Tokyo's Kabukiza theater, the spiritual home of Japan's 410-year-old performing art, reopened Tuesday after a three-year hiatus following extensive renovation work.
As part of the "kokera otoshi" series of performances to commemorate the grand opening of the new theater, both veteran and young actors will perform onstage during the new theater's first shows. They will run until next March.
A drum ceremony was held in front of the theater to mark the formal opening of the venue. Afterward, a three-part program featuring a special dance to mark the event was performed by several actors, including Sakata Tojuro, who is recognized by the government as a living national treasure.
The theater underwent its fifth makeover after being closed for renovation in 2010 due to its age. It was first constructed in 1889 and was rebuilt due to a number of reasons, including fire and damage during World War II. The previous theater was built in 1951.
The new Kabuki-za, which can seat an audience of some 1,900, now features an upgraded audio system, including English, and stage equipment and customer-friendly services such as barrier-free access and toilets for disabled people.
The new theater will also provide explanatory notes about the plays in Japanese on liquid crystal panels that can be taken to seats. A 29-floor office building is also incorporated into the new complex.
The reconstructed landmark in the Ginza district reopened at a time the kabuki world is dealing with the loss of two of its iconic figures — Nakamura Kanzaburo, who died at age 57 in December, and Ichikawa Danjuro, who died in February at 66.
