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Nise Nishikawa Koisaburo

にせい にしかわ こいさぶろう

Nise Nishikawa Koisaburo

Aliases: 尾上菊丸 / 尾上志げる / 西川茂 / 近藤茂 / 星合茂
Pen Names: Nishikawa Koisaburo（Successor name used after succession (second head of Nagoya Nishikawa school)）, Onoue Kikumaru（Stage name used in early career under Onoue Kikugorō）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1909-12-27 （Asakusa, Tokyo City (present-day Asakusa, Taitō, Tokyo)）
Died
1983-07-31 （Juntendo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan） age 73
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Asakusa, Tokyo (birth) → Tsukiji, Tokyo (training studio) → Mizuho Ward, Nagoya (residence and activity base)

Career

Occupations
Japanese classical dancer, choreographer, dance instructor
Active Years
1917-1983
Influenced By
Onoue Kikugorō VI, Fujima Kanjūrō VI, Nishikawa Iki (teacher lineage)
Influenced
Nishikawa Sako, Nishikawa Ukon, Dancers and performers of the Nagoya region

Awards

Chunichi Culture Award
1948
Organization: Chunichi Shimbun
Result: 受賞
Aichi Prefecture Cultural Award
1948
Organization: Aichi Prefecture
Result: 受賞
Nagoya Theater PEN Club Award
1954
Organization: Nagoya Theater PEN Club
Result: 受賞
Mainichi Art Award
1965
Organization: Mainichi Shimbun
Result: 受賞
Dance PEN Club Award
1965
Organization: Dance PEN Club
Result: 受賞
NHK Broadcasting Culture Award
1966
Organization: NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
Result: 受賞
Order of the Purple Ribbon
1969
Organization: Government of Japan
Result: 受賞
Nagoya City Merit Award
1969
Organization: Nagoya City
Result: 受賞
Kikuchi Kan Prize
1970
Organization: Kikuchi Kan Prize Committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Kagami Jishi (The Mirror Lion)

1936 Japanese classical dance / film appearance

He was renowned for performing the Kagami Jishi dance learned from Onoue Kikugorō VI, a representative onnagata piece. He also appeared in Yasujiro Ozu's 1936 film "Kagami Jishi."

onnagata (female-role)traditional repertoiresudori (solo dance)
Adaptations
  • [Film] Kagami Jishi / 小津安二郎 (1936)

Bibliography

  • Koisaburō Note (1963, Nagoya Times)
  • One Hundred Tales of Koisaburō (1977, Chunichi Shimbun)
  • Nishikawa Koisaburō (Photobook, 1970, Tankōsha)

Adaptations

  • Kagami Jishi (film appearance, 1936)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Calm, expressive style centered on onnagata techniqueNarrative emphasis and visual staging in solo performances
Recurring Motifs
onnagata rolesKagami JishiYamanba (mountain witch)portrayals of blind beggars and puppeteers

Health

  • Parkinson's disease
    晩年（発症時期不明）
    Developed Parkinson's disease in later life; it was the cause of death. His last stage appearances were in 1980, after which public performances were reduced.

Legacy

As the second head of the Nagoya Nishikawa school he launched the "Nagoya Odori," contributing to the dissemination and innovation of Japanese classical dance in Nagoya. Known for his onnagata and solo performances, he taught many dancers and actors and received multiple cultural awards including the Order of the Purple Ribbon.

In Popular Culture

  • Appearance in Yasujiro Ozu's film "Kagami Jishi" (1936)

Trivia

  • Born Hoshiai Shigeru; after adoption he became Kondo Shigeru.
  • Formal recognition as head of the school took several years due to certification rules.
  • Used the Onoue Kikugorō family crest rather than the Nagoya Nishikawa crest during solo performances.
  • Had connections with film and theater, including a 1936 film appearance and notable rehearsals at Misono-za in 1951.