Exploring the Diversity of Japanese Traditional Puppetry

Abstract

A preliminary summary of Fulbright research exploring Japan's diverse puppetry and performing object traditions taking place during the Covid pandemic. While focusing primarily on ritual puppetry, including various versions of Sanbasō (a performance generally using three puppet characters taken from the noh play Okina, done for purification and blessings) and on the hinkoko tradition (the use of large, rustic, rod puppets within a unique harvest ritual in Gifu) among other forms, the research also expands onto non-ritual puppetry traditions outside of ningyō jōruri (or Bunraku), Japan's best-known form of puppetry. These other forms include bun'ya ningyō, a style of epic narration done with puppets, and sekkyō ningyō, Buddhist sermon-ballads performed with puppets. Based on personal encounters and other sources, the report sheds light on the current status of these forms and the people involved in them and gives a view into how practitioners negotiated pandemic restrictions.