4189 - Nara, Japan

This card comes from a nine year old and is a photo of a Japanese puppet show. Bunraku 文楽 is a form of Japanese puppet theatre founded in Osaka near the beginning of the 17th century. It became popular after the playwright Chikamatsu Monsaemon 近松 門左衛門 began collaborating with the chanter Takemoto Gidayu 竹本 義太夫, who had established the Takemoto puppet theatre in Osaka in 1684. 

There are a couple of schools of Bunraku.Puppets of the Osaka tradition tend to be somewhat smaller, while puppets of the Awaji tradition are some of the largest as productions in that region are usually held outdoors. 

Heads and hands are carved by specialists, while the bodies and costumes are constructed by puppeteers. The heads can be quite mechanical so its face can quickly transform into that of a demon. Controls are located on a handle that extends down from the neck of the puppet and are reached by the main puppeteer inserting their left hand into the chest of the puppet through a hold in the back of the torso. 

The main puppeteer, or omozukai, uses their right hand to control the right hand of the puppet, and uses their left hand to control the puppet's head. The left puppeteer, or hidarizukai or sashizukai, manipulates the left hand of the puppet with their own right hand. A third puppeteer, the ashizukai, operates the feet and legs. 

Beginner puppeteers begin training by operating at the ashizukai, traditionally for ten years. They then spend ten years as the hidarizukai or sashizukai, and ten years as the omozukai. 

All but the most minor characters require three puppeteers, who perform in full view of the audience, generally wearing black robes. 

Today bunraku is mainly housed at the National Bunraku Theatre 国立文楽劇場 in Osaka. It is government supported. They offer five or more shows a year, each running at 2-3 weeks in Osaka, before moving to the National Theatre in Tokyo. They also tour national and will sometimes travel abroad.