Kabukiza Theater

Kabukiza Theater

Kabukiza Theater
4.5
About
Traditional Japanese Kabuki performances can be seen at this refurbished theater in the Ginza district.
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The area

Address
Neighborhood: Ginza / Tokyo Nihonbashi
Ginza is famous for being a trendy hotspot, but it's also a downtown area with shops that were founded over a hundred years ago. Department stores and luxury boutiques line the route from Nihonbashi to Ginza. It's a long established tradition to shop and stroll while the road is closed to traffic. Luxury hotels, world class cuisine from talented chefs, and a collection of glitzy clubs will make this area popular with anyone looking for a night out.
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See what travelers are saying

  • KodaDes from Oz
    41 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sneak Peak at Kabuki
    This was the quick introductory version for the first time Kabuki viewer. It is advisable to book your seats on-line. You can go for the whole show which can spread out over a few hours or see the optional one act which we did. We booked the reserved seats and got to experience this most interesting musical and dance theater. Even though one may not understand the language, the short description on the program was enough guidance to follow along. I would definitely go again for the entire show after learning more about the art.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 17, 2024
  • Jane H
    Auckland, New Zealand14 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    To Do - Traditional Theatre
    Great experience to mix up your time in Tokyo. I went to one act which was long enough to give a taster to this traditional theatre. I enjoyed people watching the audience, many ladies in their beautiful kimonos. You have to get the audio headset or else you will have no idea what is happening! 800 yen and the best money spent, buy upstairs before you enter. You can't take photos of the show but good memories for you to experience.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written April 21, 2024
  • 鉄子
    Tokyo, Japan53 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I was a little nervous at my first visit to the Kabukiza.
    It was my first time to see a full-scale Kabuki performance at the Kabukiza Theater, so I was a little nervous. It was also my first time to go inside, so I was really looking forward to it. This time, I saw the evening performance of the March Grand Kabuki. All unreserved seats were sold out. Since it was my first time, I also borrowed an earphone guide. Thanks to that, I was fascinated by the story, which was so interesting. Various events occur around a certain sword. ... I was curious about what would happen next, so I kept my eyes on it. The gestures of the female roles were also really beautiful, and it was hard to believe that they were being played by men. During the break between performances, I was so excited that my friend and I kept saying to each other, "It's so interesting!" They sell snacks during the break, and have a variety of bento boxes and other items. This time, I bought a ningyo-yaki to eat on the spot and a seppuku monaka as a souvenir. I enjoyed it so much that it didn't bother me at all, even though it was a long performance of about 4 hours in total!
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 13, 2024
  • Marco T
    Florence, Italy1,967 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A jewel in nowhere (or almost)
    The classic desert flower. A splendid structure with an air of other eras located among the concrete flows of the opulent Ginza. A contradiction, which would probably sound even more shrill if, during a trip, one had time to go to the theater to attend one of the No and Kabuki performances performed there. Of note, both on the ground floor (above all) and in the underground one where there is the subway stop, two vast commercial spaces equipped with a truly rich and quality offer of craft objects and cultural products of the most varied types, as well as and confectionery specialties. This alone justifies a visit to Ginza.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written May 21, 2024
  • Dingo_6152
    Fremantle, Australia3,391 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unique cultural experience
    Kabuki is classical Japanese theatre mixing dramatic performance with traditional dance. It is known for its heavily stylised performances, and glamorous, highly decorated costumes. It's kind of like an oriental opera. The Kabukiza Theatre in Ginza is a landmark building and evokes the architecture of a traditional castle. There is a small shop/cafe to the side of the theatre, but I'd suggest you go down the escalator to the shops in the basement. We went to a three act show in the evening, and our seats were to the front of level 2 with unobstructed views to the stage. I'd also strongly recommend that you rent an English audio guide as it would almost be impossible to follow what was occurring on stage without one (¥1,500). You are permitted to take photos or eat or drink during the performances, but it is perfectly fine to do so before the show or during intermissions. Drinks, sweets, Kabuki goods, books, and various Japanese souvenirs are available at the concession stands on the various floors in the theatre. If we'd known we would have bought some bento boxes with us, like the locals did, rather than purchasing them at the concession stands. A kabuki performance here is a fascinating and unique cultural experience, unlike anything you can find in the West however it will take a lot of concentration to follow the performances.
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 12, 2024
  • MeezerMom
    San Francisco, California69 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unforgettable Cultural Experince
    This is an activity for those who want a deep dive into Japanese traditional culture. If you’ve never experienced this, I suggest you learn as much as possible about the storyline of your performance in advance and also get the English translation device. There are many elements of history and Shinto and Buddhist religion in the stories. The Kabuki performers are national treasures. Many of them come from generations of Kabuki artists and have dedicated their lives to this art. There are 25-min and 30-min intermissions during performances, so I suggest bringing your own bento and snacks so you can leisurely eat and appreciate the beautiful theatre.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 2, 2024
  • cathyd
    Jekyll Island, Georgia2,570 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Kabuki theater experience
    We saw the second act of the evening performance on 3 Sept. seating for single acts is only on 4th level and there is very little leg room. First row there is a railing that may block view. A attendant constantly watching patrons on each level - no talking, no eating, and no cellphones or cameras. Good experience and we figured out the basic storyline. Downstairs at the subway stop there are lots of kabuki souvenirs and places to eat.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 3, 2024
  • KZ B
    Shaker Heights, Ohio267 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The cultural highlight of a trip to Japan
    They were running a special show for beginners and foreigners to introduce them to Kabuki. The first part was a behind the scenes video and then an intro to characters in typical Kabuki plays. We were given tablets with English translation which was great! The theatre was different to standard proscenium stages with a very wide stage and no orchestra pit. The two act show was a play and then a dance. Great fun & really interesting
    Visited November 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written November 13, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,028 reviews
Excellent
522
Very good
366
Average
118
Poor
16
Terrible
6

