Japanese professional company founded in 1967 by Tange Susumu, a former chef with a passion for puppetry. Although the region of Nagoya had been a theatre district since the Edo era (1603-1868), it did not have a professional puppet troupe. Therefore, Musubi-za’s arrival filled a gap.

Directed by Tanaka Kanji, who took over the troupe after the founder, the Musubi-za is very active in theatre for children, organizing many tours in collaboration with the network Oyako Gekijō which specializes in family theatre. Among the most popular productions are Torakku Torasuke (Torasuke the Truck) and adaptations based on the adventures of the Monkey King – hero of a popular Chinese late Ming novel, Journey to the West – which was a well-received triumph.

The troupe of over forty members performs in schools and kindergartens with shows such as Ishi no uma (Stone Horse) and Otamajakushi no Hyakui’chan (Hyakui’chan the Tadpole). It also presents plays for adults, with stories drawn from episodes of Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji), the great classic 11th century novel.

(See Japan.)