"The Actor Nakamura Nakazo I as Kakogawa Honzo..." is an example of ukiyo-e dating back to 1783 and created by the artist Katsukawa Shunsho. It is a color woodblock print in the format of a hosoban, depicting one of the scenes of the world-famous kabuki performance "Kanadehon Chushingura" (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers) that was staged in Edo's Ichimura Theater. The print shows the famous kabuki actor Nakamura Nakazo I performing the part of Kakogawa Honzo – a samurai character, whose plot is very complicated. Honzo is dressed as komuso, which means a Zen Buddhist monk who wanders around the country and begs for alms. What attracts attention in the work is the distinctive outfit of the character: his tengai – a big woven straw hat covering the whole head. The artist Shunsho, known for introducing realistic actor portraits called yakusha-e, portrays the actor Nakazo I with his strong presence on stage and characteristic postures as opposed to generalized stylized faces. This print acts as both a promotional tool and fan merchandise from the Edo period. In the play "Kanadehon Chushingura", Kakogawa Honzo is an intricate counselor who starts off by preventing a tragic incident from taking place, but eventually feels immense guilt owing to his own actions. Kakogawa Honzo pretends to be a traveling komuso monk in order to travel to Kyoto secretly.
The actor’s dramatic pose and expressive features convey theatrical intensity, while the komusō disguise adds mystery. Bold lines, patterned robes, and controlled composition emphasize Kabuki’s stylized performance, transforming Nakamura Nakazō into a compelling figure of deception, identity, and dramatic tension within the celebrated Chūshingura narrative.
