National Bunraku Theatre

Some performances are extremely well setup to help non-Japanese speakers understand this fascinating art in the best way, so I'd really recommend getting tickets for those specific performances if you're a bunraku newbie like me. I caught the third act of the summer evening program and was very engaged by it all - the English subtitles for the live performance were extremely professional both in technical execution/timing and the use of language, and there was even a brief English introduction to bunraku at the start with a chance to take photos. The narrators and musicians are just as captivating as the puppeteers - you can truly see the mastery and dedication applied to their craft. The free exhibition hall is very well curated (English) and gives a lot of rich insight into the history and context of bunraku. All the staff are the loveliest and so helpful. There is a food kiosk selling drinks and bentos during the intermission, and the gift store has a nice selection of souvenirs too. Would highly recommend catching a show if you enjoy live theatre - tickets are really easy to get online through their official website.

Kabuki, Noh, and Bunraku theatre are 3 major traditional theatre arts in Japan. Bunraku was designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2003. We saw a single-act (Sushiya-90 minutes performance) of the play, "Yoshitdune and One Thousand Cherry Trees." It takes an entire day to watch the whole play (1030-2020hrs) with short breaks in between each act. The single-act Sushiya costs ¥3,500 and was about 90 minutes long. It was fascinating watching the puppeteers accompanied by the narrator and shamisen acting out the scenes. An English audio guide (¥500 for rental) is a must if you want to understand and enjoy the performance. I would strongly recommend seeing a single-act of Bunraku if one is in Osaka. The theatre is a one minute walk from Nippombashi Station. Do go early, as there is an exhibition (free entry) of Bunraku at the theatre.

Went to an introduction to Bunraku theatre with an English spoken explanation at the beginning and English subtitles above the stage during the main performances. It was a fantastic, cultural experience, with a gripping story and a gorgeous theatre space. Would massively recommend to anyone wanting to experience some Japanese tradition without it feeling touristy, yet catered to English speakers.

Staff was very friendly. The EG-G app they provided worked well. They have a little museum that's worth visiting. The Bunraku performance was much more elaborate than I expected. Some minor complaints was that the auditorium was too bright during the performance when compared to theaters that I'm used to; the layout and chair placement (I was sitting in the front, stage-left) made it hard to observe the show, the narrator & musician, and the app all at the same time; and the store was quite small. I really wanted to purchase a puppet part, like a hand or head, but they did not have any puppets for sale.

This was an excellent show that gave a short history and lesson on Bunraku and how it is done followed by a captivating story. The staff were very kind and helpful as well. Would recommend for a great cultural experience!

Amazing cultural experience. Don’t miss this, but a front seat ticket though or carry binoculars if you’re not sitting in front. Truly a masterful display of theatrics.

The National Bunraku Theatre was one of my highlights in Osaka. Seeing the rich storytelling of the puppet masters was an engaging night. The translation app worked well. My only regret is I didn't get to learn the ultimate fate of Sankichi.

Wonderful experience for tourists seeking lical culture. Tickets for one act are a good way to experience the theater, and combined with the efficient translation app for the play it was very well suited for outsiders like us.

The Day that we visited no shows were available but they let us take a look around and went into one room with the puppets on display so cool! and the history behind bunraku founded in Osaka in 1684. It's easy to get here by rail and couple blocks to walk , you will not get lost. I posted pic's and hopefully you will get to visit this theatre too. They do have a website in English with posted monthly shows and events.

I saw a Bunraku puppet play entitled "Sonezaki Shinjyu" (Shinjyu means a double suicide) written by Chikamatsu Monzaemon (a famous Joruri writer during Edo period) at National Bunraku Theater. I'm a fan of Bunraku. I first saw a Joruri play in Awaji Island. I was excited to see the skillful manipulation played by three puppeteers of a left-hand player, leg player and body player. It takes many years to aquire the manipulation skill. I was very shocked and got angry to know that subsidies for Bunraku would be reduced, unless the staff of Bunraku developed performance achievements. Bunraku is Osaka's traditional culture that we are proud of. I hope it will last forever. So my husband and I bought tickets to see the puppet play. We applied for it on the day of the play and regrettably had rear seats. From the distant sight we didn't see the play well. If you see a Bunraku puppet play, you had better get a ticket earlier in advance. It is better to see it at the fifth row. The story and puppets' movement are wonderful!! It is accompanied with Joruri or classical ballad music, which is also excellent!