Roadside Station Seiwa Bunraku-eup

Kyushu's only remaining rural bunraku
Roadside station that also conveys local culture

It consists of the Seiwa Bussan Kan, a product store, and the Seiwa Bunraku Kan, a bunraku theater and museum. The former village of Seiwa (which ceased to exist with the Heisei merger) is located in a mountainous area at an altitude of 500 to 800 meters above sea level. It is a farming village where highland vegetables are cultivated and organic, pesticide-free farming is popular. The Seiwa Bunraku Kan, which is adjacent to the product center, regularly presents rural bunraku performances. In fact, even after Kiyowa Village became Yamato Town, it has maintained a rural bunraku performance that has continued since the Edo period and is the only existing rural bunraku performance in Kyushu. Visitors can also enjoy explanations and hands-on operation of bunraku puppets in the museum building. The restaurant in the product center offers a variety of theatrical lunch boxes for groups, as well as "Bunraku dagojiru zen" (1,650 yen) and other dishes.

Map of Roadside Station Seiwa Bunraku-eup

Roadside Station Seiwa Bunraku-eup Gourmet Information

Tomatoes are the most popular local product.

In Yamato Town, where the temperature difference between day and night is large, summer and autumn tomatoes are widely produced. The main variety is "Rinka 409. The large tomatoes produced in Yamato Town are highly nutritious, with just the right amount of acidity to stimulate the appetite, and a good balance of sugar content. They are also known for their color and gloss. Some farmers also grow mini-tomatoes, most of which are of the "Sun Cherry Pure" variety. Unlike fruit tomatoes, which are sweet, these tomatoes have an excellent flavor with just the right amount of acidity. Tomato juice is also sold at the product center.

This is the one to eat. Bunraku Dago Jiru Set

The "Bunraku Dagojiru Set" (1,750 yen tax included) served at the station's restaurant includes sweetened and stewed landlocked salmon, boiled rice, mixed rice, and seasonal small bowls. The mixed rice is a mixture of sweet and spicy ingredients such as burdock root and bamboo shoots mixed with rice. The nishime, which looks simple at first glance, shows the care with which the flavors are soaked into the core and the vivid colors of the dish. It can be said that this is the true taste of Japanese cuisine, bringing out the flavor of the ingredients and the deliciousness of the broth. There are also four types of "Oshibai bento," which require reservations, all named after heroines of Ningyo Joruri puppet plays. We hope you will enjoy them with your Seiwa Bunraku viewing experience.

Buy this Ghibier

In recent years, the station has been focusing on wild boar and deer meat. Wild boars and deer, which destroy crops in mountainous areas, have become a problem. In Kumamoto Prefecture, the formation of "farmer hunters" by young farmers has become a hot topic. In Yamato Town, "Gibier Kobo Yamato" opened and has been selling sausages, thighs, and roasts at a roadside station since 2018. It boasts of being neither smelly nor tough. They say it is best simply grilled with salt. The restaurant also serves gibier curry.

Around Roadside Station Seiwa Bunraku-eup

Seiwa Bunraku Kan

I'm proud of this one too.

Seiwa Bunraku Kan is the only theater in Kyushu dedicated to ningyo joruri (puppet theater). The performance lasts about one hour. The shamisen plays, the tayu's gidayubushi (traditional Japanese ballad) echoes loudly, and the puppets begin to move as if their breath had been breathed into the audience. The power of expression was nothing short of magnificent. The audience was quickly drawn into the world of the puppet show. After the show, the audience is invited to take pictures with the puppets and sometimes even touch them.