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Why do Bunraku puppeteers perform in view of the audience?

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bugaku performance — Japanese performing arts *Bugaku*, a court dance adapted to Japanese tastes from the dance and music of 8th-century China and Korea.

In Bunraku, the traditional Japanese puppet theatre, puppeteers perform in view of the audience as a standard practice that emerged in the 18th century. Prior to this period, puppet manipulators remained hidden, but they eventually moved into the open to operate the dolls directly on stage.1

The performance involves a team of three puppeteers for each principal doll:
* The chief handler, who is dressed in 18th-century attire, operates the head and right hand of the puppet.1
* Two helpers, who are dressed and hooded in black to make themselves appear invisible, operate the left hand and the legs or feet of the doll.1

This collaborative technique requires extensive training to ensure the puppeteers achieve perfect synchronization, allowing them to portray complex emotions and lifelike movements through the puppets while remaining visible to the audience.1