Stage names:

Arashi San'emon XI
Nakamura Komanosuke VII
Nakamura Fukumasu

Real name: Ôkawa Minoru

Pen name: Sanchô

Guild: Tsunokuniya

Line number: JÛICHIDAIME (XI)

Existence: 23 October 1906 ~ 17 July 1980

Connection:

Master: Nakamura Baigyoku III

Career:

23rd of October 1906: born in Ôsaka in the district of Nishiyagura-chô. His father was the owner of a well-known restaurant.

1912: he started his career as a disciple of the actor Nakamura Fukusuke IV, who gave him the name of Nakamura Fukumasu.

February 1929: he took the name of Nakamura Komanosuke VII at the Nakaza, playing the role of Hinazuru in the dance-drama "Ninin Bakama".

1935: Komanosuke joined the Tôhô Company but quickly went back to the Shôchiku Company.

July 1937: premiere in Tôkyô at the Yûrakuza of Hasegawa Shin's drama "Ori", with a casting mixing Kabuki and non-Kabuki actors. Nakamura Moshio IV, Bandô Minosuke VI and Komanosuke played the roles of Yûchin/Goroichi, Shichibê and the daiku Gen.

January 1947: Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Ikutama Shinjû" was revived at the Ôsaka Kabukiza, using a new script written by Kema Nanboku and entitled "Osaga Kaheiji"; it was staged in a special program commemorating the 12th anniversary (13th memorial service) of the passing away of Nakamura Ganjirô I and celebrating the shûmei of Nakamura Ganjirô II; Komanosuke played the role of Inden'ya Chôsaku ^[1] in "Osaga Kaheiji".

January 1948: he was allowed to revive a prestigious line, taking the name of Arashi San'emon XI at the Nakaza (which celebrated its rebuilding as it was completely destroyed in 1945), playing the roles of Tônai Jirô Moriharu and Kamura Utaemon in the dance-drama "Yuki Onna Gomai Hagoita" and the drama "Katakiuchi Tsuzure no Nishiki". In "Yuki Onna Gomai Hagoita", the new San'emon performed the traditional roppô, which was created by Arashi San'emon I.

18 March 1948: his master Nakamura Baigyoku III died.

September 1949: San'emon played at the Nakaza the role of Tsuribune Sabu in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; the roles of Danshichi Kurobê and Issun Tokubê were played by Kataoka Gatô IV and Onoe Kikujirô IV.

March 1951: San'emon played at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the roles of Satô Toranosuke Masakiyo, Chichibu Jûsuke and Bun'ya Sankichi in "Ehon Taikôki", "Gosho no Gorozô" and "Eda mo Sakaeru Midori no Matsushima". These dramas were part of a program which celebrated the shûmei of Kataoka Nizaemon XIII.

February 1952: San'emon played at the Nakaza the role of the sumôtori Nuregami Chôgorô in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki"; the role of the sumôtori Hanaregoma Chôkichi was played by Kataoka Nizaemon XIII.

October 1952: San'emon played at the Nakaza the role of Takebe Genzô in the drama "Terakoya"; the roles of Matsuômaru, Chiyo, Tonami and Shundô Genba were played by Kataoka Nizaemon XIII, Arashi Hinasuke X, Matsumoto Kingo II and Asao Okuyama VIII.

January 1953: San'emon played at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the role of Fujiwara no Shihei in the drama "Kurumabiki"; the roles of Matsuômaru, Umeômaru and Sakuramaru were played by Kataoka Nizaemon XIII, Bandô Minosuke VI and Hayashi Mataichirô II.

1954 ~ 1965: when Kabuki started to decline ^[2] in Kamigata, he entered the movie world and was casted in many jidaigeki movies, which were produced by the Daiei Studios in Kyôto ^[2].

September 1968: San'emon played at the National Theatre the role of Mihara Ariemon in the drama "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki".

November 1969: premiere at the National Theatre of Mishima Yukio's drama "Chinsetsu Yumihari-zuki"; San'emon played the roles of the ghost of Fujiwara Yorinaga and a shôya [more details].

September 1970: San'emon played at the National Theatre the role of Usami Goemon in the drama "Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku".

December 1976: San'emon played at the Minamiza the role of Gokan'ya Zenroku in the drama "Shigure no Kotatsu".

May 1977: San'emon played at the Minamiza the role of Soejima Sanzaemon in the drama "Ogasawara Shorei no Oku no Te", which was staged with a troupe led by Ichikawa Ennosuke III.

July 1977: San'emon played at the Kabukiza the role of Soejima Sanzaemon in the drama "Ogasawara Shorei no Oku no Te", which was staged with a troupe led by Ichikawa Ennosuke III.

October 1977: San'emon played at the Kabukiza the role of Taira Satsuma-no-Kami Tadanori in the drama "Kenreimon'in".

December 1977: San'emon appeared on stage for the last time, in Kyôto at the Minamiza, where he performed in "Ôishi Saigo no Ichinichi" and "Nigatsudô".

17th of July 1980: San'emon died in his home in Kyôto while listening to the music of the Gion Festival.

Comments:

Arashi San'emon XI was an important supporting tachiyaku actor, who had the opportunity to play some major roles during his career like Takebe Genzô in "Terakoya" or Nuregami Chôgorô in "Hikimado". He considered himself as the 10th in this line, not the 11th.

[1] The inden'ya Chôsaku.

[2] He did not perform on a Kabuki stage between the end of 1953 and the beginning of 1960. He performed only once in 1960 and 1961 for the new year Grand Kabuki at the Ôsaka Shinkabukiza. He also performed occasionally during this period in modern dramas at the Tôkyô Takarazuka Theater.

[3] He played in 29 movies between 1954 and 1965 (28 of these movies were produced by the Daiei Studios).

An oshiguma made by Arashi San'emon XI

The Nakamura Komanosuke line of actors

The Arashi San'emon line of actors

The list of Arashi San'emon's movies (in Japanese)