On Saturday, September 7th and Sunday, September 9th, 13, the traditional performing art "Anori Puppet Theater," designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, will be performed at the Anori Puppet Theater Stage (within the grounds of Anori Shrine).
Shima City's "Anori Puppet Show" is a traditional folk performing art that has been passed down as a sacred puppet show dedicated to the festivals of Anori Shrine, and was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 55.
The origin of puppet theater is said to be as follows.
``In the first year of the Bunroku era, when Yoshitaka Kuki, the ruler of Shima Province, was participating in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea (Bunroku no Eki), when he approached the coast of Anori, a sudden headwind blew and his ship stopped. .When Yoshitaka visited Anori Shrine and prayed for victory, the direction of the wind changed and the ship was able to set sail safely on the tailwind.Then, Yoshitaka, who had achieved military exploits in the war, visited Anori Shrine again to pray. When I visited there, the villagers warmly welcomed me with hand dances and various other performing arts.
The performing arts permitted by Yoshitaka at this time went through many changes and have been handed down as Anori's puppet shows.
The festival was temporarily suspended due to the economic depression at the end of the Taisho period and the war in the Showa period, but was revived in 26 thanks to the wishes and cooperation of the villagers and has continued to this day.
| Date | February 7th (Sat) and 9th (Sun), 13th year of Reiwa Show starts at 6:30pm *Sanbaso performance starts at 5 p.m. |
| Event Place | Anori Puppet Show Stage (Anori Shrine Precincts) |
| Sponsorship | Anori Shrine/Anori Puppet Play Preservation Society |
Saturday, September 9th, 13pm: Sanbaso performance dedicated to Anori Shrine
September 9th, 13:6pm start
*There will be a dance during the intermission.
Tokai Junior High School Local Performing Arts Club
Anori Puppet Theater Preservation Society
Nagano Shiju
Tomokazu Takemoto
Anori Puppet Theater Preservation Society
Nagano Shiju
Tomokazu Takemoto
September 9th (Sunday) 14:5pm Sanbaso performance dedicated to Anori Shrine
Show starts at 9:14pm on September 6th
*There will be a dance during the intermission.
Anori Puppet Theater Preservation Society
Anori Puppet Theater Preservation Society
Kaori Sanaka
Tomokazu Takemoto
Anori Puppet Theater Preservation Society
Kaori Sanaka
Tomokazu Takemoto
~ Miuranosuke's mother's farewell stage ~
Tokihime, the daughter of Hojo Tokimasa, falls in love with Miuranosuke, a military commander on the opposing side, and turns against her father to nurse Miuranosuke's sick mother. Worried about his mother's illness, Miuranosuke returns from the battlefield, wounded as he is, but his strong-willed mother refuses to meet him. Learning of his mother's resolve, Miuranosuke prepares to fight again, but Tokihime speaks of the depth of her love for him and asks him to be with her mother until her final moments. Miuranosuke, reminiscing, decides to stay for a while.
~Ferry stage~
Prince Sakuragi, whose life is threatened due to a dispute over the succession to the throne, becomes a monk called Anchin and is hidden in the home of a Shoji in Manago, Kishu. However, he reunites with his lover, a princess, and the two leave the Shoji's house and head for Dojoji Temple. Shoji's daughter, Kiyohime, who had been in love with Anchin without knowing that he was actually a prince, follows him and arrives at the banks of the Hidaka River. Kiyohime asks the boatman to help her cross the river, but the boatman, who had been paid by Anchin not to let her cross, coldly refuses. Unable to let go of her feelings for Anchin, Kiyohime becomes consumed with jealousy and decides to cross the river on her own. Her obsession with love transforms her into a snake, and she makes it across the river.
~Oigawa steps~
Miyuki, the daughter of a retainer of the Kisi-do family of Aki Province, met Miyagi Asojiro while staying in Kyoto and fell in love with him. However, due to her father's sudden return to Japan, she returned to her home province. Having run away from home and traveled in search of her lover, Miyuki cried bitterly and became the blind koto-playing entertainer Asagao. A few years later, Asagao met her lover at Shimada Inn, who had become a civil servant and changed his name to Komazawa Jirozaemon. Komazawa was with a colleague and was unable to introduce himself, so Miyuki did not realize he was her lover. The next morning, Miyuki had the innkeeper read her a note from her lover. Out of breath, she followed him and reached the Oi River. However, heavy rains had blocked the river. In despair, Miyuki attempted to throw herself into the river, but the innkeeper caught up with her and stopped her. The innkeeper was actually the father of Miyuki's wet nurse and had once served Miyuki's family. Born in the year of the Koshi, he committed suicide, claiming that his blood could cure Miyuki's eyesight. Thanks to that, Miyuki's eyes are healed.
Ebisu arrives at the village headman's house carrying a fishing rod. The village headman serves him sacred sake and entertains him. After drinking his cup, Ebisu begins to dance, telling the story of his birth and how he is the god of fortune. In front of the bounty of the sea and the mountains, he drinks the sacred sake to make everyone's wishes come true and bring happiness. Now drunk, Ebisu gets on a boat and goes out to sea, where he catches a large sea bream, and ends the night by dancing and shouting "Congratulations, congratulations!"
~Pilgrim's Song~
Jurobei and his wife Oyumi are living in Osaka searching for the heirloom sword of the Tamaki family of Tokushima, and Jurobei has joined a group of thieves. While Oyumi is praying to the gods and Buddhas, a pilgrim girl visits her. She is about the same age as Oyumi's daughter, whom he left behind in his home province, and Oyumi listens to her story. She tells him of her journey from Tokushima in search of her parents. Upon hearing her parents' names, Oyumi realizes she is indeed his daughter. He suppresses his desire to embrace her immediately and call her mother, and urges her to return home, fearing that the sins of thieving will befall his daughter. Oyumi begs Otsuru to let her stay, but she tearfully sends her away. As the pilgrim's song Otsuru sings fades away, Oyumi breaks down in tears. However, she realizes that if they part ways, they will never see each other again, and hurries after Otsuru.
~The Sake Shop Stage~
Hanshichi, the son of Hanbei, the owner of Akaneya, a sake merchant in Kamishiomachi, Osaka, fell in love with a female dancer named Mikatsu, and even had a daughter with her, paying no attention to his wife, Osono. Osono's father, Sogishi, was so moved that he took her back to his family home, and Hanshichi was disowned. Heartbroken to see Osono continue to grieve over her separation from Hanshichi even after she returned home, Sogishi brought Osono with him and begged him to take her back as his wife. However, Hanshichi was being pursued for murder, and Hanbei, thinking of Osono's sake, refused. Hanbei went to the magistrate's office and was tied up in Hanshichi's place. Everyone was moved to tears by the love between the two fathers. While everyone was talking together in the room, Osono remained alone, longing for her missing husband and asking, "Where is Hanshichi at this time?"
