Stage names:

Nakamura Jusaburô III
Ichikawa Beishô I
Ichikawa Yonezô IV [1]

Real name: Nakamura Kinosuke

Guild: Nakamuraya ^[6], Kashiwaya ^[6], Wakamatsuya ^[6], Takashimaya ^[7]

Line number: SANDAIME (III)

Poetry name: Shôkaku ^[6], Shôchô ^[6], Beishô ^[7]

Existence: 1839 ~ 31 August 1896

Connection:

Masters: Nakamura Kanzaburô XIII ^[3] (or Nakamura Nakazô III ^[4]?), Ichikawa Kodanji IV

Brothers: Ichikawa Sadanji I, Ichikawa Arajirô I

Adopted son: Nakamura Tsurumatsu

Disciple: Nakamura Hisashi

Career:

1839: born in Ôsaka. His father Nakamura Seikichi was a theater hair-dresser in Ôsaka.

Kôka era: he started his career in Ôsaka as a disciple of Ichikawa Kodanji IV and his first stage name was Ichikawa Yonezô IV.

1866: he settled in Edo.

8th lunar month of 1866: Ichikawa Yonezô IV took the name of Ichikawa Beishô I ^[2] at the Nakamuraza, playing the roles of Ôwashi Bungo and Sukune Tarô in the dramas "Kanadehon Chûshingura" and "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

2nd lunar month of 1867: Beishô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Anzaki Motome and the otokodate Takasago Hanbê in the new year drama "Gohiiki Soga Ichiza no Sakigake", which welcomed in Edo the actors Ichikawa Aragorô III, Arashi Rikaku III and Arashi Eizaburô.

1st lunar month of 1871: he became a disciple of Nakamura Kanzaburô XIII ^[3] (or Nakamura Nakazô III ^[4]?) and he took the name of Nakamura Jusaburô III ^[5] at the Nakamuraza, performing in "Shin Kuruwa Nanakusa Monpi", "Honchô Shiito no Nejime" and "Ekyôdai Haru no Nishiki".

February 1873: Jusaburô performed at the Nakamuraza in the new year drama "Miyo no Haru Yorokobi Soga".

March 1890: premiere at the Kiriza of Takeshiba Kisui's drama "Kami no Megumi Wagô no Torikumi"; Jusaburô played the role of the tobi Yasuke [more details].

October 1895: Jusaburô appeared on stage for the last time, in Tôkyô at the Meijiza.

31st of August 1896: suffering from the spinal cord disease, Jusaburô died in Tôkyô at his home in the district of Kyôbashi Irifune-chô.

Comments:

Nakamura Jusaburô III was a supporting actor, who was born and trained in Ôsaka and was active in Edo/Tôkyô for 30 years from 1866 to 1896. He was able to perform a wide range of roles, either male or female roles. During the 1870s, he did not achieve any huge success but his performances were appreciated by connoisseurs, notably in the roles of Yaoya Oshichi or Ofune in "Yaguchi no Watashi". His art matured in his latter years.

[1] Ichikawa Yonezô III in Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten" and Ichikawa Yonezô II in "Kabuki Haiyû Meiseki Benran". In the latter book, it was also reported that he held the name of Ichikawa Kodanji from the 1st to the 2nd lunar months of 1869 and the name of Ichikawa Kôdanji from the 3rd lunar month of 1869 to the 12th lunar month of 1870. In the Ritsumeikan University Actors Database, this Ichikawa Kôdanji was listed as a different actor. We've decided to stay in line with this database.

[2] Beishô was the haimyô of Ichikawa Kodanji IV.

[3] According to Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten".

[4] According to "Kabuki Haiyû Meiseki Benran".

[5] In Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten", it was reported that he took the name of Nakamura Jusaburô III in February 1873. This was a mistake.

[6] Used when he was a Nakamura actor.

[7] Used when he was an Ichikawa actor.

Nakamura Jusaburô III playing the role of Yamada Umon in the drama "Shin Kuruwa Nanakusa Monpi", which was staged in the 1st lunar month of 1871 at the Nakamuraza (print made by Toyohara Kunichika)

Prints & Illustrations

The Ichikawa Yonezô line of actors

The Ichikawa Beishô line of actors

The Nakamura Jusaburô line of actors