Kichiemon Nakamura

Nakamura Kichiemon II (二代目 中村 吉右衛門, Nidaime Nakamura Kichiemon, 22 May 1944 – 28 November 2021) was a Japanese actor, kabuki performer and costume designer. He was a so-called Living National Treasure. Nakamura Kichiemon was a formal kabuki stage name. The actor's grandfather first appeared using the name in 1897, and Nakamura Kichiemon I continued to use this name until his death. Kichiemon I was the maternal grandfather of Kichiemon II. In the conservative Kabuki world, stage names are passed from father to son in a formal system which converts the kabuki stage name into a mark of accomplishment. In choosing to be known by the same stage name as his grandfather, the living kabuki performer honors his family relationships and tradition.