Japan is a place where tradition and modern don’t clash, but rather coexist — and nowhere is this more striking than in Osaka, where you can step off a shinkansen and, minutes later, watch a classical artform unfold onstage.
Bunraku is a form of traditional Japanese theater performed by a narrator (tayu), a shamisen player and puppeteers to bring a story to life. The artform’s history can be traced back to the 1600s, and is originally local to Osaka’s Dotonbori district. Located near the bustling Namba neighborhood and iconic billboards like the Glico Man, the National Bunraku Theatre is the preeminent destination for traditional Japanese puppet theatrics.
The Magical World of Bunraku
While many may be more familiar with other styles of Japanese traditional theater such as kabuki, bunraku has an equally rich history. Registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008, it delivers a gorgeous spectacle that cannot be missed.
For those unfamiliar with the art form, the mention of puppets might call to mind children, or be seen as more simplistic entertainment, but bunraku presents sophisticated dramas crafted for mature audiences performed by disciplined masters of their craft. Bunraku is performed by a tayu (narrator), a shamisen (three-stringed spike lute) player and three puppeteers who maneuver puppets in seamless artistry. The tayu’s powerful voice narrates each scene and recites the dialogue for all of the characters. The shamisen player adds atmospheric depth and evokes emotional complexity that guides the flow of the show. The puppeteers create such smooth and precise movements that the puppet appears to act like an actual living being.
The wood-carved puppets are directed by the main puppeteer (omo-zukai) who operates the head and right hand of the puppet. The left puppeteer (hidari-zukai) operates the left hand of the puppet, and the ashi-zukai operates the puppet’s feet. The main puppeteer cues to signal the others without speaking, moving in perfect synchronization to breathe life into the puppet. The path to become a main puppeteer can take upwards of 20 years of training to master.
The puppets are pieces of art in themselves, hand crafted with many details and adorned with elaborate costumes. The puppets’ faces have special mechanisms to create different expressions and in an instant, can transform a beautiful princess into a terrifying demon.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY NATIONAL BUNRAKU THEATRE
Bringing History to the Stage
While the days of samurai and the shogunate are now gone, bunraku provides an opportunity to explore legendary stories. Various bunraku plays depict historical incidents, dramatic love affairs and famous mythology. The January 2026 performance at the National Bunraku Theatre includes Shin Usuyuki Monogatari (The New Tale of Princess Usuyuki), which tells a samurai-era story of an ill-fated love affair.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY NATIONAL BUNRAKU THEATRE
Experience Bunraku in its Birthplace
The National Bunraku Theatre is the ideal venue to experience bunraku right in its birthplace with particular accessibility for newcomers. Full-length tickets are available for those who want to experience an entire performance, but single-act tickets offer a way to enjoy just one act — some lasting as little as 30 minutes. These single-act tickets can be purchased online in advance, making them an easy, low-commitment option to drop in and enjoy bunraku between sightseeing plans. English audio guides and synopses are also available, ensuring that even non-Japanese speakers can follow the story with ease.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY NATIONAL BUNRAKU THEATRE
Osaka’s National Bunraku Theatre: 2026 Schedule and Tickets
The National Bunraku Theatre’s 2026 schedule begins with January performances. Tickets can be booked online with English support.
From January 3 – January 27, 2026, the New Year bunraku performance will include Kotobuki Shiki Sanbaso (Ceremonial Sanbaso), Sesshu Gappo Ga Tsuji (The Tale of Tamate Gozen), Shin Usuyuki Monogatari (The New Tale of Princess Usuyuki), Tsubosaka Kannon Reigenki (The Miracle at Tsubosaka Kannon Temple) and Renjishi (The Lion Dance) as the featured acts.
The April bunraku performance will include Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami (Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy), Ninin Kamuro (The Little Girls in the Pleasure Quarters) and Hiragana Seisuiki (The Rise and Fall of the Genji Clan).
In June, the theater will showcase its Bunraku Performance for Beginners which will include Dango Uri (The Dumpling Peddlers) and Futatsu Chocho Kuruwa Nikki (Two Sumo Wrestlers in the Pleasure Quarters), along with a guidance presentation for bunraku beginners.
National Bunraku Theatre
1-12-10 Nipponbashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
T: 06-6212-2531
The National Bunraku Theatre is located about a one-minute walk from Osaka Metro / Kintetsu Nipponbashi Station, and about 10 minutes from Dotonbori.
All images have been provided by National Bunraku Theatre.
Updated On November 28, 2025
