An Array of Puppet Collections in Japan 

Article and photos by Bradford Clark 

This is by no means an exhaustive survey, but instead some comments on a few of the collections that I have been fortunate enough to visit. Japanese puppets, or ningyo, may be found in a variety of places. It is not unusual to find traditional figures within history museums, especially small regional ones, although only a few examples may be on display at any given time. These collections are often derived from those of companies that are no longer active, and the emphasis is usually upon the heads, or kashira. Finally, small museums exist which focus on the work of individual carvers, such as that of Jusaburo Tsujimura (who performed at one of the Henson International Puppet Festivals) in Tokyo. 

Individual traditional theatre companies, some of whom can trace their histories back centuries, often maintain collections of one hundred or more kashira (heads) that have been collected from various sources. Standard ningyo (dolls or puppets) of the type used at the National Bunraku Theatre do not require as many bodies and costumes as kashira, as the heads may be used interchangeably. Generally, these collections are kept in special secure storerooms. In the case of the Kuroda Ningyo company in Iida City, the puppets are housed in a traditional storeroom building a short distance from their theatre. Fire is a concern; most of the National Bunraku Theatre’s kashira are actually not very old, since many were destroyed in fires. 

While companies do not necessarily think of their collections as museum pieces, when kashira are too old or worn to be performed, new ones are commissioned. Older heads may also be stripped of paint and hair, then refurbished. I am told that carvers relish this task since it gives them a chance to examine the mechanisms inside older heads. Also, while carver identities may often be determined by name-stamps branded upon the wooden control rods, puppet-makers traditionally sign their names on the inside of the heads, and that can provide further information. Traditional companies may also create modern plays that require the commissioning of newly designed characters. Awaji puppetry scholar Jane Marie Law has stated that worn, unrestored puppets and heads are generally not displayed. That has generally been my observation, although there are many exceptions. 

Theatre companies often display a small number of their figures in cases. At Iida’s Imada Ningyo theatre, these are located in a dedicated gallery space. Companies that do not have their own stages may display examples from their collections in city-owned buildings and community centers, where they may also rehearse. 

The National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka has a large gallery that features introductory materials as well as a rotating selection of photographs, puppets from past productions (including one apparently inspired by Alien!), interactive activities for young visitors, and photo opportunities. An archival library is attached to the main gallery. 

Minimiawaji City possesses an excellent museum of Awaji Island puppetry located on the second floor above city offices. Within the large gallery, which also contains a stage and audience seating, there is an extensive exhibition of puppets and other materials related to the Awaji traditions of puppetry, including a beautiful collection of embroidered kimonos. Scale models depict traditional performance spaces, and the collection is especially interesting in that it features some characters that are not often seen elsewhere. The museum sponsors carving classes and has a huge collection of materials, including puppets and scripts that are not on display. 

Tokushima Prefecture is proud of its heritage of both puppet performance and carving, and there are consequently multiple places to see collections. These include a large exhibition within the
Matsuhigecho Historic Museum. 

This is the result of a single collector’s efforts. It’s a wonderful exhibition with many beautiful examples. Contemporary paintings and prints on puppetry themes are featured as well. The museum also sponsors a weekly carving class and the Matsuhige Ningyo Joruri company rehearses and performs in an adjoining building. 

Tokushima City is an especially rich place to see traditional puppet collections. A downtown puppet store features a floor of older heads that are on permanent display. The nearby Awa Deko Puppet Museum displays its collection in a variety of ways, including a contextual assemblage that combines figures with various rural household elements of an earlier time. A wall of “peepholes” allows you to examine a large collection of kashira within. The museum also features an ongoing digital fusuma karakuri (or dogugaeshi) exhibit–a video representation of the traditional transforming screens of local rural stages. 

The Awa Deko Ningyo Kaikan in Tokushima City profiles the works of Ningyo Ken, a well-known contemporary carver. His son, Ken Tada, took on the Ningyo Ken title when his father retired. Ken Tada wrote a book on his father’s work, photographically describing every step of the carving process. In an excellent demonstration, visitors learn about carving and even the mechanics of specialized kashira. Not unusual in Awaji and Tokushima, Ningyo Ken’s puppets feature heads that are somewhat larger than those that are typical at the National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka (this is made possible by the use of a lighter wood than the hinoki used in Osaka). Many of the puppets are posed in scenes from popular plays from the repertoire. A huge, unique figure (whose use is unclear to me) appears to stand about 7’ tall, while several other heads are equally massive! 

