The National Bunraku Theater is one of the best places in Japan to see bunraku, the intricate puppet theatre that flourished in the Edo period. The large puppets are operated by teams of three, accompanied by traditional narration and shamisen music.
Even if you do not understand Japanese, the precision of the movement and the formal rhythm of the performance are impressive. English synopses are usually available, making this a serious cultural stop rather than just another evening show in Namba.