Kitamura Rokuro

Shinpa actor. His real name was Rokuro. He was born in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. In his youth, he was interested in haiku and studied under Outei Kinsho. In 1892 (Meiji 25), he joined the Aoyagi Sutezaburo troupe at the recommendation of Ii Yoho and entered the Shinpa school. In 1896, he formed the Seibidan with Takada Minoru, Akizuki Keitaro, Saori Keiichiro and others, based at the Kadoza in Osaka, and aimed to create a more realistic style of acting rather than the rough acting of the soshi plays that had been used up until then. In 1906 (Meiji 39), he returned to Tokyo and based himself at the Hongo-za Theatre, where he established his position with the highly praised "Kyouenroku" (Cold Erotic Record), and was called a Kyoka actor, performing new plays by Teisei (Mayama Seika), as well as Izumi Kyoka's "Taki no Shiraito", "Onnakeizu", "Shirasagi" (White Heron), and "Nihonbashi". From the Taisho period onwards, he was called the "Sanchome" (third leader) along with Ii and Kawai (Takeo), and perfected the art of Shinpa onnagata (female role), and also trained successors such as Hanayagi Shotaro. In 1948 (Showa 23), he was made a member of the Japan Art Academy, and in 1980, he was recognized as a holder of an important intangible cultural property and a Person of Cultural Merit, and in the same year performed a commemorative performance for the 2000th performance of "Fukeizu - Yushima Keidai". He continued performing on stage until he was over 80 years old, and his books include "Praise of the Way of the Arts," "Talks about My Arts," and "The Diary of Kitamura Midoriro."

[Akira Kikuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

新派俳優。本名六郎。東京・日本橋の生まれ。青年時代雑俳に凝り鶯亭金升(おうていきんしょう)に師事。1892年（明治25）伊井蓉峰(ようほう)の勧めで青柳捨三郎一座に加わり新派に入る。96年大阪の角座(かどざ)を本拠に高田実、秋月桂太郎、小織(さおり)桂一郎らと「成美団(せいびだん)」を結成し、これまでの壮士芝居の粗雑な演技からリアリズム劇術の創造を目ざした。1906年（明治39）帰京して本郷座に拠(よ)り、『侠艶録(きょうえんろく)』の高評で地位を固め、亭々生（真山青果(まやませいか)）の新作や泉鏡花の『滝の白糸』『婦系図(おんなけいず)』『白鷺(しらさぎ)』『日本橋』などを演じて鏡花役者とよばれた。大正期以降は伊井・河合（武雄(たけお)）とともに三頭目といわれ、新派女方(おんながた)芸を完成、また花柳(はなやぎ)章太郎らの後継者を育成した。48年（昭和23）芸術院会員、55年重要無形文化財保持者に認定されるとともに文化功労者となり、同年『婦系図・湯島境内』の2000回上演記念公演を行った。80歳を超えた晩年まで舞台を勤め、著書に『芸道礼讃(らいさん)』『わが芸談』『喜多村緑郎日記』がある。

［菊池　明］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例