The charm of ”Awa Ningyo Joruri,” the traditional performing art that embodies Japanese sensibility - Tokushima Prefectural Awa Jurobe Yashiki, Puppet Theater and Museum

Ningyo joruri is an art that blends sung narrative, shamisen music and three puppeteers and which expresses the emotions of characters in a story. Tokushima is one of the areas of Japan where this form of puppet theater is most popular. To this day, the region still boasts the highest number of puppet theaters and puppet makers in the country. About 80 outdoor theaters for puppet plays, known as noson butai ("farm village stages") survive in shrines around Tokushima. The well-known play "Keisei Awa no Naruto" tells the tale of a family dispute, and features a character named after Bando Jurobe, a village headman. The Tokushima Prefectural Awa Jurobe Yashiki is the former home of Bando Jurobe. The stage, modeled after a farm village stage, holds daily performances. There are also videos, an exhibit room, a Japanese garden, and a shop. The venue serves as a hub for Awa puppet theater, showcasing its general appeal.