See and Take Part in Japanese Puppetry at the Iida Puppet Festa
Iida Culture Hall , others : 飯田文化会館ほか

Description

Iida's Puppet Festa showcases Iida City's heritage as Japan's Puppet Theater Capital. See performances of everything from traditional Japanese 'bunraku' puppetry to classical and modern European puppetry troupes.

Recommendation

Iida City is at the crossroads of Eastern and Western puppetry. Known as "Puppet Show Town", Iida has two puppetry theaters, Kuroda Puppetry and Imada Puppetry. They have histories that back over 300 years. Every August, the entire city of Iida becomes host and stage of Japan's biggest puppetry festival. Theater troupes from across Japan, Asia, and as far away as Europe congregate at Iida, with the fair featuring various forms and styles of puppetry from traditional ‘bunraku’ hand and shadow puppets to more modern forms of object theater, pantomime, and ventriloquism. The puppet shows are held at over 100 venues throughout the city. In addition, there is a parade featuring the puppetry groups as well as hands-on workshops and a midnight theater.
Those who wish to learn more about Iida's puppetry heritage can visit the Iida City Kawamoto Kihachiro Puppet Museum. Kawamoto-san was a master puppeter
and is best known for his work on national broadcaster NHK's long running TV series, Romance of the Three Kingdomss (1982-84) and The Tale of the Heike (1993-94). His puppet creations for the shows are considered to be works of art as well as examples of traditional craftsmanship.

Details

Hours

Various

Date(s)

2017 dates are August 1st thru August 6th. For detailed schedules, see the official website.

Cost / Price of Admission

Festival button (700 yen) allows access to most events. Can be purchased at Iida City businesses, tourism office and at the individual theater sites. (Some performances require an additional entrance fee, 500-2500 yen.)

Time Required

Varies by show

Reservations

Not required(Not required. Advance tickets for shows requiring separate entrance fees can be purchased starting 28-June, 2015.)

Foreign Languages

(English brochure available. Guidance at the venues is in Japanese.)

Contact

tel : +81(0)265-23-3552fax : +81(0)265-23-3533Official site

Access / Location

By Train

From Iida Station(JR Iida Line), 

By Car

From Iida IC, 

Address

5-5-1 (120 various locations throughout the city) Takaha, Iida 395-0051

Nearby Attractions

Sightseeing Spots

• Narai-juku Post Town : "Narai of a Thousand Houses" -- Longest Post Town in all of Japan.
• Yokokawa Gorge : Picturesque Gorge Famous for Vibrant Spring and Fall Colors.
• Suwa Grand Shrine Kamisuwa Honmiya (Main Hall) : Historical Shrine of the Great Pillars Festival
• Suwa Garasunosato (Glass Center) : Japan's Largest Glass Art-Related Activities Center
• Okaya Silk Museum “Silk Fact Okaya” : Silk Museum Adjacent to an Actual Operating Silk Factory

Accommodation

• Yoshino-tei on the Tenryu River : Secluded Inn Overlooking the Tenryu River
• Ryukyo-tei on the Tenryu River : Hotel Perched on a Cliff above the Picturesque Tenryu Gorge
• Keigetsu in Hirugami Onsen : Traditional Japanese Inn with Accents of Local Wood Furnishings Throughout.
• Hotel Kisoji in Nagiso : Onsen Resort Hotel embracing the history and natural beauty of the Kiso Region.
• Kisoji-inn Daikichi : Small Inn Featuring Warm Wood Touches in a Relaxing Natural Setting.

Restaurants

• Chuo Alps Tozan-Guchi Meiji-tei : At the Base of the Chuo Alps, Sauce-Katsu with their own Original Sauce.
• Yoshimuraya : Handmade Soba Noodle Restaurant in Tsumago-juku Post Town.
• Soba Kurumaya : Classic Kiso Hand-made Soba Shop with a 300-Year History.
• Bistro　Matsushima-tei : Historical Post Town Building Reborn as Italian.
• Farm Restaurant Tomato no Ki : Buffet-style Restaurant with Views of the Southern Alps.

Activities

• Japanese Confectionary (Wagashi) Making : Making ‘Wagashi’ Is an Art – Iida’s Famous Confectionary Shop Teaches the Techniques.
• Apple Picking in Iida's Sanwa Orchard : Fruit-Picking and Apple Pie Baking at this Large Orchard.
• Tenryu River Boat Tour : Ride the Rapids of the Tenryu River’s Mid-Stretch with Traditionally-Garbed Guides.
• Togakure-ryu Ninja Training : The Ninjutsu Martial Arts tradition in Nagano
• Tenryu River Rhein Boat Ride : Leisurely Boat Ride through the Beautiful Tenryu River Gorge.