The Nakamura brothers, Hashinosuke, Fukunosuke, and Utanosuke, are descendants of the seventh Nakamura Shikan, a leading female impersonator in Kabuki during the Showa and Heisei eras and a Living National Treasure, and the eighth Nakamura Shikan. As rising stars of the prestigious Narikomaya family, they are currently attracting considerable attention. While inheriting their family's art, the three brothers hone their skills as Kabuki actors every day. Furthermore, they are also putting their efforts into their own self-produced performances, "Kamiyacho Kokabuki," which they plan and star in, and are spreading the charm of Kabuki in a new way. On the other hand, when they are away from the stage, they are young people of so-called "Generation Z." In their private lives, they have various hobbies and enjoy their own worlds. What do these three brothers think of Kabuki, art, and the Narikomaya family? And what is their daily life like? The series "The Narikomaya Three Brothers on the Go!" We humbly ask for your continued support.
The fourth installment of the independent performance "Kamiyacho Kokebuki"
Fishmonger Sōgorō, who had sworn to abstain from alcohol due to his tendency to become violent when drunk, hesitates but ultimately drinks after receiving the tragic news of his sister's death. As he becomes intoxicated, he transforms into a violent drunkard and storms into the home of the daimyo family, the source of his sister's death. This is from "Sakana-ya Sōgorō," one of the popular Kabuki plays. The role of Sōgorō is played by Hashinosuke. The performance took place at the Asakusa Public Hall during the "Kamiyacho Mini Kabuki" event held in May of this year.
"Kamiyacho Kokabuki" is an independent performance organized by three brothers, and this year marks its fourth year. With Hashinosuke as the lead, Fukunosuke, Utanosuke, and the Narikomaya Kamiyacho family support him, the performance features them taking on major roles in plays they hope to one day perform in a main Kabuki-za production, in their first time playing these roles. This event, which began in 2023 at the Asakusa Public Hall, has continued to take on new challenges with each passing year, and has now become a well-known annual performance in early May among Kabuki fans.
In the 4th "Kamiyacho Kikabuki" performance of "Uoya Sōgorō," the three brothers appeared together. From left to right: Hashinosuke (Sōgorō), Fukunosuke (Urato Jūzaemon), and Utanosuke (Isobe Kazue-no-suke).
This year's theme is "Please do not give them alcohol."
This time, the theme of Kamiyacho Kokabuki is "Please do not give them alcohol." Therefore, the plays performed are "Sakana-ya Sōgorō" and "Akutarō," which also features a protagonist who is a heavy drinker and a drunkard.
As Sogoro carries the grief of his sister's death, he gradually becomes intoxicated. His drunken antics elicit laughter from the audience, but the unhealable sadness he occasionally displays also evokes a deep sense of sorrow.
"I'm not saying this while drunk, but how dare a mere daimyo with a mere 15,000 koku go and torture and kill an innocent person."
With a heart-wrenching cry, Sogoro, his eyes glazed over with drunkenness, glares at the audience. The earnest craftsman, the witty Edoite, and the anger and violence brought on by alcohol—Sogoro possesses many facets that intertwine, making him a seemingly simple yet complex character. Hashinosuke brilliantly portrayed this role, which is considered representative of "sewamono" (domestic dramas).
Overwhelmed with grief, Sogoro reaches for alcohol, something he had abstained from for a long time, while his wife, Ohama, watches him with concern. Ohama is played by Kantama Nakamura.
"If my Sogoro fails, everything will fail."
"I feel like there aren't many other roles where you take center stage, conducting from beginning to end and creating the story's development yourself. It's a very satisfying role to play. However, you can't over-express the drunkenness. It's easy to get carried away acting drunk, but you have to restrain yourself somewhere. My father was very strict about that. Also, if my portrayal of Sogoro was bad, this Kamiyacho Kokabuki and the entire Narikomaya Kamiyacho family would fall apart, so it was a role with a great deal of responsibility. And above all, I am grateful to Fukunosuke and Utanosuke for making this Kamiyacho Kokabuki a success."
There's a reason for that gratitude. In previous Kamiyacho Kabuki productions, the lead roles were given to Fukunosuke and Utanosuke, while Hashinosuke took on supporting roles, supporting the entire production in various ways beyond his role, such as management. This year, he asked his two younger brothers to take on supporting roles, and decided to dedicate himself entirely to his role. This also shows just how strong his feelings were for the character of Sogoro.
