Namba Grand Kagetsu Theater

For a night of entertainment and Japanese-style humour, head to Osaka’s busiest theatrical centre.

The lights and laughs you’ll experience at the Nanba Grand Kagetsu Theatre are an essential part of any Osaka itinerary. Take your seat and watch comedy acts with a lively audience, and then explore the shopping areas and restaurants that populate the vibrant area.

The Nanba Grand Kagetsu is a huge entertainment hall in downtown Minami that hosts daily comedy, music and theatre acts. Built in 1987, the theatre was furnished with state-of-the-art features that make for a spectacular audience experience, and hosts the well-known Yoshimoto brand of Japanese comedy.

Come to see the vaudeville-style acts like comic duos (Manzai) and comic stories (Rakugo) that delight Japanese audiences. Though much of the humour may be lost in translation, shows are often combined with music and acrobatic performances, making the show a worthwhile visit for English speakers. Entry tickets, though somewhat expensive, include an opening act as well as the main act, so sit back and enjoy a satisfying show.

Join the throngs of visitors and delight in the atmosphere of the area. Head to its basement levels for souvenir and trinket shopping. There are nearby cinemas that show a mixture of Japanese and English movies, both old and new. Try your luck and soak in the lights, the colour and the bustle.

After a show, explore the energetic Namba quarter. An area characterized by towering neon billboards and bright shop fronts that light up the night sky, it will feel like the busiest parts of Tokyo and is great for an evening stroll.

Try one of the many good-value restaurants in the area and enjoy some of Osaka’s best traditional Japanese dining.  Night after night, the Namba area reveals something new and entertaining for each visitor, whether it be street performers, karaoke bars or a multitude of stores that provide hours of browsing.

The Nanba Grand Kagetsu has daily shows that change often, so check the programme online. It is a 3-minute walk northwest of the Namba subway station in central Osaka.