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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mxafon555
Oxford, UK16 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Family
To let others know incase you share my characteristics - I am queer/trans, overweight, tattooed, use a walking stick with limited mobility, white british. We needed to pick up our tickets from under the theatre, which is part of the station. I booked tickets for 3 acts as they were not selling single act tickets (thats why only 4/5, single act would have been enough) I had to get cheap tickets which were very high up, but a lift meant I could get there easily. We were late but allowed in. This next part is totally my fault, I knew going in I have terrible vertigo. I lasted about 20 mins, and left feeling horribly sick and dizzy. The staff were amazing, gave me a drink and offered to take me to a room to lie down. Me and my Dad were both tired so we decided to leave after seeing one short act. I am a theatre nerd and found the building and how people treated going to the theatre very interesting. No regrets even though I hardly saw anything. The full play would have been 4.00 - 8.30 with lots of breaks. You can walk in and out and it's easy to book from the UK.
Written June 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Erkki N
Finland884 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
Kabuki-za is to my understanding the most valued Kabuki theatre in Japan. The traditional art of kabuki is something unique and, of course, best appreciated by watching a play. The tickets can be quite pricey, shows full booked and naturally only in Japanese, but there is a solution for both problems: single act tickets. They are reasonably priced available only at the day of the show and limit the time of your experience so it does not get too exhausting.

For single act tickets check the Kabuki-za website: you should be waiting in line at the right time and the rules are very strict. The box office for these tickets is outside, on the left side of the main entrance. We managed to get our tickets for 1000 yen (for about an half an hour act) and had time for a cup of noodles before the show. The second part: you have to be there well in time (see the instructions, again). there is a separate entrance next to the box office, where you will find an elevator. This takes you to the highest floor, were you are supposed to find your place in a queue. When the time is right, patrons are allowed to enter. There is a limited number of seats with first come first served principle. Luckily, this show was not too crowded and we got our seats easily.

The theatre is large, ans the view from the highest floor is a bit limited but adequate. There is a special feeling in the shouted announcements and claves percussion that are so unmistakably Japanese. Our show was the last act, which supposedly often is a dance, like this one. There was a choir of singers, a group of shamisen players and later on, a group of koto players was revealed behind a veil. Soloists sang and danced, and you could tell the performance was highly professional with delicate expression.

