May 7, 2008
Gion Corner: Kyoto Traditional Music Center
"Since 1962, Gion Corner is a popular night spot where tourists can experience an overview of 7 kinds of Japanese traditional arts and entertainment in single setting: Kyoto style Dance, Flower Arrangement, Tea Ceremony, Japanese Harp, Comic Play, Court Music and Puppet Play."
This art was established in the Eiroku Period (16th century) by Takemoto Gidayu, known as the founder and greatest contributor to the GIdayubushi - music and dialogue of the puppet plays. It is based on the daily life of merchants in Osaka, the biggest commercial city in Japan by that time.
I found it fascinating how the puppeteers were able to skilfully manipulate their puppets and give them such lifelike and graceful movements.
The bunraku puppet play shown during my visit was "Datemusume Koi no Higanoko"...the scene is "Oschichi at Fire Watch Tower" (that's why there's a scene there where the puppet is attempting to climb the ladder). This is a famous love story which was adopted from a true story first performed in 1773 in Osaka.
Short version of the story -
Characters:
Kichiza - pageboy at the Kisshoin temple, in love with Oshichi
Oshichi - pretty girl, in love with Kichiza
Buhei - wants to marry Oschichi
Kichiza's master lost a valuable sword entrusted to him by the shogunate. Oshichi's parents want her to marry Buhei because they borrowed huge sums of money from him. Coincidentally, the sword, which was stolen by somebody, is now in Buhei's hands. Kichiza, overhearing Oshichi's parents' conversation of wanting to marry her off to Buhei, left afterwards without saying goodbye to Oshichi.
Oshichi gets sword from Buhei but could not give it to Kichiza because after he left, the city gates were closed. She then climbs up the fire-watch tower and strikes the bell pretending there is a fire, and hoping that Kichiza would come back to the city because of the emergency. So on that cold, snowy night she goes on striking the bell until the gates are opened and her lover comes back to receive the sword.
The end. Bow.
Gion Corner: Kyoto Traditional Music Center
"Since 1962, Gion Corner is a popular night spot where tourists can experience an overview of 7 kinds of Japanese traditional arts and entertainment in single setting: Kyoto style Dance, Flower Arrangement, Tea Ceremony, Japanese Harp, Comic Play, Court Music and Puppet Play."
This art was established in the Eiroku Period (16th century) by Takemoto Gidayu, known as the founder and greatest contributor to the GIdayubushi - music and dialogue of the puppet plays. It is based on the daily life of merchants in Osaka, the biggest commercial city in Japan by that time.
I found it fascinating how the puppeteers were able to skilfully manipulate their puppets and give them such lifelike and graceful movements.
The bunraku puppet play shown during my visit was "Datemusume Koi no Higanoko"...the scene is "Oschichi at Fire Watch Tower" (that's why there's a scene there where the puppet is attempting to climb the ladder). This is a famous love story which was adopted from a true story first performed in 1773 in Osaka.
Short version of the story -
Characters:
Kichiza - pageboy at the Kisshoin temple, in love with Oshichi
Oshichi - pretty girl, in love with Kichiza
Buhei - wants to marry Oschichi
Kichiza's master lost a valuable sword entrusted to him by the shogunate. Oshichi's parents want her to marry Buhei because they borrowed huge sums of money from him. Coincidentally, the sword, which was stolen by somebody, is now in Buhei's hands. Kichiza, overhearing Oshichi's parents' conversation of wanting to marry her off to Buhei, left afterwards without saying goodbye to Oshichi.
Oshichi gets sword from Buhei but could not give it to Kichiza because after he left, the city gates were closed. She then climbs up the fire-watch tower and strikes the bell pretending there is a fire, and hoping that Kichiza would come back to the city because of the emergency. So on that cold, snowy night she goes on striking the bell until the gates are opened and her lover comes back to receive the sword.
The end. Bow.
- Jul 31, '08 7:02 PM
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