Stage names:

Nakajima Mihoemon III
Nakajima Mihozô II
Nakajima Shigazô

Guild: Nakajimaya

Line number: SANDAIME (III)

Poetry names: Ryûshi, Rijû

Existence: 1736 ~ 4th day of the 12th lunar month of 1783 ^[1]

Connection:

Master: Nakajima Mihoemon II

Son: Nakajima Mihoemon IV

Grandson: Nakajima Mihoemon V

Career:

1736: born in Edo. He started his career as a disciple of Nakajima Mihozô I, who gave him the name of Nakajima Shigazô.

23rd day of the 3rd lunar month of 1762 ^[2]: the actor Nakajima Mihoemon I died in Edo.

11th lunar month of 1764: Nakajima Shigazô took the name of Nakajima Mihozô II at the Nakamuraza, performing in the kaomise drama "Azuma no Hana Sôma no Dairi".

2nd lunar month of 1767: first Kabuki adaptation, at the Ichimuraza, of Chikamatsu Hanji's puppet theater drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku"; Mihozô played the roles of Yakushiji Jirozaemon and Ono no Kudayû [casting].

6th lunar month of 1780: tour in the province of Echigo with Matsumoto Kôshirô IV.

9th lunar month of 1780: Mihozô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Sagisaka Bannai in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

17th day of the 12th lunar month of 1782 ^[3]: his master Nakajima Mihoemon II died.

28th day of the 10th lunar month of 1783 ^[4]: a fire broke out in Edo in the district of Kodenma-chô, which spreads and burns both the Ichimuraza and the Nakamuraza.

11th lunar month of 1783: Nakajima Mihozô II took the name of Nakajima Mihoemon III without performing in any kaomise program because of the 10th lunar month disaster.

4th day of the 12th lunar month of 1783 ^[1]: the new Mihoemon died in Edo.

Comments:

Nakajima Mihoemon III was a 18th century actor specialized in katakiyaku and handôgataki roles, like Sagisaka Bannai in "Kanadehon Chûshingura". He died before being able to perform the atariyaku of his master, like Kô no Moronô in "Kanadehon Chûshingura" or Fujiwara no Shihei in "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

[1] The 4th day of the 12th lunar month of the 3rd year of the Tenmei era was the 27th of December 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.

[3] 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.

[4] The 28th day of the 10th lunar month of the 3rd year of the Tenmei era was the 22nd of November 1783 in the western calendar.

Nakajima Mihoemon III in a print made by Katsukawa Shunshô in 1770

The Nakajima Mihozô line of actors

The Nakajima Mihoemon line of actors