June 12 2010
LINK  http://www.hiroshiwatanabe.com one of many fine images from a series called FACES: Ena Bunraku here is part of what the author says about the background to the work…. “……But there were periods when Bunraku became unpopular among the villagers. During those times, Bunraku puppets were stored away in closets in people’s houses, and sometimes used as dolls by children, and they were often damaged over time. Soon rumors started to go around the village of Kaware. Some people thought that the puppets made the people who kept them sick. Others felt that all kinds of bad things happened because they had the puppets. As a result of these fears, people started to refuse to take the puppets into their homes, and instead, they were stowed in the warehouse of the theater where they were long forgotten. Years later, other rumors started in the village. Some villagers reported that late at night they heard puppets’ tap dancing in the theater. Another villager reported that he saw shadows of Bunshichi and Ofuku dancing together. Some people felt sorry for the puppets’ spirits and decided to bring the puppets to light. So around 1910, the tradition was once again revived.The tradition of Ena Bunraku is now in the hands of twenty members of the Ena Bunraku Conservatory in Kaware village whose current population is only 280. There are now only sixty-five puppet heads kept in a small warehouse at the corner of the playground in the village’s elementary school. They only come out a few times a year to perform in front of an audience. Other times, they are kept sleeping in the dark. The school was closed in 2003 because there were not enough students to attend in the village.”

LINK  http://www.hiroshiwatanabe.com

one of many fine images from a series called FACES: Ena Bunraku

here is part of what the author says about the background to the work….

“……But there were periods when Bunraku became unpopular among the villagers. During those times, Bunraku puppets were stored away in closets in people’s houses, and sometimes used as dolls by children, and they were often damaged over time. Soon rumors started to go around the village of Kaware. Some people thought that the puppets made the people who kept them sick. Others felt that all kinds of bad things happened because they had the puppets. As a result of these fears, people started to refuse to take the puppets into their homes, and instead, they were stowed in the warehouse of the theater where they were long forgotten.

Years later, other rumors started in the village. Some villagers reported that late at night they heard puppets’ tap dancing in the theater. Another villager reported that he saw shadows of Bunshichi and Ofuku dancing together. Some people felt sorry for the puppets’ spirits and decided to bring the puppets to light. So around 1910, the tradition was once again revived.

The tradition of Ena Bunraku is now in the hands of twenty members of the Ena Bunraku Conservatory in Kaware village whose current population is only 280. There are now only sixty-five puppet heads kept in a small warehouse at the corner of the playground in the village’s elementary school. They only come out a few times a year to perform in front of an audience. Other times, they are kept sleeping in the dark. The school was closed in 2003 because there were not enough students to attend in the village.”




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A photography blog by Robert van Koesveld around learning to see as a photographer: with my own images and process as well as whatever I think inspires, informs, extends or challenges in the struggle to learn to see. There are two supplementary blogs; LTS2 for photography and LTS3 for other Art. The links are at the top above this. They are a place to display others work that I find inspirational and that I want to refer back to. Comments are welcome use 'click to comment' or email me here:

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