Stage names:

Nakamura Takesaburô I
Nakamura Kikutarô

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: ??? ~ 25th day of the 10th lunar month of 1724 ^[1]

Connection:

Master: Nakamura Gentarô

Career:

Bedore 1707: he started his career at an unknown date as a disciple of Nakamura Gentarô, who gave him the name of Nakamura Kikutarô.

11th lunar month of 1707: he took the name of Nakamura Takesaburô I at the Ichimuraza, playing the role of Princess Umezono in the kaomise drama "Hachinoki Ôkagami".

1st lunar month of 1714: Takesaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1714: Takesaburô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Naishi-no-Kami in the kaomise drama "Banmin Daifukuchô".

1st lunar month of 1715: Takesaburô played in the same theater the role of the courtesan Kewaizaka no Shôshô (Soga Gorô's lover) in the new year drama "Bandô Ichi Kotobuki Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune, Soga Jûrô Sukenari, Kudô Saemon Suketsune and Kobayashi no Asahina were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô II, Katsuyama Matagorô, Ogawa Zengorô I and Tomizawa Hanzaburô I.

5th lunar month of 1715: Takesaburô played in the same theater the role of Princess Taema in the drama "Narukami Shônin"; the role of the wicked priest Narukami was played by Ichikawa Danjûrô II.

11th lunar month of 1715: Takesaburô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Kesa Gozen in the kaomise drama "Kogane no Kaburi Konrei Yorimasa".

11th day of the 1st lunar month of 1716 ^[2]: a fire broke out in the district of Shitaya Ike-no-Hata and spread to others sections of Edo, destroying both the Ichimuraza and the Nakamuraza. Takesaburô had to take some unintended vacation during the rebuilding of the theater.

2nd lunar month of 1716: Takesaburô played in the same theater the role of the courtesan Kewaizaka no Shôshô (Gorô's lover) in the new year drama "Shikirei Yawaragi Soga". The roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune, Kudô Saemon Suketsune and Kobayashi no Asahina were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô II, Hayakawa Dengorô and Ôtani Hiroji I. The play included a "Sukeroku" section in which the roles of Sukeroku, Agemaki and Ikyû were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô II, Takesaburô and Ôtani Hiroemon I.

11th lunar month of 1716: Takesaburô performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Mitsudomoe Katoku Biraki", which celebrated the shûmei of Arashi Kiyosaburô II.

1st lunar month of 1717: Takesaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1717: Takesaburô played at the Nakamuraza the role of Saden in the kaomise drama "Hachinoki Hônen Mitsugimono".

11th lunar month of 1719: Takesaburô played at the Ichimuraza the role of Shikishi Naishinnô [illustration] in the kaomise drama "Tategami Teika Kazura", which celebrated the shûmei of Tsuruya Nanboku I and Nanboku Magotarô II.

11th lunar month of 1720: Takesaburô played at the Ichimuraza the role of Akamatsu Danjôzaemon's sister Matsugae in the kaomise drama "Kodakara Imagawajô", which celebrated the shûmei of Yamanaka Takejûrô; the role of Akamatsu Danjôzaemon was played by Yamanaka Heikurô I.

1st lunar month of 1721: Takesaburô played in the same theater the role of the courtesan Ôiso no Tora (Soga Jûrô's lover) in the new year sogamono "Tsurukame Wakayagi Soga"; his stage partners in the roles of Soga Jûrô Sukenari, Soga Gorô Tokimune and Kudô Saemon Suketsune are Sawamura Sôjûrô I, Ichimura Takenojô IV and Yamanaka Takejûrô.

11th lunar month of 1721: Takesaburô appeared on stage for the last time, in Edo at the Nakamuraza, where he played the role of Princess Ojima in the kaomise drama "Torisaka no Jô Tsuru no Sugomori".

25th day of the 10th lunar month of 1724 ^[1]: Takesaburô died in Edo.

Comments:

Nakamura Takesaburô I was a promising wakaonnagata actor, who made a short but successful career in Edo during the first quarter of the 18th century. He excelled in musume or keisei roles. He was also a talented Kouta musician.

[1] The 25th day of the 10th lunar month of the 9th year of the Kyôhô era was the 10th of December 1724 in the western calendar.

[2] The 11th day of the 1st lunar month of the 6th year of the Shôtoku era was the 4th of February 1716 in the western calendar.

The Actor Nakamura Takesaburo I as Kewaizaka no Shôshô (?)
Artist: Torii Kiyonobu I
Date: 1713–1723
The Art Institute of Chicago (print in the public domain)

Prints & Illustrations

The Nakamura Takesaburô line of actors