Kampung Wayang Kepuhsari in Wonogiri Regency, Central Java Province


An interesting village like Kepuhsari should be tourists’ prime destination when visiting Wonogiri Regency. Why is that? People also call it Kampung Wayang Kepuhsari. As the name suggests, the village has a signature culture which is the shadow puppets or Wayang. That means visitors can easily find the puppeteers and visit local workshops where those arts are made. As for the location, the village belongs to Manyaran Sub-District. The fact is almost all villagers in that area are able to make Wayang Kulit! This explains why the village is considered the greatest producer of Wayang in Wonogiri and nearby regions.

The Nuance
Speaking of nuance, Kepuhsari Village is peaceful and beautiful. It is located in a hilly area and the village is surrounded by rocky hills and karsts. Not to mention visitors may find numerous types of trees, especially teaks and sapodilla trees. Plus, the village features terraced farms with their majestic views. During the dry season, in fact, those farms turn yellow and more stunning. As for the villagers, they are quite friendly and most of them work as Wayang makers! Despite their traditional way of living, they have adapted to a modern life well though.

Exploring Kampung Wayang Kepuhsari
It can be said Kepuhsari Village is one of the biggest producers of Wayang Kulit in Indonesia. The reason is that almost all villagers have the knowledge and experiences in making one. According to the locals, the techniques have been handed down for generations since hundreds of years ago! It is said the first teacher was Kyai Kempong who was the apprentice of the famous puppeteer namely Kyai Panjang Mas. It was during the Amangkurat I Era, actually.

The good thing is tourists are allowed to watch the procession from the beginning until the end! For the information, it takes about 15 days in order to prepare the materials and make the frames. The shadow puppets are ready to sell after one month of production, in fact! When it comes to quality, Kepuhsari Village indeed involves both diligence and precision! No wonder, the results are always satisfying! Not only tourists are allowed to watch the production process, but they can also buy some products directly from the makers! The price is cheaper than that of the market, for sure.

What is more? Kepuhsari Village provides a special tour package to visitors! It is said tourists can take a class to learn how to make Wayang Kulit! Not to mention the village provides several homestays where visitors can rest and sleep during the visit. Moreover, they have the chance to learn how to play Gamelan there!

Nearby Attractions

  • Tugu Muda Kepuhsari
  • Gronjal Field

How to Get There
A trip to Wonogiri Regency may take about 3 hours and 25 minutes if tourists come from Semarang City. The distance is 169 km, but the trip becomes faster if they take Semarang – Solo Highway. From Wonogiri, they only need to take 1 hour and 17 minutes to reach Kepuhsari Village at Manyaran Sub-District. The distance is 42.5 km, after all. It can even be faster if they take Raya Pracimantoro – Wonogiri Street.

Where to Stay

  • Soekarto Villa
  • Arjuna Homestay


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