Stage names:

Matsumoto Kojirô II
Nakajima Kanzô I

Guilds: Kôraiya, Matsumotoya, Shôkakuya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Nanshô

Existence: ??? ~ 19th day of the 1st lunar month of 1826 ^[1]

Connection:

Masters: Matsumoto Kôshirô IV, Nakajima Kanzaemon III (?) ^[2]

Adopted son: Matsumoto Yonesaburô I

Career:

1778: most likely a disciple of Nakajima Kanzaemon III ^[2], he received the name of Nakajima Kanzô I and made his debut on stage at the Ichimuraza in the 2nd lunar month of 1778.

11th lunar month of 1794: he became a disciple of Matsumoto Kôshirô IV and took the name of Matsumoto Kojirô II at the Kawarasakiza, where he performed in the kaomise drama "Matsu no Misao Onna Kusunoki".

27th day of the 6th lunar month of 1802 ^[3]: his master Omegawa Kyôjûrô (Matsumoto Kôshirô IV) died in Edo.

6th lunar month of 1809: premiere at the Moritaza of Katsu Hyôzô I's drama "Okuni Gozen Keshô no Sugatami"; Kojirô the roles of Suruga Zenji Hisakuni, Kasane's mother Myôrin and the waiting maid Takekawa [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1814: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Sumidagawa Hana no Goshozome", commonly called "Onna Seigen"; Kojirô played the role of Kariganeya's young man Gonshichi [more details].

7th lunar month of 1814: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's natsu kyôgen "Imaori Hakata no Irifune"; Kojirô played the role of the Chinese emissary Chin Shirô [casting].

11th lunar month of 1825: Kojirô appeared on stage for the last time, at the Ichimuraza, where he played the role of Kawahisa Jirô in the drama "Azuma Dairi Kabuki no Shôgatsu".

19th day of the 1st lunar month of 1826 ^[1]: Kojirô died in Edo.

Comments:

Matsumoto Kojirô II was active in Edo from the first half of the 1780s to the Bunsei era. He was a katakiyaku/jitsuaku supporting actor of the Kôraiya guild. In Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten", Matsumoto Kojirô I and Matsumoto Kojirô II were fused into one actor named Matsumoto Kojirô, who was active from the beginning of the 1750s to 1826. We've decided to fix it and to record two different actors instead of one.

[1] The 19th day of the 1st lunar month of the 9th year of the Bunsei era was the 25th of February 1826 in the western calendar.

[2] Only our assumption. No proof so far.

[3] The 27th day of the 6th lunar month of the 2nd year of the Kyôwa era was the 26th of July 1802 in the western calendar.

The actors Onoe Matsusuke I (top/left) as the ghost of the wet-nurse Iohata and Matsumoto Kojirô II as Mokuemon (bottom/right), in the play "Tokubei of India: Tales of Strange Lands (Tenjiku Tokubei ikoku banashi)"
Artist: Utagawa Toyokuni I
Date: 1799–1809
The Art Institute of Chicago (print in the public domain)