Bunraku Puppetry

Bunraku is a musical puppet theatre for adults. It began in Japan in the 1500’s as a form of storytelling. The National Bunraku Theatre, pictured above, is located in Osaka, Japan. The puppets are about 3 feet tall, the size of a small child. There are usually 3 puppeteers all clothed in black who operate the puppets. They work in full view of the audience but the audience soon forgets about them because the puppets are so life-like. One puppeteer works the body and right arm, one for the left arm, and one for the feet. A narrator, called a tayu, tells the story and says the puppets’ lines. A Samisen is a stringed instrument played while the story is being told.