MK Guide Recommends

The National Bunraku Theatre, located in Osaka’s Chuo Ward, is the leading venue for Japan’s UNESCO-recognized traditional puppet theater. Established in 1984, the theater preserves and promotes bunraku through regular performances featuring talented puppeteers, narrators, and shamisen musicians working together. The building includes a main hall designed for authentic staging, as well as a smaller hall for rakugo, traditional music, and cultural events. With subtitles and explanatory programs available, the theater welcomes both Japanese and international audiences, ensuring the rich tradition of bunraku remains accessible and lively. As one of Osaka’s most important cultural sites, it provides a rare chance to experience an art form closely connected to the city’s identity.