Tomoemon Otani

Living National Treasure Nakamura Jakuemon IV was an amazing onnagata actor who played all the most difficult princesses and courtesans roles of the Kabuki repertoire. His favorite roles were Agemaki ("Sukeroku"), Chiyo ("Terakoya"), the shirabyôshi Hanako ("Musume Dôjôji"), Hanjo-no-Mae ("Sumidagawa"), Izayoi ("Izayoi Seishin"), Kasane ("Kasane"), Matsuyama ("Ninin Wankyû"), Okaru ("Chûshingura"), Omiwa ("Imoseyama"), Onoe ("Kagamiyama"), Otatsu ("Natsu Matsuri"), Otoku ("Domo Mata"), Otomi ("Kirare Yosa"), Sagami ("Kumagai Jin'ya"), Princess Taema ("Narukami"), Takiyasha ("Masakado"), Princess Toki ("Kamakura Sandaiki"), Umegawa ("Koi Bikyaku"), Princess Yaegaki ("Honchô Nijûshikô"), Yatsuhashi ("Kagotsurube") and Princess Yuki ("Kinkakuji"). "Jakuemon's Yatsuhashi is the highlight of this production. When the onnagata first tackled the role in 1958 he was coached by Nakamura Utaemon VI (1917~2001), at the time kabuki's foremost onnagata -- a prominence established with his performance of Yatsuhashi in 1947. When Jakuemon played Yatsuhashi for two seasons in 1997, he again received instruction from Utaemon, then on his sickbed. And this month, Jakuemon is taking on Yatsuhashi -- performing this most demanding of roles for 25 consecutive days -- a real feat for an actor in his 80s! Traditionally, it is essential for an onnagata to perform courtesans perfectly. Jakuemon has observed that, for him, an onnagata's performance is a "crystallization" of femininity into something of highly restrained beauty, a process he learned from the late Nakamura Utaemon. In the past decade, since Utaemon retired from the Kabuki stage in 1993, Jakuemon has increasingly characterized his performances, while carefully adhering to the kata (acting patterns) he mastered under Utaemon. Jakuemon's performances are now uniquely his own, warm and sensuous, different from the cool, ethereal beauty of the late Utaemon. Audiences forget his real age as -- thanks to his superb acting and exquisite elocution -- Jakuemon suggests youthfulness and freshness even when performing opposite handsome male leads considerably younger than himself. And, needless to say, this octogenarian keeps himself physically fit by exercising regularly. Jakuemon's Yatsuhashi is the spellbinding achievement of a more than 50-year career and should not be missed." (Sasaguchi Rei about Nakamura Jakuemon IV's performance in the role of Yatsuhashi in the drama "Kagotsurube", which was staged in September 2002 at the Kabukiza)