Special Workshop: KURUMA NINGYO

Nearly 150 years ago in the late Edo Period, Nishikawa Koryu I created Hachioji Kuruma Ningyo, a form of puppet theatre. It is called “Kuruma Ningyo” because the puppeteer sits on a small seat with roller wheels (rokuro kuruma) when operating the puppet (ningyo). This small seat allows the puppet and puppeteer to move in unison, providing greater flexibility and realism; distinguishing it from Bunraku, in which three people operate a single puppet.
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