When did bunraku begin?

Bunraku is a form of puppet theater unique to Japan in which the puppets are manipulated from behind.
They are manipulated in accordance with music and chants known as joruri.
One puppet requires the coordination of three people.
This form developed around the Bunroku and Keicho periods (1592-1614) at the end of the Azuchi-Momoyaｍa period, and came to flourish in various regions beginning in the Edo period (1600-1868).
Around the end of the 17th century, Takemoto Gidayu perfected the manipulation of the puppets, while a great number of dramas were written which reached a new height of artistry.
Bunraku performances are regularly staged at the National Theater in Tokvo and at the National Bunraku Theater in Osaka.