BUNRAKU .

WHO? Some important people in Bunraku are : -Uemura Bunrakuken, a puppeteer from Awaji who began producing puppet plays in Osaka. -Omo-zukai, the head puppeteer -Hidari-Zukai, the left-hand puppeteer -Ashi-zukai, the puppeteer who is responsible for the puppet’s foot movements. -Takemoto Gidayu , the man who set up his own theatre in Osaka where Bunraku was performed. And there is many more

WHAT? Bunraku puppeteers all have different specialties, according to their years of training. One puppeteer manipulates the puppet’s feet and legs; another puppeteer is responsible for stage props and the movements of the puppet’s left hand. The third puppeteer is responsible for the movements of the puppet’s right hand and the puppet’s head. Bunraku puppeteers train for more than 20 years before being eligible to become a head puppeteer

WHEN? Bunraku (文楽?), also known as Ningyō jōruri had its origin in 17th-century Osaka when Takemoto Gidayu founded the Bunraku-za, or Bunraku Theatre, in 1684..

WHERE? Bunraku was founded in the city of Osaka, Japan in 1684, it has evolved to be a complex and popular form of theater. Bunraku has been performed in Japan for almost a thousand years and, while certain elements have remained the same, much of what is now considered "˜traditional' bunraku was not being performed until the 17th century. Modern bunraku is usually a performance of an old and famous play which is performed either at the National Theatre in Tokyo or at the National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka only four times a year although there are occasional performances in other locations around Japan.

WHY? Chikamatsu began writing bunraku plays using the idea of loyalty over personal feelings.k This type of theatre is a good experience mostly for the adult audience and it is sometimes moving and dramatic. Bunraku has a long rich history and is a traditional form of entertainment that can be enjoyed by anyone, whether fluent in Japanese or not.

WATCH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV938f46Wpg

HOW? Japanese Bunraku puppeteers don’t conceal themselves from the audience during the performance. Japanese Bunraku puppeteers usually work together in groups of three to coordinate the movements of one Bunraku puppet. This is because the Bunraku puppets are heavy. Bunraku puppets are sometimes as tall as 150 cm and weigh as much as ten kilograms. The omozukai, or main puppeteer, manipulates the head and features and the right arm while the two lower ranked puppeteers operate the left arm and the legs The omozukai is visible to the audience - he is the star of the show, after all - and often colorfully dressed .