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Jusaburo's Puppet Museum
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The town of kabuki and puppetry
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| "Ningyocho", which translates literally as the "city of dolls", is a place where the atmosphere of old Tokyo still remains. Kabuki plays were often performed in this area and many puppeteers have lived here throughout the history of the city. Jusaburo Tsujimura, one such puppeteer currently living in Ningyocho, opened a puppet museum called Jusaburo Kan in 1996. Now it has become one of the landmarks of the area. Pretty curtains illustrated with flowers and rabbits open to welcome you to Jusaburo's world, full of his unique creations. |
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In the spotlight
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| Jusaburo's puppet plays "Shin Hakken Den" and "Sanada Juyushi" both aired on NHK from 1973 to 1975, winning average ratings of 20-30%. They are record hits as far as kids programs go, and since then his puppetry has gained in popularity across the nation. He also actively expands the scope of his art into areas such as direction, jewelry design, creation of original puppets, scriptwriting and costume design for films. He has received many awards in the arts, and manages to attract attention both within and outside Japan. Visitors can see the whole process of puppet-making on the first floor of the museum, where Jusaburo's atelier is located. He's always eager to answer visitors' questions and enjoys communicating with his fans. |
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Putting heart and soul into puppets
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| The range of Jusaburo's puppets is so wide; from a tiny princess made of shells to realistic life-sized figures. He makes puppets based on his current interests, as well as developing projects he's worked on for up to for 10 years and demonstrates this in his displays. "I've been making puppets from the time of my earliest recollections", says Jusaburo. His dolls are so breathtaking: visitors are drawn to them no matter how often they come to the museum. |
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Contradictory comfort |
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| When entering Medamaza, where a doll dance and chanson show is held every month, you'll find 12 dimly lit guardian deities representing the signs of the zodiac. These life-sized dolls stare back at us with mysterious smiles. With gorgeous, avant-garde costumes and long arms that reach to their knees, each doll's massive lower half is fully in proportion to its elaborate torso. Anyone who visits will be impressed by the magnificence of the dolls, and notice the somewhat scary atmosphere this room has. At the same time, however, you are held in unconscious fascination! Is it because the dolls are alive and about to reach their hands out to us? Or because they gradually penetrate our minds and are able to see through to the darkest corners of our souls? |
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Chirimen: A piece of tradition
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On the second floor, a collection of Jusaburo's original puppet creations such as Oranda Ibun, Kohsyoku Gonin Onna, Dainichi Nyorai and Oiran is displayed. A maiko (apprentice geisha), chooses ornamental hairpins to best match the season. Themes for hairpins include: "The New Year" for January, "Ume (Japanese plum tree)" for February, and "Rape blossoms" for March. This attention to detail is of course also applied by Jusaburo to his adorable dolls. In Kohsyoku Gonin Onna, primarily written by Saikaku Ihara, a famous novelist of the Edo period, all of the puppets' costumes were carefully designed by Jusaburo, and they remind us how beautiful the Japanese traditional costume is. The body of each puppet is made of chirimen, crinkly cloth, but they are so beautifully put together and make their presence felt in such a way it is hard to imagine that they are merely stitched-together cloth. As you look at the puppets, you feel that they are on the verge of coming alive and acting out their roles in a show once more. Jusaburo once aimed at entering the field of drama, thus acquiring a sense of acting that he puts to good use when making his dolls. He says, "A puppet's life is limited just like a human being's, so when I die, I want them to disappear, too." Puppets in the museum almost seem to exist as his alter egos. |
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Jusaburo, a man of passion
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| "When I'm at work, I don't think about what I'm working on. I think about the next project,"says Jusaburo. He starts making dolls only after drawing up a meticulous blueprint, then dashes off the actual construction. These days it's becoming harder and harder to get old cloth in good condition. "People should make the best of cloth with Japanese traditional patterns (to revitalize the market)," he says, putting an abacus-printed handkerchief over his shoulder, which had been given to him by a fan. Go to Jusaburo Kan and see the marvel of his original puppets and a beautiful aspect of Japanese heritage with your own eyes! |
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Information
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●Doll dance and chanson concert, performed by Jusaburo In the evening of the third Tuesday every month, "Ningyo mai to shanson no yuube" is held at Medama za, Jusaburo Kan. Reservations needed. 5000 yen per person. ●Flower arrangement course Hana club Ikebana kyoshitsu, the 1st, 2nd and 4th Monday every month. 7500 yen for tuition per month, plus 1000 yen for flowers. ●Souvenir shop Books written by Jusaburo, wrapping cloth, postcards and custom-made kimonos are available. |
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Reporter's voice |
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| Entering Jusaburo kan, I was soon captivated by the astonishing world of his puppets. What impressed me the most when I met Jusaburo, was his affection toward dolls and old cloth, and strong passion for creating his unique artwork. Jusaburo kan is located a few minutes walk from Ningyocho Intersection, near Yabusoba, a the soba restaurant located on the corner. Open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission: 1,000 yen. The museum is closed on Wednesdays. (Except when Wednesday is a national holiday) |
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