Only a puppet can be this convincingly dead… My first Gempei Nunobiki no Taki showed me, once again, just how powerful bunraku can be. And this time, my seat was a special one — right in front of the yuka, the platform in which the narrator and shamisen player perform. I soaked up the gidayu chanting and shamisen to my heart’s content.
What is the Summer Vacation Bunraku Performance?
It’s an annual summer event at the National Bunraku Theatre (Nippombashi, Osaka), with three programs: Part 1, a family-friendly show for children; Part 2, the “masterpiece theater” for classic works; and the Bunraku Summer Festival in the evening. This time I went to Part 2: Gempei Nunobiki no Taki (The White Banner of the Genji Clan), Kurosuke’s House scene, and Koimusume Mukashihachijo (The Story of Okoma and Saizaburo), the Shirokiya and Suzugamori scenes.
At Nippombashi subway station, there are signs pointing to the National Bunraku Theatre, so even first-timers can find their way without getting lost. Head toward Exit 7.
Rows of colorful banners line the theater. Seeing them always gets me in the mood: “I’m here for bunraku!” It had been a while since my last visit to the National Bunraku Theatre ❤️ I felt soothed the moment I arrived (lol).
A Pre-Show Treat: The Bunraku Bento
I bought a “bunraku bento” at the theater shop 🍱 I chose the Naniwa sushi box — 1,200 yen including tax, cash only. It’s filled with all kinds of bite-sized pieces, easy to eat even before a show. Since eating isn’t allowed at your seat, I enjoyed it in the lobby.
The Program Is Adorable
This season’s program has a red, black, and yellow lattice design on the front, and a red shibori tie-dye pattern on the back. That pattern is based on the costume of Okoma, the heroine of Koimusume Mukashihachijo. The moment I noticed, I couldn’t stop grinning to myself. Well, to be fair, the answer is written right there in the program. Still — so cute.
The “Kashira in This Production” section of the program is fun, too. It introduces the kashira (puppet heads) used in each play, role by role: Sanemori uses the “Bunshichi” head, and Kurosuke the “Takeuji” head, apparently. Just knowing that different characters call for different types of heads changes how you see the puppets. The audio guide explains the kashira every time as well, but I haven’t memorized them all yet, so this section in the program is really handy 👀
Gempei Nunobiki no Taki: What Only Puppets Can Do
The Kurosuke’s House scene was completely new to me. A severed head appeared on stage — something only puppet theater can pull off like this — and I thought, “Now THIS is bunraku!”
What stayed with me most was the scene in which Koman lies dead, and the scene in which she comes back to life. In bunraku, nobody touches a dead body — so it is truly, utterly dead. In a play performed by humans, you’d catch the faintest breathing; a puppet stays completely still. Extremely dead. Watching that body, I quietly marveled at the kind of realism only puppets can achieve.
On the yuka, the narration was relayed from Chitosedayu to Shikorodayu — absolutely gripping. On shamisen, the Living National Treasure Seiji Tsuruzawa performed partway through before handing over, and I was so glad I got to hear him, even briefly. The puppets were led by Tamao Yoshida and Kazuo Yoshida… There was so much to watch that I could have used a few extra pairs of eyes.
A Special Seat: One of Only Two, Right in Front of the Yuka
My seat this time was on the right side of the house, on a slightly raised platform directly in front of the yuka. Believe it or not, only two seats are sold here. There are actually three rows with more seats, but just two are available for purchase. I spotted an opening at the last minute and grabbed it! I’ve never been this close to the yuka before ⭐️
Watching the gidayu narration and shamisen from right beside them — I hereby name it the “Gidayu + Shamisen Full Satisfaction Seat.” I love the yuka side. Highly recommended.
Koimusume Mukashihachijo: Okoma Is Adorable
Full confession: the second half was a bit of a battle against sleepiness… (A summer afternoon, right after a bento. All the conditions were in place.)
Even so, one thing I remember clearly: Okoma was adorable. That costume — the very one on the program’s pattern. Cuteness is justice.
Final Thoughts
Inside the theater, I also spotted a poster for Ukon Onoe’s self-produced show “Ken no Kai FINAL.” Kenken was here! It was my first time seeing the poster, and my excitement spiked in the most unexpected place. Sadly, the schedule doesn’t work for me to attend the National Bunraku Theatre run… I’m planning to see it at the Meijiza, but I would have loved to see it here, too! The Kenken poster nearly stole the show — wait, I’m here for bunraku (lol).
A special seat right by the yuka, a bunraku bento, and an adorable program. A day when I felt the chilling power of a puppet’s “death” — and yes, today was the best, as always!
