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.

Theatre: Osaka is the birthplace of Bunraku, Japan's own style of puppet theatre, and the National Bunraku Theatre, 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 theatre, 4-3-25 Namba, Chuo-ku (tel: (06) 6631 2121; website: www.shinkabukiza.co.jp). The theatre also stages top-artist Manzai, or two-man comedy acts, modern drama, and popular variety shows. Noh performances are given at Ohtsuki Nohgakudo Theatre, A-7 Uemachi, Chuo-ku (tel: (06) 6761 8055). At Namba Grand Kagetsu (NGK) Theatre, 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 Theatre, 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.