Bunraku (traditional theater)

Bunraku (pronounced bun-rah-koo) is a form of traditional Japanese theater involving puppets. Bunraku is named after a theater established by one of the early masters of this art form, Uemura Bunrakuken. The largest Bunraku puppets are roughly half the size of a human (12–20 inches, or 30–50 centimeters) and are traditionally made from wood. Each puppet is operated by three separate puppeteers dressed in black, who synchronize their movements to create lifelike motion. A single narrator (called a tayu) provides all the voices for the characters while singing and narrating the events of the story. Bunraku performances are scored by a musician on a traditional Japanese stringed instrument called a shamisen. Bunraku plays are often based on epic stories from Japanese mythology, including love stories, historical events, and mythic adventures.

Bunraku is one of three native forms of traditional theater in Japan, alongside noh and kabuki. Noh is a form of musical theater involving masks and costumes, while kabuki is a style of dance theater in which the performers wear elaborate costumes and heavy makeup. Together, these three art forms have been designated as part of the world's Intangible Cultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Brief History

Bunraku is the common name for any production of traditional Japanese puppet theater. It may also be known as ningyō jōruri or ayatsuri jōruri (both meaning puppet storytelling in Japanese). It is the combination of two separate Japanese art forms: jōruri and jōruri gidayu-bushi. Jōruri means "storytelling," and it is an art involving sung narratives in Japan that dates back to the late fifteenth century. In the sixteenth century, jōruri was combined with shamisen music to establish an early form of puppet theater. This form traveled to the major cities of Japan by the mid-1600s.

In 1684, Takemoto Gidayū founded the Takemoto-za Theater in Osaka. He teamed with famed kabuki playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon to perform specially written jōruri plays. The resulting combination of puppetry and jōruri storytelling quickly overtook all other forms of jōruri in popularity. While Gidayū was an important innovator, Monzaemon's existing popularity helped lend this new emerging form of theater greater credence. His jōruri dramas were characterized by their incorporation of human emotion and Confucian tenets with mythological stories. Monzaemon and Gidayū had an important patron in Takeda Izumo, whose support enabled them to create extravagant stages and sets. The foundation of another theater called the Toyotake-za in Osaka helped fuel a rivalry that pushed the boundaries of this new burgeoning form of puppetry. By 1734, this form of puppetry had become elaborate enough to require three different puppeteers to manipulate each character.

In the early nineteenth century, a new jōruri puppet theater was opened by Bunrakuken in Osaka. However, beginning in 1842, jōruri and kabuki theater performances were severely curtailed by powerful feudal lord Mizuno Tadakuni. These restrictions, called the Tenpō Reforms, were intended to strengthen the power of shoguns and other members of the aristocracy through a stricter emphasis on conservative moral values. Many jōruri theaters were closed, and the art fell into decline. Bunrakuken's troupe was among the few that survived the reforms. By 1872, a new theater established by his heir was opened and officially called the Bunraku-za in his honor. As the reputation of the Bunraku-za grew, the style of jōruri associated with it came to be called Bunraku.

The Bunraku-za theater burnt to the ground in 1926, but it was replaced with a new theater in 1930. This version of the theater was destroyed during World War II air raids. However, by this time, it was considered a national treasure and was among the first buildings to be rebuilt in the wake of the war. By 1955, the Japanese government had declared Bunraku as an Important Intangible Cultural Property (juyo mukei bunkazai). With this special status came increased attention and national financing. In addition, the government promoted the training of new Bunraku specialists through nationally funded training workshops.

With this new assistance in hand, a Bunraku Association was established in 1963. The Bunraku National Theater was built in Tokyo in 1966 and is dedicated to the performance of this traditional art. The Bunraku National Theater moved to Osaka in 1984, although the national troupe continues to stage performances at the National Theater in Tokyo on an annual basis. Bunraku performances also take place throughout Japan, and the national troupe participates in international tours. Despite these attempts to promote it, Bunraku has begun to suffer from a decline in the number of trained artists in the twenty-first century. The rigorous training process, modern societal changes, and dwindling government subsidies have facilitated its decline.

Overview

Bunraku differs from other forms of puppetry by virtue of the complexity of the puppets. The three puppeteers include the omo-zukai, who is the lead puppeteer who controls the head, face, and right hand; the hidari-zukai, who moves the left side of the puppet; and the ashi-zukai, who is in charge of the feet and legs. These three puppeteers are trained to work in seamless harmony, so the audience is unaware of their joint involvement.

Bunraku dolls are composed of wood. They have hollow heads that are affixed to a stick called a dogushi that is pushed through a shoulder board. Fabric lines the front and back of the shoulder board. Bamboo hoops encircle the center of the figure, allowing the omo-zukai room to manipulate the dogushi and head. The arms and legs are connected to the shoulder board by strings, although female puppets do not typically have legs. Rather, the ashi-zukai merely simulates their movement by forming fists that are rubbed against the fabric of these characters' long dresses. The left hand of the puppet has a long stick called a sashigane that allows the hidari-zukai to manipulate movement on the left without impeding the omo-zukai puppeteer. Intricate costumes are then placed over the body, creating the final puppet character.

The hidari-zukai and ashi-zukai puppeteers wear black clothing from head to toe to prevent their appearances from distracting the audience. The omo-zukai, who are often well-known, keep their heads uncovered. Sometimes, they wear special outfits, like a kimono with their family crest.

The other two key members of the repertoire are the tayu chanter and the shamisen player. The longest Bunraku pieces are about ninety minutes in length, and the tayu is required to sing, voice all parts, and narrate the entire piece. Each character—male and female, young and old—is expressed by the tayu in different voices. The most elaborate pieces can have as many as fifty different characters, all of which must be characterized and voiced in different ways. The shamisen player must also be capable of presenting a variety of emotions and sentiments on a single instrument.

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