Stage names:

Nakamura Noshio I	|
Kamogawa Noshio II

Guild: Tennôjiya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Shûka (?)

Existence: 1752 ~ 19th day of the 11th lunar month of 1777 ^[1]

Connection:

Grandfather: Kamogawa Noshio I

Father: Kasaya Matakurô I

Adoptive father: Nakamura Tomijûrô I

Brother: Kasaya Matakurô II

Career:

1752: born in Kyôto. He started his career in kodomo shibai, performing under the name of Kamogawa Noshio II.

18th day of the 3rd lunar month of 1767 ^[2]: his father Kasaya Matakurô I died.

Fall 1767: Noshio went to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1767: he became wakaonnagata and played at the Naka no Shibai in Tenmaya Kyûshichi's kaomise drama "Shitennô Maizuru Ôgi"; his stage partners were Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Mimasu Daigorô I, Nakamura Kichiemon I, Fujikawa Hachizô I, Arashi Kichisaburô I, Fujimatsu Sanjûrô, Bandô Iwagorô, Somegawa Konobê I, Anegawa Daikichi I and Nakamura Senzô.

Fall 1768: Noshio became disciple of Nakamura Tomijûrô I; the two actors went together to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1768: Kamogawa Noshio II took the name of Nakamura Noshio I at the Minamigawa no Shibai, performing in the kaomise drama "Kaeribana Misao Taiheiki"; his stage partners were Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Onoe Kikugorô I, Nakamura Jûzô II, Ogawa Kichitarô I, Onoe Shinshichi I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô II, Kirishima Gizaemon I and Matsuya Shinjûrô.

9th lunar month of 1770: premiere at the Kitagawa no Shibai of the drama "Keisei Awa no Naruto", a revision of Chikamatsu Hanji's 1768 puppet drama "Keisei Awa no Naruto"; Noshio played the role of Ôgiya Yûgiri [more details].

Fall 1770: Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Kasaya Matakurô II and Noshio went together to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1770: Noshio performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Miyako Zome Giô Katsugi".

5th lunar month of 1771: Noshio played in the same theater the role of Shizuka Gozen in the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

11th lunar month of 1771: Noshio performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Fukikaete Tsuki no Yoshiwara"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danjûrô V, Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Nakamura Sukegorô II, Tomizawa Tatsujûrô, Yamashita Kinsaku II, Ôtani Hiroemon III, Bandô Mitsugorô I and Nakamura Jûzô II (who came from Kamigata).

8th lunar month of 1772: Noshio played in the same theater the roles of the courtesan Takao and her ghost in the Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Sono Utsushie Matsu ni Kaide"; his stage partners in the roles of the ghost of Seigen and Lord Ashikaga Yorikane were Ichikawa Danjûrô V and Bandô Mitsugorô I.

11th lunar month of 1772: Noshio performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Izu Goyomi Shibai no Ganjitsu", which celebrated the shûmei of Sawamura Chôjûrô IV.

1st lunar month of 1773: Noshio played in the same theater the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the new year drama "Iro Makie Soga no Sakazuki"; the roles of Kudô Saemon Suketsune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô V and Bandô Mitsugorô I.

11th lunar month of 1774: Noshio performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Ichi no Tomi Tsuki no Kaomise", which welcomed in Edo the Kamigata actor Nakamura Shingorô II.

5th lunar month of 1775: Noshio played in the same theater the role of Matsuômaru's wife Chiyo in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danjûrô V (Matsuômaru's master Fujiwara no Shihei, Kan Shôjô), Iwai Hanshirô IV (Sakuramaru), Bandô Mitsugorô I (Umeômaru, Genzô), Matsumoto Kôshirô IV (Matsuômaru, Kakuju), Sawamura Chôjûrô IV (Matsuômaru's father Shiratayû), Azuma Tôzô II (Tatsuta-no-Mae) and Sakata Kônosuke (Princess Kariya).

11th lunar month of 1775: Noshio moved with Matsumoto Kôshirô IV and Iwai Hanshirô IV to the Ichimuraza and performed in the kaomise drama "Oyafune Taiheiki".

3rd lunar month of 1776: Noshio's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

7th lunar month of 1776: Noshio played in the same theater the role of Matsuômaru's wife Chiyo in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; his stage partners were Ichimura Uzaemon IX (Umeômaru), Ichikawa Ebizô III (Matsuômaru, Kan Shôjô), Ichikawa Yaozô II (Sakuramaru), Sakata Hangorô II (Matsuômaru's father Shiratayû) and Nakajima Mihoemon II (Fujiwara no Shihei).

11th lunar month of 1776: Noshio moved to the Moritaza and performed in the kaomise drama "Hikitsurete Yagoe Taiheiki".

Summer 1777: the book "Yakusha Sensakuron" ('About actors prying') was published in Edo. It gave some private information on actors. Edo readers learnt that Noshio lived with his father-in-law Nakamura Tomijûrô I in the district of Kobiki-chô and his yearly salary was 500 ryô.

7th lunar month of 1777: Noshio appeared on stage for the last time, at the Moritaza, performing in the drama "Hônô Nitta Daimyôjin".

19th day of the 11th lunar month of 1777 ^[1]: Noshio and Nakamura Shingorô II, the other adopted son of Nakamura Tomijûrô I, died the same day.

Comments:

Nakamura Noshio I was a promising wakaonnagata actor, trained in Kamigata and who started to gain fame in Edo in the 1770s. He was an outstanding dancer. He could have become the worthy heir of his adoptive father Nakamura Tomijûrô I but he unfortunately died in his prime.

[1] The 19th day of the 11th lunar month of the 6th year of the An'ei era was the 18th of December 1777 in the western calendar.

[2] The 18th day of the 3rd lunar month of the 4th year of the Meiwa era was the 16th of April 1767 in the western calendar.

Nakamura Noshio I playing in the kaomise drama "Fukikaete Tsuki no Yoshiwara", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1771 at the Moritaza (print made by Ippitsusai Bunchô)

Print made by Ippitsusai Bunchô in 1770

The Kamogawa Noshio line of actors

The Nakamura Noshio line of actors