NAKAMURA TOMIJÛRÔ V

August 1943: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Nakaza Theater (Ôsaka), receiving the name of Bandô Tsurunosuke IV and playing in the dance "Kagami Jishi".

1950: he becomes the 5th iemoto of the Azuma-ryû School of Buyô, receiving the title from his mother Azuma Tokuho I, who was the 4th iemoto.

July 1951: premiere at the Ôsaka Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Jiisan Baasan"; Tsurunosuke plays the role of Iori's son Kyûya [casting].

July 1952: Tsurunosuke plays for the first time the main role of the dance "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji", which is a creation of the great actor Nakamura Tomijûrô I.

Spetembre 1956: Tsurunosuke and Ôtani Tomoemon VII play together for the first time in the dance "Ninin Wankyû", which is performed at the Meijiza Theater.

1957: tour in the USA.

January 1964: revival at the Nissay Theatre of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's spectacular drama "Kin no Zai Sarushima Dairi"; Tsurunosuke plays the role of Kitashirakawa no Anchin (in reality Minamoto no Raikô) [casting].

May 1964: Bandô Tsurunosuke IV takes the name of Ichimura Takenojô VI at the Kabukiza by playing in the plays "Kanadehon Chûshingura" (ninth act), "Yoritomo no Shi" and "Ninin Wankyû".

April 1968: he resigns from his position of iemoto of the Azuma-ryû School of Buyô. His mother Azuma Tokuho I replaces him as iemoto.

September 1972: Ichimura Takenojô VI takes the prestigious name of Nakamura Tomijûrô V at the Kabukiza, playing the role of Higuchi in the play "Hirakana Seisuiki" (the "Sakaro" act) and the snake-spirit dancer Hanako in the dance "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji".

April 1976: the National Theatre produces the revival in 5 acts and 9 scenes of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri"; Tomijûrô plays the role of Segawa Uneme [casting].

August 1980: revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Yadonashi Danshichi Shigure no Karakasa"; Tomijûrô plays the role of Iwai-buro Jisuke [casting].

January 1984: historic revival at the National Theatre of the play "Sankai Nagoya" in which Tomijûrô plays the role of Ôgimachi Dazainojô [casting].

January 1985: revival at the National Theatre of the drama "Kan U", which belongs to the Kabuki Jûhachiban; Tomijûrô plays the role of Iwanaga Saemon, later Shû Sô [casting].

January 1986: revival at the National Theatre of the rarely-staged drama "Uwanari", which belongs to the Kabuki Jûhachiban; Tomijûrô plays the role of Kôga no Tarô Kanetsura [more details].

1986: tour in the USA.

1987: tour in the USSR.

October 1988: Tomijûrô takes part in a Kabuki tour in Egypt; he plays the roles of Shunkan and Tarôkaja in the drama "Shunkan" and the dance "Bô Shibari".

March 1989: Tomijûrô plays for the first time the role of Dôgen in the drama "Mekura Nagaya Ume-ga-Kagatobi", which is performed at the National Theatre.

March 1991: revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Gohei I's play "Sode Nikki Banshû Meguri"; Tomijûrô plays the roles of Innami Naizen, Kosakabe Mondo and Heisaku (in reality the fox Yokurô) [more details].

1994: Tomijûrô receives the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhô in Japanese).

1995: Tomijûrô plays the role of the Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjûrô V in the movie "Sharaku". This film narrates the life of the famous print-maker Tôshûzai Sharaku, who produced all his works between 1794 and 2nd lunar month of 1795 and disappeared mysteriously, leaving behind him some of the most famous actor prints.

1996: tour in Italy.

1997: tour in France.

December 2000: the National Theatre produces the revival of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Tomioka Koi no Yamabiraki", which has not been staged for 77 years; Tomijûrô plays the role of Demura Shinbê.

January 2002: the National Theatre produces the revival of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Koharunagi Okitsu Shiranami", which has not been played in its full length since 11th lunar month of 1864; Tomijûrô plays the role of the thief Nippon Daemon [casting].

May 2009: Tomijûrô does his sanju kinen performance (for his coming 80th birthday); It is celebrated at the Kabukiza, not within a regular Kabuki program, but as a short dance program of the association Yaguruma no Kai (yaguruma is the mon of Tomijûrô). The star plays the role of Musashibô Benkei in the spectacular dance-drama "Kanjinchô". He also performs with his son Nakamura Takanosuke in the dance "Renjishi".

November 2010: Tomijûrô appears on stage for the last time, at the Shinbashi Enbujô, where he plays the role of Hatakeyama Shigetada in the drama "Sakaro"; Tomijûrô, due to poor health, has to be replaced by Bandô Hikosaburô.

3 January 2011: Tomijûrô dies in Tôkyô, victim of a rectal cancer [his floral tribute in Asakusa].

Comments:

Nakamura Tomijûrô V was an amazing actor endowed with one of the most powerful voices in Kabuki. Although he was also the first tachiyaku in a line of onnagata actors, he was able to perform a wide range of roles, from the evil maseur Dôgen in "Kagatobi" to the shirabyôshi Hanako in the dance "Musume Dôjôji".

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

[2] His yagô when he was named Ichimura Takenojô VI.

[3] His yagô when he was named Bandô Tsurunosuke IV.

Prints & Illustrations

Print made by Tsuruya Kôkei in 1990

The Bandô Tsurunosuke line of actors

The Ichimura Takenojô line of actors

The Nakamura Tomijûrô line of actors