Nakamura Kichiemon I

Who was Nakamura Kichiemon I?

Nakamura Kichiemon I was a Japanese actor and kabuki performer. In 1945, he became the senior living kabuki actor in Japan.

Kichiemon construed his career in terms of "lifelong study" of that which cannot be seen in an actor's performance.

Nakamura Kichiemon is a formal kabuki stage name. The actor first appeared using the name in 1897; and he continued to use this name until his death.

He was the maternal grandfather of Nakamura Kichiemon II. 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. In choosing to be known by the same stage name as his grandfather, the living kabuki performer honors his family relationships and tradition.

In a long career, he acted in many kabuki plays, including the role of Matsuō-maru in the July 1951 production of Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami.