Stage names:

Nakajima Mihoemon II
Nakajima Mihozô I

Nickname: Yushima no Tenkô

Guild: Nakajimaya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Tenkô

Existence: 1724 ~ 17th day of the 12th lunar month of 1782 ^[1]

Connection:

Father: Nakajima Mihoemon I

Brother: Nakajima Kamenosuke II

Disciple: Nakajima Mihoemon III

Career:

1724: born in Edo. His first stage name is Nakajima Mihozô I.

11th lunar month of 1746: he becomes katakiyaku and performs at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Tenchi Taiheiki", which celebrated the arrival in Edo of the Kamigata actor Arashi Koroku I and also the shûmei of Hanai Saizaburô III, Sanjô Kantarô III and Matsushima Yaozô.

23rd day of the 3rd lunar month of 1762 ^[2]: his father Nakajima Mihoemon I dies.

4th lunar month of 1762: Mihozô plays at the Moritaza the role of Ono no Kudayû in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

11th lunar month of 1762: Nakajima Mihozô I becomes jitsuaku and takes the name of Nakajima Mihoemon II at the Ichimuraza, performing in the kaomise drama "Kisoe Uta Sakae Komachi".

5th lunar month of 1764: Mihoemon plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Fujiwara no Shihei in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

5th lunar month of 1765: Mihoemon plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Ono no Kudayû in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

5th lunar month of 1769: Mihoemon plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Kô no Moronô and Ono no Kudayû in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

9th lunar month of 1773: Mihoemon plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Fujiwara no Shihei in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

5th lunar month of 1774: the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" is staged for the first time at the Ichimuraza; Mihoemon plays the role of Mikawaya Giheiji [casting].

8th lunar month of 1774: Mihoemon plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Benkei and Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan in the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

7th lunar month of 1776: Mihoemon plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Fujiwara no Shihei and Haji no Hyôe in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

Summer 1777: the book "Yakusha Sensakuron" ('About actors prying') is published in Edo. It gives some private information on actors. Edo readers learn that Mihoemon's annual salary is 600 ryô.

7th lunar month of 1778: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the play "Date Kurabe Okuni Kabuki"; Mihoemon plays the roles of the nyûdô Yamana Sôzen and the statue of Enma Daiô [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1781: Mihoemon plays at the Moritaza the roles of Kô no Moronô and Ono no Kudayû in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

1st lunar month of 1782: Mihoemon plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Fujiwara no Shihei, Haji no Hyôe and Shundô Genba in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

6th lunar month of 1782: Mihoemon appears on stage for the last time, playing at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Tanzen Sato no Kagura"; he falls ill and has to retire.

17th day of the 12th lunar month of 1782 ^[1]: Mihoemon dies in Edo.

[2] The 23rd day of the 3rd lunar month of the 12th year of the Hôreki era was the 17th of April 1762 in the western calendar.

Comments:

Nakajima Mihoemon II was a popular 18th century Edo actor, who was specialized in jitsuaku roles and was very close to the jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) rank at the end of his career. His most famous role was the evil Fujiwara no Shihei in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". He loved putting some humour in his acting.

[1] The 17th day of the 12th lunar month of the 2nd year of the Tenmei era was the 19th of January 1783 in the western calendar.

[2] The 23rd day of the 3rd lunar month of the 12th year of the Hôreki era was the 17th of April 1762 in the western calendar.

Nakajima Mihoemon II in a print made by Ippitsusai Bunchô in 1770

Prints & Illustrations

In the 1st lunar month of 1754 at the Ichimuraza

Print made by Tôshûsai Sharaku 1794~1795

Caricature 1780

The Nakajima Mihozô line of actors

The Nakajima Mihoemon line of actors