Location: Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo City
Site(s) of performance: Anywhere
Date(s): Anytime
Designation: Prefecture-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property
Category: Puppet Theater and Kabuki
Even though it is called Sarukura Puppet Theater, it is based on Momoyake Puppet Theater, which started in Momoyake (former Chokai Town). Yohachi Ikeda learned puppet theater in Tokyo from puppet master Yoshida, who was from Gunma Prefecture. Yohachi added the elements of Bungaku to establish his own puppet theater. In the old days, his troupe visited rural areas during the off-season for farmers and performed on simple stages set up in private houses.
