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Ways to Experience Kabukiza Theater
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Reviewed December 8, 2018

The theater is an excellent glimpse into the past...one can opt for an audio guide to understand ...as it is in Japanese language..However, the catch is in getting the tickets..if one has to see only one act of the play....the tickets are few and get sold off very early...

Date of experience: July 2018
1  Thank preetman9
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.
Reviewed December 4, 2018

We opted for the full matinee program, which consisted of two plays: a one-act comedy, and a 3-act tragedy, totalling 4 hr and 40 min including 55 minutes of intermissions. We didn't have reserved seats; instead, we arrived at the theater around 10:30 am. (You can check seat availability online at the official kabuki website.) The box office is in the second basement, which is part of the Hibiya Line Higashi Ginza station. We were able to use a credit card to pay for the tickets. You can also buy box lunches or snacks here (although some bentos and a lot of snacks were also available in the theater as well). English audio is not available, but for 1000 yen plus picture ID, you can get an English caption reader, which shows the dialogue as the play proceeds. The reader is available on the ground floor. I recommend it; you can share between two people. For the full program, seats ran from 4000 yen (upper third tier) to 20,000 yen (box seats). We opted for the lower third tier, center, at 6000 yen per person. We are small people so the seats fit us pretty well, but someone with longer legs might have some trouble. We could not see the end of the ramp that extends out into the audience. Other than that, the view was quite good. The first play lasted about 80 minutes without intermission. There was a 30 minute intermission between plays. The second play had two intermissions of 10 and 15 minutes respectively. One can eat at one's seat during the intermissions. Restrooms were conveniently located. We enjoyed the entire experience. The color and the choreography were memorable. The movements of the actors were a delight to watch. The last act of the second play was more like an odori than a play, but that too was fun to watch. And we were especially thrilled to see that the star of the second play--who played 7 different characters in the play, sometimes making costume changes in a matter of seconds--was our favorite kabuki actor, who used to host Kabuki Kool on NHK World. The staff was marvelous--there was always someone there to help us if we got confused about where to go. I would highly recommend taking in a whole program for anyone who likes the theater.

Date of experience: December 2018
3  Thank pamelaao2018
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.
Reviewed December 2, 2018 via mobile

I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to see a show there. Nonetheless, I’m glad I did because the whole experience was incredible. For non-Japanese speaking folks, be sure to rent the visual subtitles guide (I don’t know what it’s called) so you can follow the storyline. Also, I was surprised to learn after the show that all the actors were male, including the heroine!

Date of experience: November 2018
1  Thank sourcola
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.
Reviewed November 27, 2018

Went here on a whim while walking through Ginza and bought a half hour show ticket. What a mistake! I know a tiny bit about kabuki and really wish I had purchased a ticket for an entire play since 30 minutes had me wanting much more. What an incredible experience! The 30 minute ticket is supposed to be "standing only," but there were plenty of seats available in the balcony at the back of the theater. From other reviews, there must be audio guides or descriptions of the play in English, but honestly I don't think it would be too difficult to get a general idea of the plot. This is an absolutely amazing way to get a glimpse into Japanese cultural traditions and I would highly recommend it for everyone, including older children and teenagers. Please note that no photos of the plays are allowed.

Date of experience: November 2018
1  Thank Skaerje
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.
Reviewed November 14, 2018

The Kabukiza theater offers midday matine plays on weekdays for a very friendly 2000 Yen (price from 2018. september) and gives a glimpse of the ancient art of kabuki plays. Music, set, costumes, wigs and make up gives a fascinating experience even if you are sitting on one of the top balcony seats. And a small hint: all characters are played by men ;)
It takes a maximum 2 hours of your journey but believe me, it will give you a nice memory for a lifetime!

Uh-oh and don't forget to bring your bento with you to the theater! It is a custom to have your lunch in there!

Date of experience: September 2018
Thank Zsofaletta
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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