Few theatrical spectacles are as visually stimulating and just plain bizarre as kabuki, and Kyoto’s Minamiza Kabuki Theatre is the best place in Japan to see kabuki.
Kabuki theatre Minamiza: TK Kurikawa / Shutterstock.com
Located in a grand building on the corner of Shijo-dori and Kawabata-dori in Gion, