Performing Arts
Bunraku -- The National Bunraku Theater, 1-12-10 Nipponbashi, Chuo-ku (tel. 06/6212-2531 for information, or 06/6212-1122 for reservations), was completed in 1984 as the only theater in Japan dedicated to Japanese traditional puppet theater. Productions are staged five times a year, with most productions running for 2 to 3 weeks at a time and held daily at 11am for Part 1 and at 4pm for Part 2. When Bunraku is not being performed, other traditional performing arts are often shown, including classical Japanese music. English-language programs are available. To find out whether a performance is being held, check Meet Osaka or contact one of the visitor information centers. Tickets usually run ¥2,300 to ¥5,800 ($19-$48/£9.50-£24). The National Bunraku Theater is located east of Namba and the Dotombori entertainment district, a 1-minute walk from exit 7 of Nipponbashi Station.
Kabuki -- The Osaka Shochikuza, 1-9-19 Dotombori, Chuo-ku (tel. 06/6214-2211; Station: Namba), was built more than 50 years ago but was remodeled in 1997 as part of a revival of interest in Kabuki. Traditional Kabuki is performed in January, July, and some other months of the year (the schedule changes yearly), and performances start usually at 11am and 4:30pm, with tickets ranging from ¥4,200 to ¥13,650 ($35-$114/£18-£57) for major performances. Performance information is also listed in Meet Osaka. The theater is located on Dotombori, just west of the Ebisu-bashi Bridge.
Live Music -- Billboard Live Osaka, Basement 2 of the Herbis Plaza Building, 2-2-22 Umeda (tel. 06/6342-7722, reservations required; Station: Nishi-Umeda), offers live music ranging from jazz and R&B to funk, reggae, or bossa nova, with several levels surrounding the stage providing good views. Steely Dan, Sa-Ra, Rickie Lee Jones, Sean Lennon, and George Benson have played here. Tickets average ¥5,400 to ¥8,000 ($45-$67/£23-£33) for most acts, with popular artists costing up to ¥21,000 ($175/£88).
The Bar Scene
Osaka's liveliest -- and most economical -- nightlife district radiates from a narrow pedestrian lane called Dotombori (or Dotonbori), which flanks the south bank of the Dotombori Canal. About a 2-minute walk from exit 14 of Namba Station or less than a 10-minute walk from Shinsaibashi Station, it's lined with restaurants and drinking establishments and is good for a lively evening stroll even if you don't wish to stop anywhere.
