Tsuruya Nanboku (鶴屋南北)
Nanboku TSURUYA was a professional name of Kabuki (traditional drama performed by male actors) actors and playwrights. From the first to the third generations were Dokegata (one of the suitable parts of Kabuki, which provoke a laughter mainly) actors and after the forth generation were playwrights of Kyogen (farce played during a No play cycle).
Nanboku TSURUYA (the first)
Date of birth unknown-1736
He was born in the family which had a license of the theatrical troupe. He flourished from around 1697 to around 1735. He mainly worked for Oshibai (a licensed theather in Edo period) and played Dokegata and Todori (chief).
Another name: the first Nanboku Magotaro (孫太郎)
Nanboku TSURUYA (the second)
Dates of birth and death unknown. He was a real son of the first and succeeded the license of the theatrical troupe. He flourished from around 1715 to around 1758.
Another name: the second Nanboku Magotaro
Nanboku TSURUYA (the third)
Dates of birth and death unknown. He flourished from around 1736 to the end of the Tenmei era.
Another name: the third Nanboku Magotaro
Nanboku TSURUYA (the fourth)
He was the husband of a daughter of the third and lived from 1755 to 1829. His commonly used name was Daibanboku. Generally, the name of 'Nanboku TSURUYA' or 'Nanboku' refers to this fourth.
Hyozo SAKURADA=>Hyozo SAWA=>(the first) Hyozo KATSU => Nanboku TSURUYA the fourth
Another name: Josuke UBA (a pen name when he wrote gokan [bound-together volumes of illustrated books])
Nanboku TSURUYA (the fifth)
He was a grandchild from a daughter married into another family and a disciple of the fourth and lived from 1796 to 1852. He made efforts to rewrite old works written by the forth under Kikugoro ONOE (the third). His disciples were Joko SEGAWA (the third), Mokuami KAWATAKE and so on.
Commonly used name: Magotaro Nanboku
峰千助=>鶴峰丑左衛門=>Magotaro TSURUYA=>Josuke UBA the second=>Hyozo KATSU the second=>Nanboku TSURUYA the fifth.