Osaka, Japan — Activities
Osaka Culture
Music: Located on Nakanoshima Island and seating more than 2,700 people, Osaka’s Festival Hall, 2-3-181 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku (tel: (06) 6231 2221; website: www.festivalhall.jp) is the Kansai region’s main music hall, hosting a wide range of musical performances including big opera and ballet productions. Next to it is the smaller Recital Hall, 2-3-18 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, with 563 seats. The Symphony Hall, 2 Oyodo-minami, Kita-ku (tel: (06) 6453 6000; website: www.asahi.co.jp/symphony/symphonyE.html), the first venue specifically built for classical music (it opened in 1982), has a capacity of 1704 seats and a reputation as one of Japan’s finest classical music venues. Izumi Hall (tel: (06) 6944 2828; website: www.izumihall.co.jp), designed after a Viennese music hall, has a warm wooden interior and hosts a variety of classical concerts. The remarkable Phoenix Hall (tel: (06) 6363 0311; website: http://phoenixhall.jp) is designated for chamber music.
Theater: Osaka is the birthplace of Bunraku, Japan’s own style of puppet theater, and the National Bunraku Theater, 1-12-10 Nippombashi, Chuo-ku (tel: (06) 6212 2531; website: www.ntj.jac.go.jp/english) keeps the art form alive and well. The stunning Osaka Shochikuza, 1-9-19 Dotombori, Chuo-ku (tel: (06) 6214 2211; website: www.shochiku.co.jp/play) puts on three to five different Kabuki performances annually, including the Shinshun Dai Kabuki (New Year’s Great Kabuki). Kabuki can also be seen at the magnificent Shin Kabukiza theater, 4-3-25 Namba, Chuo-ku (tel: (06) 6631 2121; website: www.shinkabukiza.co.jp). The theater also stages top-artist Manzai, or two-man comedy acts, modern drama, and popular variety shows. Noh performances are given at Ohtsuki Nohgakudo Theater, A-7 Uemachi, Chuo-ku (tel: (06) 6761 8055). At Namba Grand Kagetsu (NGK) Theater, 11-6 Nambasennichimae, Chuo-ku (tel: (06) 6641 0888; website: www.yoshimoto.co.jp/ngk), visitors are treated to Vaudeville-like comedy performances such as Shin-Kigeki (‘New comedy’), Manzai (‘comic duo’), Kontos (‘comic chat’) and Rakugo every day.
Film: There are three multiplexes in Umeda: Navio Toho Plex, HEP Navio 8F, 7-10 Kakuda-cho, Kita-ku (tel: (06) 6316 1312); Burg 7, E-MA Building 7F, 1-12-6 Umeda, Kita-ku (tel: (06) 4795 7602); and Piccadilly Theater, Shochiku Kaikan 3,5-8, 10F, 8-17 Taiyuji-cho, Kita-ku (tel: (06) 6315 1414). Shikishima Cine Pop, Shikishima Building 4F, 2-11-5 Sennichimae, Chuo-ku (tel: (06) 6641 3719) is a good mainstream cinema in Namba. Art films are shown at the Garden Cinema, Umeda Sky Building, Tower East 4F, 1-1-88 Oyodonaka, Kita-ku (tel: (06) 6440 5977), and the Cine Libre, Umeda Sky Building, Tower East 3F, 1-1-88 Oyodonaka, Kita-ku (tel: (06) 6440 5930), which are both located in Umeda.
Osaka Tours
SunriseTours (tel: (03) 5796 5454; website: www.jtbgmt.com/sunrisetour) organize guided walking tours in Osaka.
The Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau (website: www.kotsu.city.osaka.jp/english) organizes several morning, afternoon and one-day bus sightseeing tours, some of which also include trips by boat and streetcar. For information in English, contact the Municipal Traffic Information Center (tel: (06) 6311 2995) at the Umeda Subway Station (JR Osaka Station).
In addition, the City of Osaka operates a sightseeing taxi (tel: (06) 6345 2189 website: www.tourism.city.osaka.jp/yumetaku/en) service with certified English-speaking guides. Reservation is required for this service.
Osaka River Cruise (tel: (06) 6942-5511; website: www.keihannet.ne.jp/suijobus/index.html) runs the Aqualiner, a futuristic-looking tourist boat cruising the Okawa River within the city. The company also offers scheduled and charter cruises further north in the river as well as in Osaka’s bay further south.
