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Living National Treasures of Bunraku
At present there are five living national treasures in
the field of bunraku, an artistic tradition centered in
Osaka. TAKEMOTO Sumitayu and his late father, Sumitayu
VI, were both, in their turn, accorded the honor of being
designated living national treasures. Bunraku is, above
all else, an art in which true performing ability is paramount,
and Sumitayu has achieved his present exalted position
through tremendous personal effort. He masterfully conveys
the attraction of the music in gidayu ballad dramas,
which express the emotions of the characters, and his
declamations are full of richness. He is particularly
good in historical dramas that are interwoven with stories
of the lives of ordinary people. Sumitayu is also active
in publicizing bunraku, and is one of the art form's best
known faces.
In addition to the tayu (chanter), the shamisen
player has a key expressive role in the joruri
of the bunraku theater. TSURUZAWA Kanji is another second-generation
living national treasure, following in the footsteps of
his late father, Kanji VI. The artistic style of the father
derives from that of TOYOZAWA Danpei, a famous shamisen
player of the Meiji period, and the son has carried on
the tradition with loving devotion. His style can be summed
up as the "talking shamisen." He somehow manages
to portray the story's emotions and the characters' feelings
from the three strings of his futozao (thick-necked)
shamisen.
There are presently three bunraku puppeteers who are living
national treasures. YOSHIDA Tamao specializes in playing
tachiyaku (male roles), and generally performs
either the leading role or the nimaime (romantic
lead) role. Based on a careful study of the script, he
uses exquisite control to express, through the smallest
movements of the puppets, the psychological depths of
the characters being portrayed. His intelligent and handsome
stage appearance has won him enormous popularity. In addition
to performances of the classics, he has been involved
in the revival of Sonezaki shinju (The Love Suicides
at Sonezaki, now a popular audience favorite) since its
first modern performance, and has performed the role of
Tokubei more than 1,000 times.
YOSHIDA Minosuke is a magnificent onnagata (performer
of female roles) and the founder of a new artistic line.
The female characters who appear in bunraku plays, whether
princesses or townswomen, devote themselves to their lovers
with an all—consuming passion. Minosuke expresses
the obsession and violent emotions of these women using
every part of the doll's form, bringing it seemingly to
life. Though stricken by illness in recent years, he has
managed to resume his performing career thanks to rehabilitation
therapy. In the autumn of 2001, he was able to perform
his signature role of Princess Yaegaki in Honcho nijushiko
(24 Japanese Tales of Filial Piety).
YOSHIDA Bunjaku has a remarkable memory and is a theoretician
who knows all aspects of the bunraku theater. He plays
a wide range of roles, but his specialty is dignified
ladies in historical dramas. He is especially good in
parts such as the maid of honor who protects the young
lord in Yoshitsune senbonzakura (General Yoshitsune
and the Thousand Cherry Trees) or Masaoka in Meiboku
sendai hagi (The Strife of the Date Family). In addition,
he uses his extensive knowledge of kashira (the
head and most important part of the bunraku puppet) to
select the heads for all the puppets used in his performances.
In addition, there is TAKEMOTO Koshijidayu, a living national
treasure who no longer performs but is still active providing
guidance to his younger colleagues. One of the leading
tayu of the Showa (1926-1989) period, his refined,
taut joruri style was inherited from his teacher,
TOYOTAKE Yamashironoshojo. TAKEMOTO Sumitayu, who also
studied under Yamashironoshojo, even now frequently visits
Koshijitayu to ask for guidance and advice. This modesty
surely lends his artistry additional depth.
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