Imada Puppet Troupe

The Troupe traces its origins to 1704, when a group of villagers purchased puppets to use in Shinto religious rites during the local shrine festival.

In the late nineteenth century the Troupe became established under its current name, enjoying considerable regional recognition and popularity.

Today the Troupe, headed by puppeteer Tamon Sawayanagi, performs regularly on tour and in its own theater, the Imada Puppetry Hall, which was completed in 1993 on the grounds of the Omiya Hachimangu Shrine in Iida.

The Imada Troupe has also created new pieces for the traditional theater, including Kotaro Monogatari, which premiered in 1983 and was revived for the 30th Iida Puppetry Festival in 2008.

The Troupe also has hosted summer puppetry training programs many times for American students at the Imada Puppetry Hall in conjunction with the University of Missouri and the American-based Japanese traditional puppet theater group, Bunraku Bay Puppet Troupe.

Imada Puppet Theater Performance of Yaoya Oshichi at Princeton University during their 2009 US Tour.
The Imada Puppetry Hall (Imada ningyō no yakata 今田人形の館) in the Tatsue District of the city of Iida in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The Hall is located on the grounds of the Omiya Hachimangu Shrine (visible at right). The photograph above was taken during the Iida Puppetry Festival in August 2006.