Joruri

Joruri is a form of traditional Japanese narrative music used in bunraku puppet theatre. It combines a chanter’s vocal narration with shamisen accompaniment to perform the dialogue and monologues of puppet plays. The term can refer to the music itself, the singing style, or the repertoire performed in bunraku.

Originating in Osaka during the early Edo period, joruri developed alongside bunraku puppetry. The most influential tradition is gidayū-bushi, named after the chanter Takemoto Gidayu, who helped establish the modern style in collaboration with the dramatist Chikamatsu Monzaemon. The gidayū narrator sings in a regulated, syllabic recitative, while the shamisen provides melodic and rhythmic support. In bunraku performances, a single chanter voices all characters’ lines, guided by the puppeteers and the musical accompaniment.

The repertoire includes dramas drawn largely from Chikamatsu’s plays, ranging from tragic love stories to social melodramas. The texts are in classical Japanese and are typically performed in chant-like form, with emotional emphasis conveyed through vocal inflection and pacing rather than through acting alone.

Today, joruri remains a central element of bunraku and its distinctive vocal style has influenced other Japanese performance traditions and modern theatre. It is performed in specialized theatres and teaching contexts, preserving both the craft of the chanter and the accompanying shamisen technique.