2022 Aquarium of the Pacific Heritage Award
GANKYO NAKAMURA
GANKYO NAKAMURA
Heritage Award Ceremony: SATURDAY, 11/12/22 at 11:30 am, Pacific Vision Theater
Biography:
Nakamura Gankyō
Nakamura Gankyō (AKA Bandō Hirohichirō) was born and raised in Southern California. He started his Nihon Buyō (Japanese Classical dance) training at the age of three from the Bandō School of Japanese Classical dance. As a young performer, Gankyō traveled throughout the United States, introducing Nihon buyō at various matsuri, or Japanese festivals, and other multicultural events. At the age of seventeen, Gankyō attained his natori (masters degree) from the ninth headmaster and Kabuki actor, Bandō Mitsugorō. He was awarded the name of Bandō Hiroshichirō. At the age of twenty-six, Gankyō was awarded his shihan (professor’s degree) from Bandō Mitsugorō X.
Gankyō was accepted to one of the 2 Kabuki schools in Japan – Shochiku Kamigata Kabuki Jyūku in Osaka. The school was a two-year training program for future Kansai Kabuki actors. Gankyō was trained in sado (tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arrangement), koto, shamisen, narimono (percussion), wasai (sewing), Japanese history, rakugo (Japanese traditional comedy telling), Tokiwazu taught by the late National Living Treasure Tokiwazu Ichihadaiyu, Gidayū, Nagauta, shodo, Nihon buyō, etc. After the two years, Gankyō graduated first in his class, being the first non-Japanese citizen to be accepted into the school.
Upon graduation, Gankyō was accepted to be the youngest member of the Chikamatsu-za Troop, and was apprenticed to the late National Living Treasure Sakata Tōjūrō IV. He became the first non-Japanese citizen to be accepted into the professional ranks of Kabuki in the theater’s history. Tōjūrō award him with the name of Nakamura Gankyō (the “gan” from Ganjiro, and “kyō” from Kyoto). As a professional Kabuki actor, Gankyō has performed in all of the major Kabuki theaters throughout Japan. He has traveled internationally to England, China, Korea, India and the United States. He has held work shops, demonstrations, and lectures, and also accompanied his master Tōjūrō on various performances in those countries.
While working in both the television and film industry, his recent film credit includes the Netflix film Kate, he was awarded his PhD in Japanese literature from UCLA in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures and was chosen as a Fulbright Scholar for 2013-2015 as a Researching scholar at Waseda University and Tokyo University. Currently he is an Assistant Professor of Japanese Studies at George Mason University. In addition to his academic endeavors, under his group Bandō Ryū: Kyō no Kai, he teaches Japanese Classical dance throughout California, New York and Virginia, and is the youngest chosen official representative of the Bandō School of Japanese Classical Dance (headquarters in Tokyo, Japan) to the United States.
BELOW PHOTO: Created and produced an exquisite fashion show for the Cherry Blossom Festival SoCAL.
Biography:
Nakamura Gankyō
Nakamura Gankyō (AKA Bandō Hirohichirō) was born and raised in Southern California. He started his Nihon Buyō (Japanese Classical dance) training at the age of three from the Bandō School of Japanese Classical dance. As a young performer, Gankyō traveled throughout the United States, introducing Nihon buyō at various matsuri, or Japanese festivals, and other multicultural events. At the age of seventeen, Gankyō attained his natori (masters degree) from the ninth headmaster and Kabuki actor, Bandō Mitsugorō. He was awarded the name of Bandō Hiroshichirō. At the age of twenty-six, Gankyō was awarded his shihan (professor’s degree) from Bandō Mitsugorō X.
Gankyō was accepted to one of the 2 Kabuki schools in Japan – Shochiku Kamigata Kabuki Jyūku in Osaka. The school was a two-year training program for future Kansai Kabuki actors. Gankyō was trained in sado (tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arrangement), koto, shamisen, narimono (percussion), wasai (sewing), Japanese history, rakugo (Japanese traditional comedy telling), Tokiwazu taught by the late National Living Treasure Tokiwazu Ichihadaiyu, Gidayū, Nagauta, shodo, Nihon buyō, etc. After the two years, Gankyō graduated first in his class, being the first non-Japanese citizen to be accepted into the school.
Upon graduation, Gankyō was accepted to be the youngest member of the Chikamatsu-za Troop, and was apprenticed to the late National Living Treasure Sakata Tōjūrō IV. He became the first non-Japanese citizen to be accepted into the professional ranks of Kabuki in the theater’s history. Tōjūrō award him with the name of Nakamura Gankyō (the “gan” from Ganjiro, and “kyō” from Kyoto). As a professional Kabuki actor, Gankyō has performed in all of the major Kabuki theaters throughout Japan. He has traveled internationally to England, China, Korea, India and the United States. He has held work shops, demonstrations, and lectures, and also accompanied his master Tōjūrō on various performances in those countries.
While working in both the television and film industry, his recent film credit includes the Netflix film Kate, he was awarded his PhD in Japanese literature from UCLA in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures and was chosen as a Fulbright Scholar for 2013-2015 as a Researching scholar at Waseda University and Tokyo University. Currently he is an Assistant Professor of Japanese Studies at George Mason University. In addition to his academic endeavors, under his group Bandō Ryū: Kyō no Kai, he teaches Japanese Classical dance throughout California, New York and Virginia, and is the youngest chosen official representative of the Bandō School of Japanese Classical Dance (headquarters in Tokyo, Japan) to the United States.
BELOW PHOTO: Created and produced an exquisite fashion show for the Cherry Blossom Festival SoCAL.
