Prefectural Designation: Awaji Puppets
| Area | Folkways |
|---|---|
| Collection name | |
| Age | The Meiji period (1868-1912) |
| Century | |
| Creator | Tenguben |
| Pronunciation of the creator’s name | Tenguben |
| Date (year, month, day) | |
| Year (Christian Era) | |
| Volume | |
| Material | |
| Size | 20×12×15 |
| Designation | Designated as a cultural property by Hyogo prefecture |
Explanation
The Awaji Ningyo Joruri is an Awaji Island-based puppet show that was performed across the country. There are various accounts of its origin. In the well-known legend, a man named Hyakudayu who soothed the deity of Nishinomiya Shrine by showing a doll performance, came to Awaji and popularized the show. This legend is considered to have connections with puppet masters called “Ebisukaki” and “Ebisumawashi” who were subordinate to Nishinomiya Shrine.
Puppet shows were protected by the Tokushima domain in the early modern period and it is said that more than 40 puppet theater companies existed around the Kyoho and Gembun eras (1716-1741). However, puppet shows steadily declined in the Meiji period (1868-1912) and beyond. The Awaji Gen-no-jo Puppet Theater Company, which stopped their activity due to the death of its head in 1964, was the last Awaji puppet theater company to stage a tour. Currently, Awaji Ningyo Joruri Hall within Onaruto Bridge Memorial Hall is used as a permanent stage for puppet theater performances.
This work is the head of the puppet used by the Awaji Gen-no-jo Puppet Theater Company that was based at Shizuki, Awaji City. These puppets were created from the Edo period (1603-1868) until 1959, but most were created in the late Meiji period (1868-1912). In addition, many of these dolls were created by Tenguhisa, Tenguben and Jun Oe. Awaji puppet shows were performed by three puppeteers: the puppeteer for the head and right hand, the puppeteer for the left hand and the puppeteer for the feet. Awaji puppets featured a large head, which enabled the puppet to be more easily seen by the audience in a theater tent.
We were presented with a package of puppet show tools owned by the Awaji Gen-no-jo Puppet Theater Company, including the stage settings, stage properties, costumes and scripts, as well as 187 puppet heads.
(The Second Collection of Works in the Possession of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History, 2002, a piece of writing by Masanobu Kagawa was partially modified)