Puppeteers in Bunraku
Background
The puppet operators were often looked down socially as well as politically. They were typically foreigners who faced open discrimination. They had less skill than the chanter and samisen player, which was little better than a skilled workman. The government placed restrictions on their activities but not on those of the chanters or samisen players. Unlike the chanter or the samisen player, the operators did not use the puppet to express his own interpretation of the text, rather he would use it to express its own emotions.
Roles and Responsibilities
The puppets in Bunraku were operated by three men: the principal operator, the operator of the left hand, and the operator of the feet. The principal operator or omozukai would insert his left hand into the puppet from the back and his right hand through the opening on the top right sleeve. He uses his left hand to move the head, eyes, eyebrows, and mouth. His left hand would also move the puppets body. His right hand moved the puppet's right hand. The second operator or hidarizukai moved the left hand with a stick about fifteen inches long. Such length of a stick was needed as he was not able to be as close to the puppet as the principal operator. The third operator or ashizukai worked the feet of male puppets. He followed the text making the puppet walk, run, stand or sit. As well as moving the puppet, he needed to provide the performance with the appropriate noises by striking the ground with his feet. Since female puppets did not have feet unless it was specifically required by its role, the operator had to simulate the motion of the movement of the legs and feet. He would do this by bunching the hems of the kimono or moving it in other various ways.
Attire
The operator of the left hand the operator of the feet were completely covered in black with gauzy black hoods over their heads. At first, the principal operators were attired in this way, but they eventually came to wear formal costumes of bright blue and white with no hood during their performances.
The puppet operators were often looked down socially as well as politically. They were typically foreigners who faced open discrimination. They had less skill than the chanter and samisen player, which was little better than a skilled workman. The government placed restrictions on their activities but not on those of the chanters or samisen players. Unlike the chanter or the samisen player, the operators did not use the puppet to express his own interpretation of the text, rather he would use it to express its own emotions.
Roles and Responsibilities
The puppets in Bunraku were operated by three men: the principal operator, the operator of the left hand, and the operator of the feet. The principal operator or omozukai would insert his left hand into the puppet from the back and his right hand through the opening on the top right sleeve. He uses his left hand to move the head, eyes, eyebrows, and mouth. His left hand would also move the puppets body. His right hand moved the puppet's right hand. The second operator or hidarizukai moved the left hand with a stick about fifteen inches long. Such length of a stick was needed as he was not able to be as close to the puppet as the principal operator. The third operator or ashizukai worked the feet of male puppets. He followed the text making the puppet walk, run, stand or sit. As well as moving the puppet, he needed to provide the performance with the appropriate noises by striking the ground with his feet. Since female puppets did not have feet unless it was specifically required by its role, the operator had to simulate the motion of the movement of the legs and feet. He would do this by bunching the hems of the kimono or moving it in other various ways.
Attire
The operator of the left hand the operator of the feet were completely covered in black with gauzy black hoods over their heads. At first, the principal operators were attired in this way, but they eventually came to wear formal costumes of bright blue and white with no hood during their performances.