bunraku

American  

[boon-rah-koo] / bʊnˈrɑ ku /

noun

(sometimes initial capital letter)

1. a form of Japanese puppet theater in which puppeteers, dressed in black and visible to the audience, manipulate large puppets to the accompaniment of a chanted narration and musical instruments.

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bunraku British  

/ bʊnˈrɑːkuː /

noun

1. a Japanese form of puppet theatre in which the puppets are usually about four feet high, with moving features as well as limbs and each puppet is manipulated by up to three puppeteers who remain onstage

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Etymology

Origin of bunraku

1915–30; < Japanese, from the Bunraku ( -za ), an Osaka theater of 1789–1801, literally, literature enjoyment (theater) < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese wén + lè

Example Sentences

After Grigorian knelt to wait, she smiled at her son, played by an affecting bunraku puppet.

From New York Times • Apr. 28, 2024

The style here is in the tradition of the Japanese bunraku: the puppeteer-actors are shrouded in black clothing, with dark veils over their faces, and almost invisible against the dark background.

From New York Times • Jan. 16, 2017

This silent passage is isolated amid the rest of “Hagoromo” at BAM Harvey Theater: A music drama, it combines aspects of Noh theater, opera, dance and bunraku puppet theater.

From New York Times • Nov. 4, 2015

It opened the young director's eyes to art forms as richly diverse as bunraku puppetry and Javanese gamelan.

From The Guardian • Aug. 10, 2012

From the Japanese bunraku tradition came visibly manipulated puppets.

From The Guardian • Jan. 4, 2011