Location : Chuo Ward, Osaka City
Delivery Period : March 2014
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The National Bunraku Theater in Chuo Ward, Osaka City, opened in 1984 as the fourth National Theater. The year 2014 marked the 30th anniversary of the theater’s opening, which saw the installation of the fourth new stage curtain. The "pine tree" depicted on the curtain is a key theme, featured since the theater's opening. Every 10 years, a new curtain has been crafted, showing the gradual growth of the pine tree. The current curtain, titled Soryu Yusho-zu (Depiction of a Steady Stream and Pines), presents the tree’s further growth. The design is based on the Hamamatsu-zu Byobu (Wind-Swept Pines Folding Screen) by Momoyama-period artist Kaiho Yusho. The scene depicted balances bold composition with a contrast between decorative elements dividing the water and beach and realistic depictions of the pine trees in both foreground and background. The vivid flowing water symbolizes the source of life, representing Osaka, a city historically nurtured and developed by water.