A few minutes away, one discovers the Tokushima Prefectural Awa Jurobe Yashiki house museum, historically associated with a samurai family whose story is told in the play Keisei Awa no Naruto. This play contains what is perhaps the most often performed scene in the traditional puppet repertory. The museum features beautiful gardens and a theatre that offers multiple Keisei Awa no Naruto performances each day, performed by local companies. The Jurobe Yashiki is directed by Sato Tadou, an incredibly generous font of knowledge of all things related to Tokushima culture and puppetry. He has made several short documentary films about Tokushima puppetry that are shown in the theatre and online. The house contains a small gallery featuring some figures by the best known of Tokushima puppet makers. An especially interesting section profiles the itinerant performers who used to travel from village to village and perform their “puppets of the road,” usually with a single manipulator, and often accompanied by a musician. The Jurobe Yashiki maintains an active performance schedule with Keisei Awa no Naruto during the day and occasional guest performances (both puppetry and other performance genres) in the evening. 

Finally, one of the most interesting Tokushima City collections, though very small, is within the house-museum of Tenguhisa I. Here one can see how one of the most highly respected Tokushima carvers of the early 20th century lived and worked. (Two of his kashira are in the British Museum). Visitors also may watch an early film interview with Tenguhisa I. Some of the kashira that fill the shelves are especially interesting, as they sport 20th-century facial hair. The huge Tokushima Prefectural Museum several towns away features a loosely interpreted version of his workshop, along with an exhibit of about twenty or so kashira by other carvers. 

Two museums in Iida City, Nagano Prefecture, feature well-known modern creators. A proud “puppet city,” Iida is famous for its annual puppet festival in August. Even some of the manhole covers and the town clock are puppet-themed. During the days leading up to the festival, store windows throughout the downtown area are filled with both traditional and contemporary puppets. The Kihachiro Kawamoto Museum features elegant galleries on the second floor of a city-owned building. (It is not unusual for small museums in Japan to be built through the sponsorship of city governments). Kawamoto was noted for both his animated films and popular live-action rod-puppet television series based upon The Tale of Genji and The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The latter also became a touring stage production in collaboration with a Chinese company. The museum contains a large gallery featuring figures that rotate on a regular basis. A smaller gallery contains short exhibitions of work by other artists (including magnificent wayang shadow figures of Kabuki characters, possibly carved in Indonesia). While some of his smaller stop-motion animated figures are included, most of the figures in the main gallery are from either The Romance of the Three Kingdoms or The Tale of Genji. Some figures, possibly from this collection, were featured in the 2019 Three Kingdoms exhibit at the National Museum of Japan in Tokyo.

A second museum, the Takeda Sennosuke String Puppet Museum, is also technically located in Iida (city jurisdictions in Japan are similar to those of counties in the USA) but a few train stops away from the Iida City center. The museum, housed in a contemporary building that features a beautiful garden, was built in 1998 on top of a hill very near to the Motozenkoji Temple. The Takeda company is well known in Japan, having produced several early children’s television series as well as television films of tremendous beauty and sophistication. A stage features a permanent installation of a scene from one of the company’s signature productions, Yukinko. Demonstrations are given throughout the day. The main galleries feature a rotating selection of beautifully designed and detailed puppets from throughout the company’s history. A television monitor provides video on demand of Takeda television productions, most of which cannot be seen anywhere else. 

Finally, several museums in Japan focus upon karakuri ningyo, the mechanized puppets used both in festival processional floats and for private enjoyment. A karakuri ningyo can either be a small spring-operated automaton, or one of the larger figures that appear in festival float processions and are controlled by a hidden team of performers pulling on cords from below. The puppets can undertake a wide range of activities: serve tea, draw and shoot an ar- row, swing between trapeze bars, or completely transform into another character. Near Nagoya, in Inuyama, a castle town with a rich festival tradition, figures may be seen at the excellent Karakuri Hall, a museum that also features a reproduction of a workshop space. Farther down the street, the Donden-Kan Museum also contains some figures and provides more general information regarding Inuyama festivals. 

I have not personally come across a comprehensive Japanese museum collection that represents a wide overview of contemporary and international work, although individual theatres and focused collections offer many chances to see modern Japanese figures. Japan’s rich puppet traditions, along with its wonderfully imaginative contemporary puppetry scene, provide abundant opportunities for the visitor to see exquisite examples of puppets of all kinds. 

With thanks to Martin Holman for invaluable assistance in the research of this article. 

Bradford Clark is a professor at Bowling Green State University. He curated the Jim Henson and Global collection galleries for the center for Puppetry Arts Museum.