Nakamura Kangyoku

Nakamura Kangyoku (初代中村莟玉) is a Japanese kabuki actor, the apprentice and the adopted son to Nakamura Baigyoku IV, one of the most popular kabuki actors, one of the leading tachiyaku in kabuki and current Living National Treasure.

He was first exposed to kabuki when his parents, both of whom work in the publishing industry, brought him to see a play when he was three years old. At age six, he was first introduced to Nakamura Baigyoku, and began helping out backstage at the theatre.

Taken under Baigyoku's wing, he first appeared on stage in 2005, under his birth name, in the role of Tōgashi's page in a production of Kanjinchō. and at the same time he officially became the "heya-go" apprentice to Baigyoku, was granted his kabuki stage-name "Nakamura Umemaru" in 2006.

In 2019, it is announced that Baigyoku will adopt Umemaru and grow to be his successor, then change the stage name to be "Kangyoku". the part "gyoku" derived from Baigyoku, and "Kan" means "buds" which derived from Baigyoku's adoptive father Nakamura Utaemon VI's self produced theatre programme, 莟会（tsubomi-kai）(the name Baigyoku's "Bai" means "plum" (blossom) on the other hand).