Add a review about the National Bunraku Theater

The amazing puppet theater, not a yen similar to our Slavic view of such places, is in the heart of Osaka. It is the National Bunraku Theater, the stage of one of the most authentic and colorful trends in Japanese art. But before thinking about whether to spend time on a hike in such an exotic temple of Melpomene, you should at least get a little acquainted with its history.

Bunraku in Osaka is Japan's largest puppet theater, it is not simply considered the custodian of the long traditions of the country of the rising sun , but also famous for its considerable contribution to the cultural life of the city today. Its history began in the distant 1872, and the theater acquired its name on behalf of the organizer and director of the first performances of Uemura Bunrakuken (1737-1810).

So what is a puppet theater in Japan? Like many centuries ago, its action is multifaceted and versatile . In a nutshell, this is the combination of the puppet show with the folk tale of dzoururi to the musical accompaniment of the shamisen, and the first mention of such a refined pastime date back to the late 16th and early 17th centuries . initially the performances were given in the ancient capital of Kyoto not in the halls, but in the open areas of the bed of the drying river Kamo . Only in the 17th century puppeteers went to the newly founded capital of Edo (now Tokyo), from which in 1657 . finally got over in Osaka and Kyoto . It was then that the puppet theaters began to acquire their own "houses", the device of which survived to the present day without significant changes .

Bunraku is the combination of the puppet show with the folk tale of dzori for the musical accompaniment of the shamisen, and the first mention of such a sophisticated pastime refers to the late 16th - early 17th centuries.

It should be said a few words about the dolls themselves - these are not the usual little Petrushki and bears, they are huge, perfectly thought out and exceptionally elegant dolls in half of human growth (and even more). Each of them is managed by up to three operators, the most experienced "leads" the head, eyes, eyelids, mouth and eyebrows, as well as the right arm, the second is responsible for the left hand, and the latter usually get legs. In order not to distract the audience from the action, the operators are dressed in black overalls and only the most eminent puppeteers are allowed to show their faces.

The mastery with which operators operate their wards and the amazing facial expressions of these animated dolls in a few minutes completely distract the public from the puppeteers The hall, with bated breath, is focused on the plot and the unfolding action. Supplements surrealistic picture of the awakening of huge dolls voice singer-storyteller guide, as well as rhythmic sounds of three-stringed shamisenah and drums. It is noteworthy that the hydra speaks on behalf of all puppets - men, women, children, changing only the intonation and timbre.

But we will return directly to the theater. The modern building of the Osaka Bunraku, combining elements traditional for puppet theaters and ultramodern "stuffing", was built in 1956. Already eight years later the theater was declared an important cultural value of Japan, now patronized by the state. A branch in Tokyo was opened in 1966, although all true fans of this genre are eager to attend the show in Osaka.

Today the building of the theater (whose official name, by the way, sounds like "Asahidza", but in honor of the first troupe and the founder of the whole the country is persistently called just like Bunraku) includes two halls and an exhibition room . The big hall is able to accommodate up to 700 spectators, here the main puppet shows are arranged, as well as performances of the traditional dance buoy .The small hall attracts admirers of other art forms - it is performed by comic stories of rakugo or small comic dialogs of manzai, as well as concerts of folk Japanese music .


Bunraku Theater

Coordinates

Address: 1-12-10, Nippon- bashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka.

Tickets can be bought at the theater ticket office from 10:00 to 18:00, credit cards are accepted for payment.