Awaji Puppet Theater

The Awaji Puppet Theater (淡路人形座, Awaji Ningyōza), located in Minamiawaji, is the cultural heart of Awaji Ningyo Joruri, a traditional puppet performance style with deep roots in Japan's Edo period. The theater hosts daily performances in an intimate 180-seat venue, where each puppet is controlled by three skilled puppeteers. These captivating performances are enhanced by live shamisen music, dramatic chanting, and narration, offering a truly immersive experience. Visitors are given English story summaries to help them follow the narrative, and after the show, they can meet the puppeteers and even pose with the puppets for a memorable photo opportunity.

Awaji Island was once a major center for puppet theater in western Japan, home to 38 puppet troupes. In order to preserve this vanishing art form, the Awaji Puppet Theater Company was established in 1969. Since 2012, the company has performed daily in their dedicated theater in Fukura, continuing the island's rich puppet tradition. A unique feature of Awaji's puppets is their large, expressive heads, which are prominently displayed in the lobby. Whether you're passionate about history, culture, or performance art, a visit to the Awaji Puppet Theater provides both an educational and entertaining experience, showcasing one of Japan’s most cherished traditional performing arts.