KAGAYA — YAGŌ
Kagaya
Kagaya is the yagō (house name) of the Nakamura Tōzō family. According to the Kabuki Actor Directory, both Nakamura Tōzō VI and Nakamura Kaishun II were adopted, or adopted as artistic heirs, by Nakamura Utaemon VI, and their debut names carried 'Kagaya'. Tōzō was recognised in 2016 as a Living National Treasure (holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property).
According to the Kabuki Actor Directory, Nakamura Tōzō VI is the younger brother of Fujima Murasaki I; after appearing in films and on stage he became the artistic adopted son of Nakamura Utaemon VI, making his kabuki debut in September 1961 at the Kabukiza as Tanizawa Mondo in Kagamiyama Kokyō no Nishikie under the name Nakamura Tamatarō III. He took the name Tōzō VI in April–May 1967.
Nakamura Kaishun II was adopted by Nakamura Utaemon VI, made his debut in January 1956 as Kagaya Hashinosuke, took the name Nakamura Matsue V in April–May 1967, and became Kaishun II in April 2002. The Directory notes that Kaishun was his father's haiku name, and that he took the second generation of it a year after his father's death.
Nakamura Matsue VI, the eldest son of Nakamura Tōzō, took his name in April 2006; Nakamura Tamatarō V, Matsue's eldest son, made his debut in the same month under his father's former name (Kabuki Actor Directory). Neither the Kabuki Encyclopedia nor the Kabuki Play Guide records a codified repertoire for this house.
Crest — Ume-yatsu-fuji: The Kabuki Actor Directory gives the crest of Nakamura Tōzō VI and Nakamura Kaishun II as ume-yatsu-fuji, and that of Nakamura Matsue VI and Nakamura Tamatarō V with a small-kana variant of the same name; both spellings are kept as the source writes them.
Hereditary names of this house
- Author
- KABUKI Universe Editorial Team
- Published
- Sep 12, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 12, 2026