Short answers, pulled from the story.
Bunraku was established in 1684 when three men in black robes began manipulating life-sized dolls behind a low curtain in an Osaka theater. This event marked the birth of the form and the beginning of its survival for over three centuries.
Chikamatsu Monzaemon is the playwright known as the Shakespeare of Japan who was born in 1653 and wrote over one hundred plays. His collaboration with the chanter Takemoto Gidayu in 1684 established the Takemoto puppet theater and elevated puppet theater from a street performance to a high art form.
Three puppeteers manipulate a single Bunraku puppet to create fluid movement and emotional expression. The main puppeteer controls the head with his left hand and the right hand with his right hand, while a second puppeteer controls the left hand and a third puppeteer operates the feet and legs.
The chanter or tayu is the heart of the Bunraku performance responsible for narrating the story and voicing all characters in the play. The chanter shifts between genders, ages, and personalities to bring the puppets to life and creates the emotional landscape alongside the shamisen player.
The National Bunraku Theatre is located in Osaka and offers five or more shows every year. Each show runs for two to three weeks before the theater moves to Tokyo for a run at the National Theater.