OSAKA, May 09 (News On Japan) –
The Osaka Shochikuza theater, which has entertained audiences in Osaka’s Dotonbori district for greater than a century by means of movies, kabuki and stay performances, will shut in June 2026 as a consequence of growing older services and the excessive price of renovations.
Kabuki actor Nakamura Ganjiro, who additionally served as a kabuki advisor for the movie “Kokuho” and has carried out on the theater’s stage for a few years, spoke in regards to the emotional affect of the closure.
“When a theater disappears, it means a place for live performing arts disappears as well,” Ganjiro mentioned. “For Kamigata Kabuki, Osaka Shochikuza has tremendous meaning.”
He added that Dotonbori itself has modified dramatically through the years.
“It used to be a town where people from nearby Osaka neighborhoods came to enjoy themselves, but now it has become a tourist destination,” he mentioned. “It feels like the history of Dotonbori is being abruptly cut off.”
Located in Osaka’s Minami leisure district, Osaka Shochikuza first opened in 1923 as a movie show. Dotonbori as soon as flourished as a theater district courting again to the Edo interval, with 5 main theaters drawing crowds for kabuki and puppet theater performances.
As theaters regularly disappeared over the a long time, Shochikuza was rebuilt in 1997 into its present type able to internet hosting kabuki and stage productions, reflecting a willpower to protect Dotonbori’s theater tradition for future generations.
Nearly 30 years later, the theater turned recognized not just for kabuki but additionally as a cherished venue for Kansai Junior idol performances, attracting audiences throughout generations.
Fans described the venue’s intimacy as unmatched.
“Other concerts are held at places like Kyocera Dome or Orix Theater, but nothing compares to the closeness of Shochikuza,” one fan mentioned. “It feels like a second home.”
In August final yr, operator Shochiku introduced the theater would shut on the finish of this month as a consequence of deteriorating services and hovering substitute prices. The constructing can also be scheduled for demolition.
Ganjiro mentioned the closure represents greater than the lack of a constructing.
“If Shochikuza disappears, it means there will no longer be a true playhouse in Dotonbori,” he mentioned. “I never imagined there would be no place left.”
Calling the theater an “ibasho,” or emotional residence, Ganjiro mentioned actors and workers had constructed their lives across the venue.
Before main performances, Dotonbori historically hosted “oneri” processions, the place kabuki actors paraded by means of the streets to greet followers. The newest procession drew big crowds, with kabuki supporters filling the district one last time.
Audience members additionally expressed concern over the cultural penalties of the closure.
“The first time I ever saw kabuki was here,” one customer mentioned. “Shochikuza felt less formal and more approachable than other theaters.”
Another fan warned that Kansai might lose an essential heart for conventional arts.
“Having one fewer place where people can watch kabuki year-round creates a real sense of crisis that the culture itself could disappear,” the fan mentioned.
Local enterprise house owners who’ve labored in Dotonbori for generations additionally lamented the theater’s disappearance.
Imai, whose household has operated companies within the space for practically 200 years, recalled an period when well-known stars frequently visited native eating places.
“Kabuki actors back then were like influencers,” Imai mentioned. “If an actor mentioned on stage that they wanted udon or sukiyaki from a certain restaurant, customers would flood in afterward.”
He mentioned Dotonbori has reworked from a district centered on rakugo, manzai and kabuki into an space dominated by tourism and international guests.
“To be honest, it feels like we’ve been abandoned,” he mentioned. “I know Shochiku made a painful decision, but part of me still wants to say, ‘Please keep trying.’”
For many in Osaka, Shochikuza represented the guts of Dotonbori itself.
“Without Shochikuza, an entire era feels like it’s ending,” Ganjiro mentioned. “I still hope a theater will return someday.”
With the ultimate performances set for this month, one other historic theater will disappear from Dotonbori, bringing an finish to a cultural legacy constructed over greater than 100 years.
Source: KTV NEWS