"I had the opportunity to play the role of 'Akutaro,' which was something I had always wanted to do."
"I finally got to play the role of 'Akutaro,' which I've always wanted to do. Actually, in 2021, when Ennosuke-san played Akutaro at the Kabuki-za, I had the opportunity to appear as the ascetic Chirenbo. I was able to experience Ennosuke-san's wonderful acting and dancing up close, and I thought that I wanted to play this role myself someday. It was the first time I had stood on stage alone with a senior actor other than my father, and I was overwhelmed by his charm, which was different from my father's. Ennosuke-san also told me, 'I hope you'll play Akutaro someday,' and that has finally come true this time."
Fukunosuke showcased his excellent core strength in his dancing in the Kabuki dance drama "Akutaro."
Fukunosuke, whose dream of five years finally came true, expressed his feelings during his stage greeting on the final day of the performance. Having appeared in numerous productions of the Omodakaya troupe, led by Ennosuke, since childhood, and having learned the art there, performing "Akutaro," one of the "En'ō Jisshu" kabuki dance dramas considered the family repertoire of the Omodakaya troupe, was a particularly moving experience for him.
He danced even while drunk, and with charm without being vulgar. Fukunosuke's excellent core strength was on full display on stage, and he received a huge round of applause.
"I didn't learn much about the art from my grandfather, the seventh Shikan..."
The role of the ascetic Chirenbo, which was played by Fukunosuke at the Kabuki-za Theatre, was played by Utanosuke this time.
Utanosuke expressed the pity and absurdity of the ascetic being toyed with by the heavy-drinking villain through graceful and elegant dance. Many people saw in him a reflection of his grandfather, the seventh Shikan, who was known as a master of dance.
"I was always attached to my grandfather from a young age. In his later years, he wanted me by his side, so for about a year we even shared a dressing room. That's why I have vivid memories of how my grandfather behaved in the dressing room. I was still very young then, so I didn't really get to learn much about performing arts from him..."
In "Akutaro," Utanosuke expressed the pity and absurdity of the ascetic through graceful and elegant dance.
Utanosuke says so, but the invaluable childhood experience of spending time in the dressing room with a Living National Treasure has undoubtedly left a significant mark on the Utanosuke we see today. Perhaps influenced by that childhood, Utanosuke is so knowledgeable about classical performing arts, especially Kabuki, that his two older brothers tease him about being a "classical performing arts nerd." Utanosuke speaks with a playful grin.
"My grandfather didn't teach me any arts, but he did pass me down one thing: his cell phone number. Some time after he passed away, I casually called someone from the Narikomaya family, and they were incredibly surprised. They said, 'Sir, have you lost your way?'"
"Next year's Kamiyacho Kokabuki will be held at 'Theater Milano-za' in Shinjuku," said eldest son Nakamura Hashinosuke.
This year's "Kamiyacho Kikabuki" concluded its run from May 1st to 3rd to great acclaim. The 5th edition in 2027 will mark a major turning point, with the venue moving to "Theater Milano-za" in Shinjuku and a significant increase in the number of performances to a total of 10 shows (planned) from April 29th to May 5th. The program is expected to be announced around autumn.
(Photo by Toshiyuki Furuya)
Hashinosuke says:
"We don't want 'Kamiyacho Kokabuki' to be just a recital. We're grateful that customers come to support Narikomaya, but we also want it to be a time when people come to the theater simply to enjoy kabuki. We don't want to decide on the plays based solely on what roles we want to play, which is essentially ego. So, while we'll continue to do domestic dramas like this year, we want to gradually expand our repertoire by incorporating dance dramas, and challenge ourselves with more difficult pieces based on classical works. Continuing this will eventually lead to our dream of having the Narikomaya Kamiyacho family perform a full month-long main show at the Kabuki-za."
"I was in charge of printing posters and brochures, and editing videos for social media," said Fukunosuke Nakamura, the second son.
(Photo by Toshiyuki Furuya)
The audience at Asakusa Public Hall was predominantly younger than that at the main Kabuki-za performances. This was due to Fukunosuke's intentions, which are as follows:
"We want more young people our age to be able to come and see our show. That's why we were very particular about the prices of the merchandise we sold at the venue. Clear files and stickers were priced under 1000 yen, which is within the range that students can afford with their pocket money. We asked Utanosuke, who was in charge of merchandise development, to stick to that price. We put Utanosuke in charge of development because he's the youngest and knows what young people like best. Thanks to him, the merchandise sold out completely."
