Nakamura Kichiemon II

Nakamura Kichiemon II (二代目 中村 吉右衛門, Nidaime Nakamura Kichiemon, born May 22, 1944), born Namino Tatsujirō, is a Japanese actor, kabuki performer and costume designer. He is a so-called Living National Treasure.^[1]

Nakamura Kichiemon is a formal kabuki stage name. The actor's grandfather first appeared using the name in 1897; and Nakamura Kichiemon I continued to use this name until his death.^[2] Kichiemon I was the maternal grandfather of Kichiemon II.^[3]

In the conservative Kabuki world, stage names are passed from father to son in formal system which converts the kabuki stage name into a mark of accomplishment.^[4] In choosing to be known by the same stage name as his grandfather, the living kabuki performer honors his family relationships and tradition.

Early life

Born in Kōjimachi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, he was the second son of Ichikawa Somegorō V, later known as Matsumoto Kōshirō VIII, and finally as Matsumoto Hakuō I. Matsumoto Kōshirō IX is his older brother. Kichiemon's mother, the daughter of Nakamura Kichiemon I, gave her second son in adoption to her father.

He attended Waseda University. His yagō is "Harimaya" and his crest is the ageha-no-chō butterfly of the Taira clan.

Career

Active in kabuki and television, Kichiemon is famous in the role of Musashibō Benkei, whom he has portrayed on stage in Kanjinchō and Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura. He also played the title character in the NHK jidaigeki series Musashibō Benkei. Another heroic role was Ōboshi Yuranosuke (the historical Ōishi Kuranosuke) in Kanadehon Chūshingura, the story of the Forty-seven Ronin.

He assumed the television role of Hasegawa Heizō ("Onihei") in the Shōtarō Ikenami series Onihei Hankachō. It ran through nine series, from 1989 to 2001, and has recurred in short series and specials since, the most recent being in 2007. His father had previously played Onihei.

Selected works

Nakamura's published writings encompass 25 works in 34 publications in 3 languages and 543 library holdings.^[5]

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

• 2000 — Kichiemon's palette (吉右衛門のパレット /, Kichiemon no paretto) ISBN 9784104425013; OCLC 48917600
• 1996 — A long story (語り, monogatari) ISBN 9784838707089; OCLC 36046366

Honors

• Japan Art Academy, 2002.^[6]

Filmography

See also

• Nakamura Kanzaburō
• Shūmei

Notes

References

• Leiter, Samuel L. (2006). Historical Dictionary of Japanese Traditional Theatre. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5527-4; OCLC 238637010
• Scott, Adolphe Clarence. (1955). The Kabuki Theatre of Japan. London: Allen & Unwin. OCLC 622644114

External links

• Japan Art Academy (in Japanese)
• IMDB
• JMDB