The second and third installments of the series "The Narikomaya Brothers' Journey!" are titled "Our Child Actor Days." Kabuki has a unique role called "child actor." Of course, child actors also exist in movies and television dramas. However, in movies and television dramas, they can play children as they are, so to speak, "naturally," but Kabuki is different. They wear costumes different from their everyday clothes, paint their faces, and speak their lines in a loud voice. And above all, even though they are child actors, they are required to have a "form." Moreover, they often make their stage debut at around the age of two to four. These innocent child actors stand on stage with unsteady steps, having just outgrown the wobbly walk, and earnestly deliver their lines. The audience watches over these child actors as if they were their own guardians, and the theater is filled with a heartwarming atmosphere. It is a heartwarming scene unique to Kabuki.

The three Narikomaya brothers all had experience as child actors. What are their memories of their childhood acting days? Let's start with Hashinosuke's childhood.

His first stage appearance was between the ages of two and four. "He was a healthy, slightly overweight child who was good at sports and spent all his time playing baseball," says Nakamura Hashinosuke.

"When I was a child, I was very overweight, so I didn't get many offers to be a child actor. I was a child who ate a lot; in the morning I'd have a big rice ball, at lunchtime I'd eat a huge lunch in a thermos-style container like the ones construction workers use, then on the way home from school I'd have a large bowl of beef rice, and for dinner my younger brother Fukunosuke and I would eat five cups of rice together. Fukunosuke wasn't nearly as overweight, so he got more offers to be a child actor. I was overweight, but I was a healthy boy who was good at sports (laughs)."

"I still vividly remember seeing Fukunosuke, who was just learning to walk, being supported by his apprentices during his first stage appearance."

Hashinosuke's first child role was in 2000, at the age of four, when he appeared at the Kabuki-za in "Kikubiyori Kioi no Wakakoma" as the "Spring Horse Child." He has almost no memory of that time. "All I remember is the image of two-year-old Fukunosuke, who couldn't walk straight, being held by the waist and hunched over as he walked."

"What I remember most is the performance of 'Koi Nyobo Somewake Tazuna' (The Beloved Wife's Dyed Reins) that I had when I was in the second grade of elementary school. This play was a signature role for my grandfather, the seventh generation Shikan, and is also an important play for the Narikomaya family. The role I played, 'Miyoshi,' had a lot of lines and was very difficult, and I remember the rehearsals were very rigorous. It wasn't that my grandfather or father (the eighth generation Nakamura Shikan) were strict with the rehearsals, but rather that the long-serving apprentices of the Narikomaya family gave me strict training. But I also loved Kabuki, so while I appreciated the strictness, I also enjoyed learning to act."

I was scolded by my dance instructor in front of a large audience for being "terrible," which was a huge shock.

While Hashinosuke enjoyed learning to act despite the challenges, there were times when he was shocked. That was when he was in the sixth grade of elementary school.

"This is 'San-nin Renjishi' (Three Lions) from the summer Kabuki performance in August 2008. Normally, 'Renjishi' is performed by two lions, a parent and a cub, but this time it was a slightly unusual version with three lions: a parent lion, a mother lion, and myself as the cub. My father, who was then the third generation Hashinosuke, played the parent lion, and my uncle, Nakamura Senjaku, played the mother lion. I received dance lessons from my dance teacher, Nakamura Umeji, the head of the Nakamura school, who is also my aunt. However, my teacher severely scolded me, saying, 'If you're this bad, you can't appear on the Kabuki-za stage as a member of the Narikomaya family and receive money from the audience.' I had been scolded before for not practicing enough, but I had never been scolded for being bad. And this happened in front of the Nakamura school students who were there for practice. I was embarrassed and very shocked."

"If you're that fat, you'll only get roles as a sumo wrestler," said the 18th Nakamura Kanzaburo, which motivated me to go on a diet.

Until junior high school, Hashinosuke didn't think too much about his physique; he simply ate and exercised a lot. As a result, he naturally continued to be overweight, a trait he had maintained since elementary school. His uncle, the 18th Nakamura Kanzaburo, said this to him:

"I understand that Kunio (Hashinosuke's real name) likes Kabuki, but if he's that fat, he'll only get roles as a sumo wrestler."

This one comment changed Hashinosuke.

"It was when I was in my third year of junior high school. From then on, I would eat meat, but I stopped eating rice at night and cut back on sweets, so I imposed some dietary restrictions. I've always loved exercise and was constantly moving my body, so I lost weight steadily."

In this August's summer kabuki performance of "Kaidan Botan Toro," Hashinosuke played Miyanobe Genjiro, a handsome man who commits murder. Currently, Hashinosuke is 174 cm tall and weighs 74 kg, a far cry from the physique he once had, which was said to be "only suitable for a sumo wrestler." Hashinosuke's portrayal of a "charming villain" embodying human weakness and nature, and dressed in a disheveled kimono, was well-received, with many saying it was reminiscent of his father, Nakamura Shikan, in his younger days.

Soon, the rigorous dance lessons began. I became so exhausted that I could no longer go up and down the stairs.

Once they reach their mid-teens, child actors graduate. Then, serious training begins to become adult Kabuki actors. What awaited Hashinosuke was rigorous dance training.

"My fondest memory of taking dance lessons when I was in high school is of the late Uncle Bandō Mitsugorō. Both Uncle Mitsugorō and Uncle Kanzaburō were like friendly neighborhood uncles, usually very kind, but when it came to lessons, they would become incredibly strict. Uncle Mitsugorō taught me two pieces: 'Yamagami' from 'Momijigari' and 'Ōharame Kuniiri Yako.' Both were physically demanding, and the dances were so strenuous that I could barely walk halfway through the lesson. Uncle Mitsugorō's house had the practice room on the second floor and the dining room on the first floor, and we would eat on the first floor after lessons. Sometimes my legs would be so exhausted that I couldn't even go down from the second floor to the first. On one occasion, they served me steak, but I ate it before they even put the sauce on it, and even then I couldn't taste anything. That's how exhausting the lessons were."

Hashinosuke is who he is today because of his various experiences as a child actor and the rigorous training he underwent.

Next time, we'll look at Fukunosuke and Utanosuke's childhood acting days. Even though they were all child actors, they each had their own unique experiences, different from their brother's.

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.

◆What is the series "The Narikomaya Three Brothers' Journey!"?...
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, showcasing the new appeal of Kabuki. On the other hand, 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, the art, and the Narikomaya family? And what is their daily life like?

◆Previous articles can be found here
Episode 1: What is "Kamiyacho Mini Kabuki" that we are creating?

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.