(L): Image ©Odawara Art Foundation; (R): The earliest known depiction of a three-man puppet, from the ukiyozōshi novel Tōsei shibai katagi of 1777, depicting a scene from the jōruri puppet play Ranjatai nitta keizu by Chikamatsu Hanji, first performed at Osaka Takemoto-za in 1765

Join the Japan Society this week for an engaging series of talks accompanying Bunraku Backstage, their current fall exhibition offering a rare, behind-the-scenes look at Bunraku theater. This captivating art form, blending masterful puppetry, shamisen music, and evocative narration, has evolved in Japan since the early 17th century and is recognized by UNESCO as a “masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.”

Sugimoto’s Sonezaki Shinjū: Onstage and Backstage
November 12, 2024 at 7pm EST
Tickets: $25 Nonmembers; $20 Members

In this talk on Tuesday, Nov 12, contemporary artist Hiroshi Sugimoto delves into his groundbreaking reimagining of the 18th century classic play Sonezaki Shinjū (The Love Suicides at Sonezaki). Sugimoto will share insights into the onstage and backstage workings of his novel approach to his productions. This event also offers a rare opportunity to see Sugimoto perform his Ohatsu puppet as she makes a cameo appearance.

To learn more and purchase tickets, click here.

Picturing Three-Man Puppets: Lecture and Tour with Dr. Henry Smith
November 15, 2024 at 10am EST
Tickets: $5 General Admission

On Friday morning, join the Japan Society for coffee and a lecture by Dr. Henry Smith, Professor Emeritus of Japanese History at Columbia University, where he will take a closer look into the history of the three-man puppet system (sannin-zukai, “three-person handling”) that has been carefully preserved in the National Bunraku Theater in Osaka since its opening in 1984. The talk will be followed by a tour of Bunraku Backstage.

To learn more and purchase tickets, click here.