Hachioji Kuruma Ningyo is a traditional performing art developed in the late Edo period as a form of solo-operated puppet theater.It was founded by the first Nishikawa Koryu (Yamagishi Ryukichi), born in 1825 in what is now Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture. Performed in the narrative chanting style of sekkyobushi, this puppet theater spread from the late Edo period into the Meiji era across Hachioji and surrounding villages.The most distinctive feature of Kuruma Ningyo is that the puppeteer performs while seated on a small wheeled stool known as a rokuro-guruma.The puppeteer controls the puppet by gripping a mechanism attached to its heels with their toes, manipulating cords connected to the puppet’s arms with the right hand, and operating the left arm and head with the left hand, while also using their fingers to move the eyes, mouth, and eyebrows.Because the puppet performs with its feet directly on the stage, it creates a dynamic and expressive style unlike other forms of puppet theater.Today, Kuruma Ningyo is preserved in Hachioji by the Nishikawa Koryuza troupe in Shimo-Ongata.In addition to traditional performances, the troupe actively explores new forms of expression, collaborating with other performing arts such as ballet and rakugo, making full use of the puppet’s flexibility. Their activities extend beyond Japan, with performances held around the world.In recognition of its cultural value, Hachioji Kuruma Ningyo was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 2022.