Bunraku

• The complex drama form of bunraku requires the collaborative efforts of a narrator, musician and puppeteers. The introduction of a three-stringed instrument somewhat resembling a banjo, the shamisen, accompanied the joruri. As early as 1734, manipulating a large puppet required three puppeteers in black outfits on stage in full view. The wooden puppets consisted of a head-grip stick, detachable head, body and costume.
  
  

Bunraku Creations

• Narrator Takemoto Gidayu and playwright Chiamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1725) developed bunraku plays in Osaka. Creations included The Love Suicide at Sonezaki, One Thousand Cherry Trees, Sugawara's Secrets of Calligraphy and The Forty-Seven Ronin.
  
  

Awaji Puppetry

• Awaji puppetry influences traditional Japanese folk puppetry companies.Okinoshima (Japan) image by tamon from Fotolia.com
  
  Awaji puppetry, popular in the 18th century, also shares the artistic technique of dramatic recitation, three-man puppet manipulation and shamisen accompaniment. Awaji performances differed from bunraku by improvising outdoor performance spaces wherever the traveling troupes journeyed. Awaji puppetry included classical repertoires, costume changes and sliding-screen backdrops, according to the international touring Awaji Puppet Theater Company.
  
  

Legacy of Japanese Puppets

• The government of Japan designated The Awaji Puppet Theater an Intangible Cultural Folk Asset. In 2003, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed bunraku for its Intangible Cultural Heritage.