Japanology Plus - Season 2 - Eps 22: Bunraku
Bunraku is a traditional Japanese performing art dating back more than 4 centuries. It combines a stylized narration and music with a cast of puppets so expressive that you can almost hear them breathe. This time on Japanology Plus, we examine the timeless appeal of Japan's bunraku puppet theater. Our expert guest is Hideki Takagi, who does the commentary for the earphone guides at Osaka's National Bunraku Theatre. And in Plus One, the creation of a bunraku puppet.
About Japanology Plus

Title: Japanology Plus
First Air Date: 2014-04-03
Last Air Date: 2025-02-27
Status: Returning Series
Rating: 6.4/10 (from 5 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 13
Total Episodes: 330
Network: NHK WORLD-JAPAN
Genres: Documentary, Talk
Production Companies: NHK, NHK Educational
Synopsis
Host Peter Barakan delves into various aspects of Japanese culture; exploring practices, history, and modern innovations in such areas as ramen, rice, sushi, geisha, bonsai, and so much more. Local experts discuss their passions at fascinating length, and American Japanophile Matt Alt experiences the food, practices, and cultures in each episode in depth. Viewers will finish each half hour episode with a new understanding of an area of Japanese life through demonstrative videos and explanations, all delivered respectfully and true to the Japanese way of life.
Cast

Peter Barakan
Self - Host