For hundreds of years, puppet theatre thrived in the farming communities around Tokushima. Performances can still be seen here, in the former residence of Bandō Jūrobe, a samurai who allowed himself to be executed for a crime he didn't commit in order to preserve the good name of his master. The tale inspired the drama Keisei Awa no Naruto, first performed in 1768. Sections from the play are performed at 11am and 2pm daily.
To get to the museum, take a bus for Tomiyoshi Danchi (富吉団地) from bus stop 7 at Tokushima bus terminal and get off at the Jūrobe Yashiki-mae stop (¥270, 25 minutes). More puppets can be seen at the nearby Awa Deko Ningyō Kaikan. This small museum displays puppets made by the in-house master, who also gives talks (in Japanese) on the puppet-making process.
