After visiting
Myoo-in Temple on the Shikoku Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage I went into Tokushima to check in to my room. With some of the afternoon remaining, I headed to the riverside Awagin Hall
It is primarily an auditorium and concert venue, but on the second floor is a wonderful free museum on Bunraku puppet theatre.
Puppet theatre was very widespread in some parts of Japan, whereas in other areas Kabuki dominated.
Bunraku originated in Osaka, but Awaji Island also developed its own major tradition.
Tokushima, formerly Awa, was close enough to Awaji Island that its tradition spread to here.
On the outskirts of Tokushima City is a Bunraku theatre that still puts on performances, but it is a little out of the way so not so well visited.
The exhibition in Awagin Hall consists of several parts. Above, and in the 4th photo, you can see a recreation of the backstage area of a rural puppet theatre.
Other exhibits focus on the puppets, which tended to be larger than the puppets of the Osaka tradition.
There are many examples of the puppet heads, some said to have been made by Umanose Komazura, the originator of the Awa puppet tradition.
The greatest author of puppet plays is without a doubt Chikamatsu Monzaemon, odten described as Japans' Shakespeare.
One of the greatest Japanese movies of all time, in my opinion, Chikamatsu Monogatari by Kenji Mizoguchi, was based on one of his stories, and Chushingura, the story of the 47 Ronin, was also based on his original.
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