Photos: Traditional Japanese Bunraku puppetry amid coronavirus pandemic

Bunraku is a traditional, male-only Japanese puppet theatre, which was born in Osaka in the late 1600s, but in 2020 felt existentially threatened on account of the coronavirus pandemic. In Bunraku, each puppet is operated by three people - the head puppeteer, and two others dressed in black, their faces covered. The head puppeteer manipulates the head and right hand, while one person manipulates the left hand and another both feet. Performances are accompanied by narrators, or tayu, and traditional instruments. The National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka provides a free, two-year training course that more than half the 83 current performers have graduated from. But the art’s popularity was waning even before the pandemic, and only two students are in training as of September.

Updated on: Sep 10, 2020 9:27 PM IST

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Kanjuro Kiritake, a Bunraku puppeteer who was designated a Living National Treasure by the Japanese government, performs Japan's traditional puppet drama called 'Bunraku' which emerged in 15th century and the characters are manipulated by three puppeteers, during a program titled Komochi Yamanba (The Pregnant Mountain Ogress) at National Theatre in Tokyo, Japan September 7, 2020. (REUTERS)

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Kanjuro performs Japan's traditional puppet drama called 'Bunraku' which emerged in 15th century and the characters are manipulated by three puppeteers, during a program titled Komochi Yamanba (The Pregnant Mountain Ogress) at National Theatre in Tokyo, Japan September 7, 2020. (REUTERS)

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Bunraku puppeteer Kanjuro Kiritake performs Japan's traditional puppet drama called 'Bunraku' which emerged in 15th century and the characters are manipulated by three puppeteers, during a program titled Komochi Yamanba (The Pregnant Mountain Ogress) at National Theatre in Tokyo, Japan September 7, 2020. (REUTERS)

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Kozu elementary school students perform a traditional puppet drama in front of Kanjuro Kiritake, a Bunraku puppeteer, during a class by Kanjuro amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Osaka, western Japan August 28, 2020. (REUTERS)

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Kanjuro, who was designated a Living National Treasure by the Japanese government, performs Japan's traditional puppet drama called 'Bunraku', which emerged in 15th century and the characters are manipulated by three puppeteers, during a program titled Komochi Yamanba (The Pregnant Mountain Ogress) at the National Theatre in Tokyo, Japan September 7, 2020. (REUTERS)

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Kanjuro Kiritake, a Bunraku puppeteer, gives lessons in traditional puppet drama to students, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Kozu elementary school in Osaka, western Japan August 28, 2020. Picture taken August 28, 2020. REUTERS/Junko Fujita (REUTERS)

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Student of Kozu elementary school perform a traditional puppet drama in front of Kanjuro Kiritake, a Bunraku puppeteer, during a class by Kanjuro amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Osaka, western Japan August 28, 2020. (REUTERS)

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Kanjuro Kiritake, a Bunraku puppeteer, touches a puppet in his study at his house in Osaka, western Japan August 28, 2020. Picture taken August 28, 2020. (REUTERS)