or as a dancer in auspicious dances performed for some kaomise or new year programs.

[1] The 28th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 4th year of the An'ei era was the 29th of March 1775 in the western calendar.

[2] The 25th day of the 11th lunar month of the 7th year of the Hôreki era was the 4th of January 1758 in the western calendar.

[3] The 14th day of the 1st lunar month of the 6th year of the Hôreki era was the 13th of February 1756 in the western calendar.

[4] The 29th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 9th year of the Meiwa era was the 1st of April 1772 in the western calendar.

[5] The 29th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 3rd year of the Meiwa era was the 8th of April 1766 in the western calendar.

[6] The 6th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 10th year of the Hôreki era was the 22nd of March 1760 in the western calendar.

The mon of Nakamura Kanzaburô VII (the ginkgo tree)

The Nakamura Akashi line of actors

The Nakamura Kanzaburô line of actors and theater managers