AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
Back to Blog
Japan puppetry11/27/2023 ![]() A third puppeteer, the ashizukai, operates the feet and legs. The left puppeteer, known as the hidarizukai or sashizukai, depending on the tradition of the troupe, manipulates the left hand of the puppet with their own right hand by means of a control rod that extends back from the elbow of the puppet. The main puppeteer, the omozukai, uses their right hand to control the right hand of the puppet, and uses their left hand to control the puppet's head. Less complex heads may have eyes that move up and down, side to side or close, and noses, mouths, and eyebrows that move.Ĭontrols for all movements of parts of the head are located on a handle that extends down from the neck of the puppet, and are reached by the main puppeteer inserting their left hand into the chest of the puppet through a hole in the back of the torso. The heads can be quite mechanically sophisticated in plays with supernatural themes, a puppet may be constructed so that its face can quickly transform into that of a demon. The heads and hands of traditional puppets are carved by specialists, while the bodies and costumes are often constructed by puppeteers. The puppets of the Osaka tradition tend to be somewhat smaller overall, while the puppets in the Awaji tradition are some of the largest as productions in that region tend to be held outdoors. Originally, the term bunraku referred only to the particular theater established in 1805 in Osaka, which was named the Bunrakuza after the puppeteering ensemble of Uemura Bunrakuken ( 植村文楽軒, 1751–1810), an early 18th-century puppeteer from Awaji, whose efforts revived the flagging fortunes of the traditional puppet theatre. It rose to popularity after the playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653–1724) began a collaboration with the chanter Takemoto Gidayu (1651–1714), who established the Takemoto puppet theater in Osaka in 1684. History Puppet master with female doll Scene from Date Musume Koi no Higanoko ( 伊達娘恋緋鹿子) depicting Yaoya Oshichi climbing the towerīunraku's history goes as far back as the 16th century, but the origins of its modern form can be traced to around the 1680s. The combination of chanting and shamisen playing is called jōruri and the Japanese word for puppet (or dolls, generally) is ningyō. Occasionally other instruments such as taiko drums will be used. Three kinds of performers take part in a bunraku performance: the Ningyōtsukai or Ningyōzukai ( puppeteers), the tayū ( chanters), and shamisen musicians. The character Osono, from the play Hade Sugata Onna Maiginu ( 艶容女舞衣), in a performance by the Tonda Puppet Troupe of Nagahama, Shiga Prefectureīunraku ( 文楽) (also known as Ningyō jōruri ( 人形浄瑠璃)) is a form of traditional Japanese puppet theatre, founded in Osaka in the beginning of the 17th century, which is still performed in the modern day. JSTOR ( April 2022) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message).Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ![]() Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |