Osaka Japanese Culture

Culture

Osaka has been an important stop for marine transport since ancient times. Because it has been an economic and cultural center for so long, many historical and cultural relics can be found in the area.

Bunraku (puppet theater) , Kabuki, Japanese dancing, comic storytelling and other prominent traditional performing arts for which the Kansai region is famous, as well as the Tenjin Matsuri (one of the three most famous festivals in Japan) , the Kishiwada Danjiri Festival and other temple, shrine and village celebrations are examples of the many cultural art forms that continue to be handed down through the generations in Osaka.

Bunraku (puppet theater)

Bunraku is an ancient art form with a 300 year-old tradition, and is one of the most representative of Japan. Puppet manipulation by a team of three puppeteers is combined with joruri, the ballad drama that is formed by narrative chanted to shamisen accompaniment. Bunraku has been designated as one of Japan’s important intangible cultural assets.

Osaka also ranks highly in academic fields. Six of Japan's nine Nobel Prize winners came from Osaka or studied at universities within the Greater Osaka region. Hideki Yukawa (Physics) ; Shin’ichiro Tomonaga (Physics) ; Yasunari Kawabata (Literature) ; Reona Ezaki (Physics) ; Ken’ichi Fukui (Chemistry) ; and Susumu Tonegawa (Physiology and Medicine).

Content of this article provided by Japan Guide.