National Bunraku Theatre

Osaka in Japan has a rich cultural heritage that is primarily associated with the conception of Bunraku theatre. It was in 1684 when the seeds of this traditional form of puppet theatre popularly called Ningyo joruri ( Ningyo in Japanese means puppet ), was reaped in Osaka. This art form reached its flourish in the Edo Period . Today, if you want to relish this rare art, you must visit the National Bunraku Theater in Osaka , where the performances are organized six times annually for a span of two weeks each.

National Bunraku Theatre is located in Nippon-bashi 1-chome and you can watch Bunraku in January, March, April, June, July, August, and November. You will be impressed by the plays performed with traditional Japanese instruments by the troupe supported by the government.

Features of National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka

• The puppets, tall about one meter, are handled by three persons.
• One handles the head and right arm, another handles the left arm and the third person control the feet and legs.
• The puppeteers are dressed in black robes
• In a bunraku performance, you will find Puppeteers , Chanters and Shamisen players
• The chanter carries out all the characters' role.
• A single or group of chanters However, sometimes multiple chanters are used. The blend of chanting and shamisen playing on a revolving platform is called joruri
• Bunraku, which has many themes similar with those in Kabuki theatre, is famous for plays dealing with lovers' suicide.
• Before the play begins, the chanter bows before the text and promises to follow the script rigidly

History of National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka

Bunraku Theater became famous when a narrator called Takemoto Gidayu founded his own theatre 1684 along with Chikamatsu Monzaemon, the Japanese playwright known as Shakespeare of Japan and Takeda Izumo, a theater owner and manager. Chikamatsu's sewamono or plays about the merchant class, were hugely appreciated in Osaka.

The competition between the new Baunraku and thriving Kabuki theatres led to introduction of freshness to Bunraku theatre. Since 18th century, plays were produced in Bunraku theatre, that were based in Osaka. This art form suffered a decline in the meantime, after which it attained resurgence only in the 1960s with the foundation of the National Theater in Tokyo. National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka found its shape in 1985. Though tourists attend the shows often, the survival of this art form against the rising socio-economical changes is of great concern to the culture-lovers.

How to Reach National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka