文楽(ぶんらく)

ぶんらく
noun
Bunraku puppet theater
1. Bunraku, traditional Japanese puppet theater
A form of traditional Japanese puppet theater in which large, elaborately crafted puppets are manipulated by visible puppeteers, accompanied by a narrator (tayu) and shamisen music. Designated as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
大阪(おおさか)で文楽(ぶんらく)を観(み)た。
I saw Bunraku in Osaka.
文楽(ぶんらく)の人形(にんぎょう)は三人(さんにん)で一体(いったい)を操(あやつ)る。
In Bunraku, three puppeteers operate a single puppet.
文楽(ぶんらく)は歌舞伎(かぶき)と並(なら)んで日本(にほん)を代表(だいひょう)する伝統(でんとう)芸能(げいのう)のひとつだ。
Bunraku is one of Japan's representative traditional performing arts, alongside kabuki.

CULTURE:
Bunraku originated in Osaka and is one of Japan's three major classical theater forms, along with 能(のう) (Noh) and 歌舞伎(かぶき) (Kabuki). It features large puppets (about 1.2-1.5 meters tall) operated by three puppeteers: the main puppeteer (主遣(おもづか)い) handles the head and right hand, while two assistants control the left hand and feet. The 太夫(たゆう) (narrator) provides all dialogue and narration, accompanied by 三味線(しゃみせん).

The name comes from 植村文楽軒(うえむらぶんらくけん), who established a puppet theater in Osaka in the early 19th century. The 国立文楽劇場(こくりつぶんらくげきじょう) (National Bunraku Theatre) in Osaka is the art form's main venue.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 文楽(ぶんらく)人形(にんぎょう): Bunraku puppet
  • 文楽(ぶんらく)劇場(げきじょう): Bunraku theater
  • 文楽(ぶんらく)を観(み)る: to watch Bunraku
  • 人形浄瑠璃(にんぎょうじょうるり): puppet joruri (formal name for Bunraku)
general
Added 2026.2.23 20:53
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