G20 Osaka Summit
Summit Details

Osaka's Traditional Performing Arts

Distinctive entertainment and arts have flourished in Osaka where people have long appreciated laughter and a fun atmosphere. Bunraku and Manzai are two performing arts which have developed primarily in Osaka.

Summit Venue 01 Bunraku - Osaka's Own Traditional Performing Art

(Photo) BUNRAKU - OSAKA'S OWN TRADITIONAL PERFORMING ART 1

Bunraku, a traditional performing art originated in Osaka, was designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Heritage. Bunraku emerged from puppet shows called "ningyo johruri" which were performed at the Takemoto-za Theater founded in Osaka's Dotombori area over 300 years ago in 1684.

(Photo) BUNRAKU - OSAKA'S OWN TRADITIONAL PERFORMING ART 2

Bunraku is composed of a chanter's narration, shamisen music performance, and subtle puppet movements, showing their remarkable technique and main point of the play.
The chanter depicts all scenes as narrator and plays the role of each character by altering his voice.
The shamisen player uses various techniques to portray story settings and characters' emotions only with melody. This performer does not merely provide musical accompaniment, but also serves as the chanter's close "assistant," supporting him and occasionally even taking over the lead role.
The three puppeteers work in synchrony, manipulating and giving life to puppets which can weigh over 10kg each.

(Photo) BUNRAKU - OSAKA'S OWN TRADITIONAL PERFORMING ART 3

There are three types of Bunraku programs: sewamono are stories that focus on love and human empathy of the common people of those days, jidaimono depict historical events and persons, and keigoto spotlight dance and music.
"Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy," "Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees," and "The Treasury of Loyal Retainers" are said to be the three Bunraku masterpieces. Bunraku programs which express human emotions are also performed in Kabuki programs, still touch audiences' heart today. (The three photos depicted here are from Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees; Act IV, Scene 1: The Travelling Hand Drum Travel-Dance.)

Summit Venue 02 Osaka's Manzai - The Epitome of Storytelling

Myriads of performing arts have been beloved in Osaka over the years in addition to Bunraku, such as Kamigata rakugo and Kamigata kabuki. Storytelling arts, or warai, were particularly esteemed for the "business communication" in Osaka which is considered as a merchant's town. These arts have been developed as entertainment. Today, it is no surprise that Manzai was born in Osaka whose culture adore Warai.

(Photo) OSAKA'S MANZAI - THE EPITOME OF STORYTELLING 1

Manzai involves two performers engaging in an enthralling skit to make the audience laugh. The first performer, the boke (funny man), makes a comical remark, while the tsukkomi (straight man) points the funny man's behavior cynically, fueling audience laughter. Manzai's main appeal is the amusing dialogue between the funny man and the straight man.

(Photo) OSAKA'S MANZAI - THE EPITOME OF STORYTELLING 2

Many Manzai stars appeared in the early Showa period (1926-1989). Then, the performance art spread nationwide from Osaka. In the postwar years, "Manzai boom" has happened thanks to the spread of radio and television. The storytelling form has evolved in subsequent years. Notwithstanding changing times, Manzai continues to bring delight to the daily lives of people.
The true charm of Bunraku, Manzai, and other performing arts is the tense and exciting atmosphere created among the performer and audience. Osaka is dotted with theaters and entertainment halls filled with people enjoying storytelling and other performance arts every day.