It's not just about merchandise. For their independent performances, the three of them have to take the lead in everything from managing ticket sales and creating posters and pamphlets to running the venue. It's truly a handmade performance. Because Hashinosuke was fully dedicated to developing his role as Uoya Sogoro, Fukunosuke and Utanosuke handled most of these tasks. Fukunosuke was in charge of creating printed materials and editing videos for social media, while Utanosuke was in charge of overall venue management.
"I am filled with gratitude to everyone who supports the performance," said Nakamura Utanosuke, the third son.
(Photo by Toshiyuki Furuya)
"Until now, as the youngest, I've left things to my two older brothers and have been a little spoiled. This time, I've been involved in the management for the first time, and it's been a great learning experience. I've come to realize that many people other than the actors are involved in a performance, and that it wouldn't be possible without them. In the case of a large-scale main performance at the Kabuki-za, even more people are involved. I'm filled with gratitude to all of them. At the same time, the three of us must properly handle everything related to the performance, from how we approach our roles and our actions to our attitude during rehearsals, and we must demonstrate this to the apprentices of Narikomaya. By doing so, the Narikomaya Kamiyacho family will become even stronger. I think this independent performance is a great opportunity for that."
In private, they call each other "niini" (older brother).
The three men speak with impeccable manners, using their own words rather than borrowed ones. In the context of answering questions about Kabuki and their art, they refer to each other by their stage names: Hashinosuke, Fukunosuke, and Utanosuke. On the other hand, when the conversation turns to personal matters, Fukunosuke and Utanosuke affectionately call Hashinosuke "Nii-ni" (older brother). There, one can sense the warm bond between these three close brothers, who are better suited to being referred to by their real names: Kunio, Muneo, and Yoshio.
(Photo by Toshiyuki Furuya)
While focusing on the activities of the three Narikomaya brothers as Kabuki actors...
Nakamura Hashinosuke
Born in 1995, his real name is Kunio Nakamura. He made his stage debut in September 2000 at the Kabuki-za Theatre under the name Kunio Nakamura I. In October 2016, he succeeded to the name Hashinosuke Nakamura IV. He is a leading actor known for his powerful and flamboyant performances, inherited from his father, Shikan VIII, and will serve as the lead actor in the "Asakusa New Year Kabuki" in January 2026, following his role the previous year. In recent years, he has also ventured into other forms of theater, including plays, television dramas, and films. In April of this year, he made headlines by announcing his marriage to actress and former Nogizaka46 member Ami Nojo.
中村福之助
Born in 1997. His real name is Muneo Nakamura. He made his stage debut in September 2000 at the Kabuki-za Theatre under the name Muneo Nakamura I. In October 2016, he succeeded to the name Fukunosuke Nakamura III. He is highly regarded for his strong core and sharp dancing, and in January 2026, he was selected to play the lead role in "Narukami" at the Shinbashi Enbujo Theatre's "New Year's Grand Kabuki," attracting considerable attention. In addition to classical Kabuki, he actively participates in Super Kabuki and other productions, expanding his artistic style. He is interested in sports in general, especially baseball, and is the mood-maker of his three brothers.
Nakamura Utanosuke
Born in 2001. His real name is Yoshio Nakamura. In September 2004, he made his stage debut at the Kabuki-za Theatre under the name of the first Yoshio Nakamura. In October 2016, he succeeded to the name of the fourth Utanosuke Nakamura. He has performed in numerous stage productions since his childhood, and since succeeding to the name, he has been highly praised as a refreshing young leading man. In contrast to his two dynamic older brothers, he is rather static, and he himself says that he "is always thinking about kabuki," possessing a deep curiosity for kabuki.
Composition/Writing: Masaaki Sakurai
Former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Fujin Gaho magazine. She was responsible for covering and writing articles on various aspects of Japanese culture, including traditional crafts such as pottery and lacquerware, as well as tea ceremony and Kabuki. Currently, she works as a freelance editor, involved in the production of books, magazines, and advertisements. For Premium Japan, she mainly writes articles on traditional crafts and travel.
