Takemoto-za
Encyclopedia
The Takemoto-za was a bunraku
theatre in Osaka
, founded in 1684] by Takemoto Gidayū
. Plays by many famous playwrights were performed there, including works by Chikamatsu Monzaemon
, Namiki Sōsuke
, and Takeda Izumo I. Many of the playwrights working at the Takemoto-za worked together, as a committee, as was the custom at the time.
The Takemoto-za had a fierce rival in the Toyotake-za, built by one of Takemoto Gidayū's former disciples.
Though bunraku remained exceptionally popular through 1764, at that time it began to be eclipsed by kabuki
and to fall into decline. The Takemoto-za was forced to close in 1767, and though it opened once more after that, it soon afterwards closed again.
Bunraku
, also known as Ningyō jōruri , is a form of traditional Japanese puppet theater, founded in Osaka in 1684.Three kinds of performers take part in a bunraku performance:* Ningyōtsukai or Ningyōzukai—puppeteers* Tayū—the chanters* Shamisen players...
theatre in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, founded in 1684] by Takemoto Gidayū
Takemoto Gidayu
was a jōruri chanter and the creator of a style of chanted narration for Japan's puppet theatre which has been used ever since. The name "gidayū" has since become the term for all jōruri chanters...
. Plays by many famous playwrights were performed there, including works by Chikamatsu Monzaemon
Chikamatsu Monzaemon
Chikamatsu Monzaemon was a Japanese dramatist of jōruri, the form of puppet theater that later came to be known as bunraku, and the live-actor drama, kabuki...
, Namiki Sōsuke
Namiki Sosuke
Namiki Sōsuke , also known as Namiki Senryū, was a prominent Japanese playwright who wrote for both kabuki and bunraku . Nearly forty of his bunraku plays were composed for jōruri, a particular form of musical narrative...
, and Takeda Izumo I. Many of the playwrights working at the Takemoto-za worked together, as a committee, as was the custom at the time.
The Takemoto-za had a fierce rival in the Toyotake-za, built by one of Takemoto Gidayū's former disciples.
Though bunraku remained exceptionally popular through 1764, at that time it began to be eclipsed by kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
and to fall into decline. The Takemoto-za was forced to close in 1767, and though it opened once more after that, it soon afterwards closed again.