National Bunraku Theatre

Bunraku, the classical puppet theatre of Japan, grew up in Osaka, and the National Bunraku Theatre in Nipponbashi is its national home. The art form is recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, and a performance here is one of the most distinctive cultural experiences the city offers: large, finely costumed puppets acted out in full view of the audience, with dramatic narration and shamisen music carrying the story.

The building has two auditoriums. The main Bunraku Theatre on the second floor seats 753, and a small hall on the third floor seats 159. As well as bunraku, the theatre stages Japanese dance, traditional music and popular entertainment, so check the schedule for what is on during your visit. Bunraku is not performed every day of the year but in programmed seasons, and tickets for popular runs can sell out, so it is worth booking as soon as dates are announced.

The theatre is welcoming to visitors who do not speak Japanese. Venue guidance is in English and Japanese, bunraku programmes include English explanations, and some performances come with free English explanations. Once a year, in June, special performances for overseas visitors add explanations or subtitles in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and French. If you are new to the form, it can help to read the plot summary before the curtain goes up, since the plays are long and the language is classical. Some visitors choose a single act rather than a whole programme.

Accessibility is good. Wheelchair users can take the lift at Exit 10 of Nipponbashi Station to the main entrance, a lift inside serves the lobby and both auditoriums, there are wheelchair spaces on each side of the main auditorium, and wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge from reception. Discounts are available for disability certificate holders and wheelchair users, with one companion paying the same rate. The building opens at 10:00 and stays open until shortly after the last performance; it closes over the New Year from 29 December to 2 January and on 1 July.

The theatre is a one-minute walk from Nipponbashi Station on the Osaka Metro Sakaisuji and Sennichimae lines, and from Exit 7 of Kintetsu Nipponbashi Station. It is close to Kuromon Ichiba Market and within walking distance of Dotonbori and Namba, so a matinee fits easily between a market lunch and an evening in Minami. Performances suit adults and older children with an interest in theatre, history or craftsmanship, and couples looking for something different from the usual nightlife.