Tokushima is home to the largest number of outdoor theatres for puppet shows in the country. Almost 80% of these village theatres exist in the southern part of the prefecture, out of which 70% are in Naka-cho.
Some are believed to have been built towards the latter part of the Edo period. Several of the village theaters hold regular Ningyo-Jyoruri (Japanese puppet theatre in which recited narratives and dialogues are accompanied by a shamisen-instrument) performances annually that feature theatre groups formed by local residents.