PuppetVision Blog

PuppetVision Archives: Japanese puppetry

21 Sep 2012 Giant snake from the Sekikawa Giant Snake Festival in Sekikawa-mura, Niigata, Japan

"Officially" the world's largest puppet is a giant marionette that serves as the mascot for Ottawa's annual Ital-Fest. But measuring just 17 m 82 cm (58 ft 5.5 in) it pales in comparison to what I'm convinced is the truly world's largest puppet, a truly massive bamboo and straw snake in Niigata, Japan that is...

21 Aug 2012 Kasou Taishou 88

Ninja puppets + bamboo = awesome in this clip from the most recent installment of Kasou Taishou, which was broadcast in Japan earlier this...

06 Dec 2011 Kasou Taishou 86

It's been awhile since we've checked in with Kasou Taishou, the awesome twice-annual Japanese game show/competition where people complete against each other by staging skits with outrageous props, costumes and puppets. Here's a look at some of the best skits from the latest installment of...

13 Jul 2011 Japan’s Kawasemiza

I love simple, beautiful, life-like puppetry. Kawasemiza - a Japanese puppetry company that tours internationally - seems to do a lot of that....

27 Jan 2011 Kasou Taisho 85

The latest edition of Kasou Taisho aired in Japan recently and as usual, there were a lot of interesting and innovative skits to be...

02 Dec 2010 Galaxy Boy Troop

Osamu Tezuka famously created Astro Boy. Less well known is his work in live action, specifically the 1960s Japanese puppet sci-fi series Galaxy Boy...

05 May 2009 may-09-kasou-taisho

Kasou Taishou – a semi-annual competition with skits that frequently involve Bunraku-style puppetry- aired in Japan Wednesday night. The latest Kasou Taishou special aired in Japan tonight which, in Japan, is already yesterday (it’s like they live permanently in the future!).  Here are some of the best entries: Update: Unfortunately the YouTube account that was...

02 May 2009 japanese-jelly-commercial

This commercial is another interesting (odd?) use of puppetry from Japan. Badly performed puppets starring in a commercial for zero calorie gelatin in Japan (I have no idea). Via Japan...

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