Bunraku - Japanese Puppet Theater

The puppeteers of a bunraku are like incarnate gods. – JeanLouis Barrault (via Jaq Latine @AODCNotícias)

Derived from bunrazuka and also known as Ningyō jōruri (人形浄瑠璃), bunraku is nothing more than a type of theater with a strong cultural root. Its attraction consists of a puppet theater performance manipulated by three puppeteers, making bunraku the only type of puppet theater to use three puppeteers to operate a single puppet.

Bunraku experienced its best moment in the 17th century, through the talent of Chikamatsu and Takemoto Gidayu (1651-1714). It was Chikamatsu who brought human feelings (mostly passion and later suicide for love, being considered a Japanese Shakespeare) and also issues of moral values and ethics to the bunraku atmosphere; while Gidayu created the term Tayu, which is the designation for the one who conducts the narrative form in the theater.

At that time, the puppets were operated by a single manipulator. Soon after, puppets with three manipulators emerged in the mid-18th century, giving greater mobility and emphasis to the main characters of each theatrical attraction. (Adapted fragment from Wikia.)

The role of each Puppeteer

The role of each puppeteer is distinguished by their quantity, being these three functions:

Main puppeteer (Omo-zukai): He inserts his left hand into the hip hole and holds the neck rod between his thumb and index finger, thus supporting the puppet. Then, he uses the remaining 3 fingers of the hand to manipulate the strings that move the eyes, mouth, and eyebrow.

His right hand is used to move the puppet’s right arm. His function is to move the head, support the weight of the puppet, and move the right arm. He usually appears with his face uncovered, wears high clogs (geta), and white gloves.

Secondary puppeteer (Hidari-zukai): his role is to move the puppet’s left hand observing the direction of the head and the other arm, guided by the omo-zukai. He wears black gloves, has his face covered, and wears straw sandals (zori).

Tertiary puppeteer (Ashi-zukai): is the one who moves the feet of the puppets. There is a rule: female puppets do not have feet, so it is up to the manipulator to create the illusion of leg and foot movements, using the hem of their kimono. He also wears straw sandals. This is the most labor-intensive role as the puppeteer needs to remain covered while bent over so that the audience does not see him at all times.

The coordination of each character depends vitally on the perfect synchronization of the three puppeteers. Acting in this way is a technique that comes from years of practice and training, although it is worth noting that there are no schools, strictly speaking, that teach these techniques. In bunraku, one learns by observing and imitating.

Structure of the puppets

With half the size of an average adult, the weight of the puppets ranges from 10 to 15 kilograms. However, there are special puppets that weigh up to 20 kilograms; for example, the puppet “High-Class Courtesan (Keisei)” and the warrior puppet, both heavier due to their special adornments.

There is also a differentiation in the material used for each puppet, according to the refinement needed for a specific character. It is worth remembering that male characters have mouth and eyebrow movements, while female characters have eyelid movements and a hook for attaching the sleeve of the kimono in situations of grief or sadness.

The sound accompaniment

A performance also includes the participation of the Tayu: the one who recites the Joruri, which is a poetic form similar to an epic drama, and the musician of the Shamisen who, with the instrument, provides musical accompaniment for the recitation and manipulation of the puppets.

In simple terms, one can say that the type of story narrated by the Tayu is an epic poem written in a dramatic form, and the Shamisen accompanies the narrative, creating a musical atmosphere for the puppets to act according to the melody, producing a combined effect, similar to an opera performance.

We can emphasize: The Joruri is not just a type of song with melody and rhythm as it explains through music, the unfolding of the spectacle. In this task, the Tayu uses different voice tones to distinguish male and female roles or to demonstrate emotions. Indeed, the interpretation of the Joruri is what can differentiate the presentation of the pieces.

Bunraku today?

At the end of its golden phase, from the mid-18th century, bunraku entered a decline as Western techniques were introduced into the artistic milieu.