Born in Ôsaka in 1868 in the district of Kurôemon-chô. His father was a shitateya named Kinzô. He started his career as a disciple of Nakamura Kanjaku III, who gave him the name of Nakamura Kandô. His first master died the 3rd of February 1881 and he quickly joined Nakamura Sôjûrô, who let him used the stage name which has been originally choosen by Nakamura Kanjaku III. His second master died the 8th of October 1889. He was allowed to take the name of Nakamura Kasen I in February 1890. He was active in Kamigata and in Nagoya. He died the 21st of August 1903. He followed in the footsteps of his master Nakamura Sôjûrô, excelling like him in roles like Kamiya Jihê and Soga Jûrô Sukenari in "Kawashô" and "Soga no Taimen". He was the father of Nakamura Kasen II.

There will be in the future to come a full page dedicated to Nakamura Kasen I in kabuki21.com.

Born in Ôsaka the 30th of May 1893. Son of Nakamura Kasen I, he received the name of Nakamura Shikô I and started his career in September 1905 in Ôsaka at the Kadoza, two years after the passing away of his father. He took the name of Nakamura Kasen II in January 1925 at the Nakaza. He joined the first league of Kabuki actors (kanbu shôshin) and celebrated it in September 1959 at the Ôsaka Shinkabukiza, when he played the roles of Jûzô's mother Kiyo, the rôjo Kumonoi and Jûkichi's mother Otoki in "Tsuchi-ni Ikiru", "Suetsumuhana" and "Minowa no Shinjû". He appeared on stage for the last time in May 1969, in Tôkyô at the National Theatre, where he played the role of Hansai in the drama "Katsuragawa Renri no Shigarami". He died the 28th of August 1969. This wakiyaku Kamigata actor was active for almost 64 years. He excelled in fukeyaku roles, either as a fukeoyama or an oyajigata. His son performed for a while, using the stage name Nakamura Shikô II, but he quickly stopped acting.