Minami-za (Higashiyama, Kyoto, Japan)

What makes this place special?

At a Glance

Minami-za is the main kabuki theatre in Kyoto, standing at the east end of Shijō Ōhashi bridge in Higashiyama Ward. Founded in the early Edo period, it is regarded as the oldest theatre in Japan still operating on the same site, and its name refers to its position south of Shijō-dōri.

It was one of seven licensed playhouses in the Shijō riverbed area, and the only one that remains. The present building dates from 1929 and mixes modern construction with Momoyama-style design, and it is a registered tangible cultural property. After a closure for earthquake-proofing work, it reopened in November 2018. Its stagecraft includes the kabuki hanamichi runway, the seri trap-door and a revolving stage. During the annual Kaomise season, wooden name boards called maneki, bearing the actors' names, hang above the entrance.