BUNRAKU: The Art of Japanese
Puppet Theatre

When one hears the term “puppet plays”, the first thought that typically comes to mind is one of children’s entertainments; however, in Japanese culture, puppet theatre is an art form that goes back almost four hundred years. Around the world, dramatists typically wrote for actors; however, throughout the eighteenth century, dramatists wrote stories specifically for the puppets. Kabuki, another form of theatre that did involve actors, existed around this same time, but was not as successful. The following quote written by a critic around 1770 represented the importance of puppet theatre in Japan, “Puppet plays are all the vogue, and Kabuki might just as well not exist."

The original term for puppet theatre was ningyo joruri. In basic translation, ningyo joruri means “puppets and storytelling." The name shifted in the late 1800’s to Bunraku, which now represents all ningyo joruri that is of the traditional Osaka style of puppetry. Bunraku is the traditional, stage art, puppet theatre of Japan. It is the oldest of all Japanese theatre styles. Bunraku currently incorporates chanting, music, and large puppets ranging in size from 2 ˝ feet to 4 feet tall manipulated by three puppeteers. Bunraku comprises of three main parts: the tayu (narrator), the shamisen player (musician), and the puppeteers.

Bunraku is unlike puppet theatres elsewhere for several reasons. Because the texts were prepared specifically for the puppet shows rather than simply adopting texts of other mediums, Bunraku seemed more artistic than other forms of theatre. Not only does Bunraku differ in its artistic excellence and complexity of music, but the fluidity of the puppet’s movements as three puppeteers bring the doll to life is astounding. The audience is able to watch the puppeteers manipulate the puppet’s body as well. While watching a performance, the audience becomes enthralled in the movements and realism of the puppets; yet, a deterioration of the belief occurs as the audience views the puppeteers as the source of life for the puppets. A delicate balance exists between realism and non-realism.

 Throughout the years, Bunraku encountered many difficulties in popularity and success. Without the public’s support of Bunraku, it would have vanished many times due to “dwindling audiences, deaths of senior performers, by the loss of its playwrights, or by the greater popularity of some new form of theatre." To this day, Bunraku does not thrive as it did throughout the 1700’s, but it continues to be an art form respected around the world that is more prosperous than anyone imagined fifteen years ago.

Author: Kristan Smeaton.
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Revised: 08 Nov 2007 20:01:48 -0600