Discover Bunraku－Bunraku Performance for Beginners－

Discover Bunraku－Bunraku Performance for Beginners－

Venue: Koto Cultural Centre Hall

Performance Dates
September 10 (Thu.) - 20(Sun.), 2026
*No Performance on 14 (Mon.)

Curtain Time
11:00 a.m.
2:30 p.m.

Running Time
Approximately 2 hours 45 minutes including intermission.

Book Online

Ninin Sanbasō (The Two Sanbasō)

An introduction to Bunraku

Kanadehon Chūshingura (The Treasury of Forty-Seven Loyal Retainers)
Yamazaki Kaidō Deai (The Encounter on the Road to Yamazaki)
Futatsu Dama (The Two Bullets)
Miuri (Okaru Sold to be a Courtesan)
Hayano Kanpei Harakiri (Hayano Kanpei's Suicide)

Ticket Prices (tax included)
Students: 2,000 yen
Adults: 6,000 yen

Seating plan［PDF／172KB］

*Audio guide: English and Japanese commentary through the Audio Guide service will be available. (for a fee)
*Subtitles: Available in English and Japanese. Please download the application to your smartphone or tablet. How to install EG-G Subtitle application.
*English synopsis is available. It is included in the free Japanese brochure.

Booking Opens
10:00 a.m., August 14 (Fri.), 2026

*20% discount for audiences with disabilites and one accompanying audience.
*If there are still tickets available for purchase on the day of the event, you may purchase them in person at the Box Office for this performance.
　Box Office (on-site): Open from 10:00 a.m. until each curtain time.
*Tickets for students and persons with disabilities for this performance are available online.
*Wheelchair spaces are available. For more details, please contact the Box Office.

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Box Office (by phone)
0570-07-9900 (From overseas: +81-3-3230-3000) in English and Japanese
(10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.)

Book Online

Click here for information in Japanese

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Bunraku, Japan’s traditional performing art of puppet theater (Ningyō Jōruri), is brought to life through the seamless collaboration of three elements: the tayū (narrator), who richly conveys the story with deep emotion; the shamisen, which accompanies the narration with intricate musical expression; and the puppets, manipulated by three puppeteers working in unison to create subtle and refined performances. The “Discover Bunraku ―Bunraku Performance for Beginners―” is an annual performance designed to introduce audiences—both in Japan and from around the world—to the appeal of Bunraku in an accessible and enjoyable way. The program features dance, explanatory commentary, and masterpieces that have been passed down since the Edo period.

Ninin Sanbasō (The Two Sanbasō)

This piece showcases the rich musicality of the tayū and shamisen, along with lively puppet dancing. Audiences can enjoy its powerful movements and its message of wishing for a bountiful harvest and lasting peace.

An introduction to Bunraku

Bunraku is composed of three essential elements: the tayū, shamisen, and puppets. What kinds of skills and traditions do they inherit and express? In this segment, the performers themselves explain the secrets behind this art form.

Kanadehon Chūshingura (The Treasury of Forty-Seven Loyal Retainers)

One of the three great masterpieces of puppet theater, Kanadehon Chūshingura is based on historical events and depicts the process by which retainers, having lost their lord, avenge his death.

The scenes performed in this program focus on Hayano Kanpei. Although Kanpei possesses deep loyalty to his lord, he is excluded from the avenging group due to a lapse caused by love. As misunderstandings and unfortunate coincidences accumulate, he is driven into an increasingly desperate situation. While the audience understands the circumstances, Kanpei himself remains unaware, moving inexorably toward a tragic fate. Through this, the audience cannot help but feel the sorrowful truth that people are not always able to live as they wish.