Most of the other patrons were Japanese. As foreigners, we were given a leaflet briefly explaining the events and synopsis in English, which helped a lot. The beauty of the theatre, costumes, the setting on the scene were truly impressive and this experience was one that brought us closest to Japanese culture during our stay this time. I am really glad we had the courage for this excursion and can only recommend Kabuki-zato Tokyo visitors, if you have any deeper interest in Japanese tradition!
Written August 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrew
New York City, NY212 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
We went to one act of an afternoon performance and really enjoyed it! We bought tickets in advance and picking them up at will call was very straightforward - as was our experience everywhere in Japan, there were plenty of helpful people to guide us.Although neither of us speak Japanese or are very familiar with kabuki, we were able to follow along with the story pretty easily. But, even more memorable than the play itself, was the overall artistry of the whole production and the beauty of the theater. Our only regret in going was that we didn't stay for another act!
Written May 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Avis67
Boston, MA42 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 • Couples
We came to Japan and an authentic kabuki theater experience was high on our list. We found the theater and tried to book tickets online from the US before we departed. The season ended 12/26 so we got tickets for the last date of the year. Online you can only buy for the entire performance whereas if you go at noon the day before you can buy individual performances/acts. We paid and received email confirmation of our tickets. Online ticket said it was for the entire day ~$90US each. We arrived in the evening for the final 2h performance and they had no record of our purchase. There was no envelope with tickets at will call and they had no confirmation in their system of the tickets sold to us even when I showed them the email receipt with confirmation code. Google Translate took care of the language barrier but to no avail. Finally a manager said we only had morning tickets (not true) even though he couldn’t find those tickets or the record of the purchase in their system.
AmEx no doubt will refund the tickets but we’re really upset for having missed this wonderful experience.
Written December 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bernard W
Dallas, TX1,946 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
We were told the Kabuki Theater is open daily from 11:00am – 7:00pm with free entry to see both the inside of the building. The fifth floor has a small display of Kabuki costumes.
REALITY: we went on a Friday afternoon and very much enjoyed looking at the outside facade, BUT the building was closed with no indication that it was ever open mid-day.
Written June 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Martina1888
Inverness, UK505 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Solo
I went to a full-length show and enjoyed every bit of it! The staff was also very helpful and you can rent an English audio guide which I highly recommend.
It was a very memorable experience and I hope that I'll be able to return at some point.
Written December 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eric L
4 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
This is a wonderful experience for anyone interested in learning about traditional Japanese culture. The stagecraft - costuming, scenery, and effects - are gorgeous, and the performances are subtle. The theater is itself a beautiful building with and enormous grand stage. Visitors should understand, though, that it may be hard to follow what is going on in the story and that the plot unfolds slowly.
Written January 10, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Explore15708182921
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
While I was at the Kabukiza, I tried out the free treasure hunt called "Higashi Ginza Walking Puzzle Solving" at Kobikicho Square on the second basement floor, and it was a lot of fun. I walked around Higashi Ginza, centered around the Kabukiza, looking for treasure chests, and I was able to reach the goal in about an hour. There seems to be a paid version, so I'd like to try it next time.
Google
Written January 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

annethornleybrown
Toronto, Canada62 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
I was in Tokyo in March. My travel agent recommended I stay in Ginza so that I could easily walk to the Kabuki-Za and purchase my tickets. I saw most of the matinee and I loved it. The music, the costumes, the colour. It was AWESOME. I didn't bother with the headphones and I was fine without them. I read the storyline in English that was provided in the programme and that was all I needed. At the break I purchased a scrumptious noodle and shrimp lunch at the restaurant at the corner (just turn right when you exit). I also had tea and cake at one of the shops in the Kabuki-za. If you want to have lunch or tea there you need to reserve it as soon as you arrive.

In short, it's an experience that I would happily repeat and highly recommend.
Written May 16, 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dragonhung
San Frandcisco37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018 • Couples
My husband and I went to Kabukiza Theater intending to buy only a one Act same day ticket. While in line, we decided to go gor the entire 3 acts of the 11:00 am show. It was long, but we were glad we saw all three because they represented very different theatrical experiences. Each "act" is a separate story/style. When you go lineup for the same day single act ticket (tickets go on sale 30 minutes before the act, you can choose to buy (1) only Act 1; (2) Act 1 and 2; or (3) all 3 acts. But if you choose to Act 2 and 3, and not Act 1, you'd have to wait until 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the second act to purchase the ticket. Since each Act is an different story, you could choose which acts to see to suit your preferenes. The programs are posted on their website. It seems to us most foreigners go for Act 1, a rather short version of the entire theatrical experience. We went on 10/1. That day, Act 1, lasted about 25 minutes; Act 2, lasted 1hour; Act 3 about 1.5 hour. There are about 25-35 minutes intermission between acts. You can bring good to eat during intermission, or go to the Basement 2 of the theater to buy food. Rent the English video text viewer to help you understand the plot and conversation. The viewer rental costs 500 yen, plus 1000 yen refundable deposit. Only cash is accepted at the theater, no credit cards! If you want to just have a feel, go for Act 1, but I'd recommend 2 acts for a more varied experience, -- or even 3 acts if you have time and appreciate theater in general. The video viewer rental costs the same (500 yen) whether you use it for 1, 2, or all 3 acts. Enjoy!
Written October 1, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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