It's a never-ending pot party at this museum on the island of Nakanoshima, in the middle of the Okawa River in the city center. The 3,000-piece-strong collection covers works dating back thousands of years, from Korea, China, Vietnam and, of course, Japan. Exhibits rotate, but on any given day, you might find the refined shapes of celadon vases from Korea's Koryo Dynasty (circa 12th century), Japanese Muromachi and Edo Period ceremonial teaware (1573–1868) that clearly inspired Japanese minimalism, and beautiful pieces for everyday use from 20th-century Mingei ("folk craft") movement potters like Shoji Hamada.

Take in (at least part of) a performance of Osaka's signature performing art, bunraku puppetry, at the National Bunraku Theater. Two-and-a-half to four-foot puppets perform stories of bravery, intrigue and comic relief. Puppeteers dress in black from head to toe for invisibility, like ninjas, and coax incredible expression from the puppets' eyes, mouth, and movements. Chanters on a separate stage provide narration in multiple voices accompanied by the shamisen, a traditional three-stringed instrument that's plucked like a banjo. Performance dates and times vary, so check the schedule in advance. 1-12-10 Nihombashi, Chuo-ku; tel. 81-6-6212-2531