Shinbashi Enbujō, Traditional theatre in Ginza, Japan
Shinbashi Enbujō is a theatre in Ginza, Japan, that offers a total of 1,428 seats distributed across three tiers. The hall includes a raised passageway that runs through the auditorium, providing performers with additional stage access and entry points.
Construction began in 1923 but was interrupted by the Great Kanto earthquake before the building opened in April 1925. Since then, it has remained a fixture in the Ginza theatre scene and has accompanied the development of traditional Japanese stage forms.
Its name refers to the Shinbashi district, a former geisha quarter that shaped traditional performing arts in Tokyo. The auditorium follows the classic Japanese stage design with a hanamichi, a narrow walkway that runs through the audience and allows actors to make dramatic entrances and exits.
Visitors reach the building from Higashi-Ginza station on the Hibiya or Asakusa lines, or from Tsukiji-shijo station on the Oedo line. Performances usually take place in the afternoon and evening, with running times that may last several hours depending on the program.
Paper lanterns throughout the building display the setsugekka logo, representing snow, moon and flowers, which serves as the official emblem. This motif connects three elements of Japanese aesthetics that have been used in art and literature for centuries.
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