Ningyō Jōruri (Bunraku)

Timeline

1. 1684–1685Dōtonbori, Osaka · OsakaReturning from Kyoto to Osaka, Takemoto Gidayū opened the Takemoto-za in Dōtonbori, unifying the chanting style as gidayū-bushi and establishing ningyō jōruri as a new mainstream genre amid competition among older jōruri schools.
2. 1685–1703Dōtonbori, Osaka · OsakaChikamatsu supplied the Takemoto-za with literary scripts such as Shusse Kagekiyo, fixing the division of labor among chanter, shamisen player, and puppeteers. From Genroku into early Hōei, sewamono tragedies brought townspeople's life into jōruri, and puppet theater and kabuki competed and borrowed from each other.
3. 1805Osaka · OsakaIn the 19th century, the Uemura Bunrakuken line of troupes made 'Bunraku' the popular name for ningyō jōruri. After the war, the National Bunraku Theatre continued core techniques such as three-person manipulation, and in 2008 the heritage item was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List.