常盤座, Historical theatre in Takayama, Nakatsugawa, Japan.
The Tokiwa-za is a two-story wooden theatre building located in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture. It features a main stage and traditional stage equipment designed for classical performances.
The building was constructed in 1891 on the grounds of Tokiwa Shrine and underwent several modifications over the decades. A major restoration project in the 1990s restored key stage systems to their original condition.
The theatre is linked to the nearby Tokiwa Shrine, where local performers present traditional plays during a springtime festival. It has long served as a gathering place where the community maintains its performing arts traditions.
The building is accessible by local roads and sits within the shrine grounds. Performances typically happen during specific festival times, so advance planning is helpful for a visit.
The building preserves special stage features typical of traditional Japanese theatre that are rarely found in surviving structures. The restoration of these systems makes it one of the few places where classical stage mechanics still function as originally designed.
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