Senju Puppet Company is an independent theater formation, created in 2018. Our mission is to preserve and pass on the traditions of Takeda theater - a marionette tradition from Japan, dating back to the 17th century, and to work for the development of the puppet theater language.

Our mentor is Senju Takeda - the last and only heir of the Takeda Theater in the world! With his help, we have modernized this marionette system to suit the modern theatrical conditions, while preserving the most precious of Japanese tradition.

Takeda Theater has existed since the 17th century and bears the name of the well-known Takeda Oomi - actor, director and set designer. Takeda puppets differ from other puppets in their realism. They are extremely detailed, and the proportions of their parts are like the proportions of the parts of a real human body. Great precision is required from the actors in bringing these puppets to life and leading them. Their clothes are made from recreated authentic Japanese kimonos, their hair is made of silk, and their bodies are made of Japanese wood.

Takeda puppets have specific guides, as well as lots of strings - an average of 14 strings. Therefore, leading such a puppet can be likened to playing a musical instrument. Another characteristic of the Takeda theater is the height from which the puppets are guided. The actors are mounted on a high platform, and the strings of each puppet are about 2 meters long.

Our team includes more than 10 artists dedicated to puppetry. For several years now, our performances "The Samurai's Daughter" and "Issun Boshi" have presented the beauty, precision and grace of the Takeda Theater to the audience - in Bulgaria and around the world.

The Samurai's Daughter, performance for childre

Issue Bosh, performance for children

Marathon of Japanese Arts

Theatre festivals

• 2023 - Targovishte, Bulgaria - International festival of performances for children "The Magic Curtain"

• 2022 – Békéscsaba, Hungary - International Theater Festival "Békéscsabai Mezmetökze Bábfesztivál"

• 2021 – Bursa, Turkey - International Puppet and Shadow Theater Festival "Karagöz"

• 2021 – Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina - International Children's Puppet Theater Festival "Lut Fest"

• 2021 –Plovdiv, Bulgaria - International Puppet and Theater Festival "Three Are Too Many, Two – Not Enough"

• 2019 – Burgas, Bulgaria - International Puppet Festival "Puppet Days"


Tours

• 2022 - Tour of the performance "Issun Boshi" in Bulgaria, including the towns of Velingrad, Dryanovo, Elin Pelin, Pernik, Pazardzhik, Ruse, Varshets and Gabrovo

• 2021-2022 - Tour of the show "The Samurai's Daughter" in Bulgaria, including the towns of Velingrad, Pazardzhik, Dryanovo, Elin Pelin and Sozopol


Other participation

• Participation in the "Festival of East Asian Cultures" 2023, Veliko Tarnovo

• Participation in "Comic Con" 2019, Sofia

• Participation in "Days of Japanese Culture" 2019, Sofia

• Participation in "Days of Japanese Culture" 2018, Sofia