NAKAMURA TOMIJÛRÔ IV

1932 ~ 1937: Tsurunosuke is a regular member of a troupe of young actors, called "Seinen Kabuki", which performs at the Shinjuku Daiichi Gekijô. He settles in Ôsaka after the disbandment of the troupe. He quickly becomes a mainstay for Kamigata Kabuki.

December 1939: Tsurunosuke plays for the first time the role of the courtesan Yûgiri in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô", which is staged at the Nakaza; the role of Fujiya Izaemon is played by Nakamura Senjaku I.

October 1941: Tsurunosuke plays at the Kadoza the role of Princess Toki in the drama "Kamakura Sandaiki"; the roles of Takatsuna and Miuranosuke are played by Jitsukawa Enjaku II and Nakamura Kanjaku IV.

January 1943: Bandô Tsurunosuke III takes the prestigious name of Nakamura Tomijûrô IV at the Ôsaka Kabukiza, playing the role of the shirabyôshi in the dance "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji".

April 1943: Tomijûrô plays at the Minamiza (Kyôto, from the 1st of April) and at the Shôchiku Gekijô (Kôbe, from the 17th of April) the role of the shirabyôshi in the dance "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji".

September 1943: Tomijûrô plays at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the role of Princess Yuki in the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki"; the roles of Daizen and Tôkichi are played by Kataoka Gatô IV and Nakamura Kanjaku IV.

November 1944: Tomijûrô plays at the Minamiza the role of Princess Yaegaki in the "Jusshukô" scene of the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô"; the roles of Katsuyori and nureginu are played by Nakamura Kaisha and Arashi Hinasuke X.

March 1948: the actor Nakamura Baigyoku III dies; Tomijûrô becomes the tateonnagata of Kamigata Kabuki.

July 1948: Tomijûrô plays at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the role of Princess Tamaori in the "Kumiuchi" scene of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki"; the roles of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane and Kojirô/Atsumori are played by Bandô Jusaburô III and Sawamura Sôjûrô VII.

April 1954: revival (the 1st since the end of WW2) at the Nakaza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô"; Tomijûrô plays the role of Ohaya [casting]. He also plays in the same theater the role of Princess Yaegaki in the "Jusshukô" and "Kitsunebi" scenes of the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô"; the roles of Katsuyori and nureginu are played by Kataoka Nizaemon XIII and Arashi Hinasuke X.

June 1954: Tomijûrô plays at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the role of Princess Toki in the drama "Kamakura Sandaiki"; the roles of Takatsuna and Miuranosuke are played by Ichikawa Jukai III and Nakamura Ganjirô II.

October 1954: Tomijûrô plays at the Nakaza the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami". He also plays the role of the shirabyôshi in the dance "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji".

June 1955: Tomijûrô plays at the Misonoza the role of Akoya in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki"; the roles of Shigetada and Iwanaga Saemon are played by Kataoka Nizaemon XIII and Arashi Kichisaburô VII.

July 1955: creation of the Yagurumaza, a Kabuki study group led by Tomijûrô. The first program is staged in Ôsaka at the Sankei Kaikan and includes Tanizaki Jun'ichirô's drama "Hôjôji Monogatari". His main stage partner is Bandô Minosuke VI.

March 1956: Tomijûrô plays at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the role of Masaoka in the "Goten" scene of the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi"; the role of the evil Yashio is played by Bandô Minosuke VI.

January 1957: Tomijûrô plays at the Ôsaka Kabukiza the role of Sodehagi in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara".

February 1957: Tomijûrô plays for the last time the role of the courtesan Yûgiri in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô", which is staged in Nagoya at the Misonoza; the role of Fujiya Izaemon is played by Kataoka Nizaemon XIII.

Comments:

Nakamura Tomijûrô IV was the third son of a low-ranking supporting actor but succeeded, thanks to his talent and hard work, in becoming one of the best onnagata actors of the twentieth century. His success led him to take one of the most prestigious names in Kabuki history. He was one of the few stars of post-war Kansai Kabuki, when it went through hard times (deaths of Nakamura Baigyoku III and Bandô Jusaburô III, Nakamura Ganjirô II leaving Kabuki for the movies, ...). His forte were keisei and spouses roles, in just as well jidaimono as sewamono.

[1] His yagô when he was named Nakamura Tomijûrô IV.

[2] His yagô when he was named Bandô Ikkaku II or Bandô Tsurunosuke III.

Nakamura Tomijûrô IV in a print made by Natori Shunsen (1952)

The Bandô Ikkaku line of actors

The Bandô Tsurunosuke line of actors

The Nakamura Tomijûrô line of actors