Manjusaka (red spider lilies) are
mysterious red flowers that make autumn scene vivid in Japan. The color, the figure, and the poison of the
flowers inspired various folklores; they are called the flowers of ominous and
fortune. In the show, a lily is compared
to a young prostitute who was doomed to live a painful life. Without any words, her sorrow is presented
through movement and dance. Michika IIDA
created the puppet for her master Hoichi OKAMOTO on the second anniversary of
his death (sankaiki). With tune of
tsugaru-jamisen (string instrument), the bewitching puppet in beautiful kimono
costume acts via manipulation method directly taught by Hoichi OKAMOTO. The unfortunate character prays for better
life and her wish is symbolized in the dozens of small dolls that appear in her
red undergarment; the dolls are sarukko (baby monkeys) in tsurushi-kazari (hanging
ornaments) that are one of Japanese traditional crafts.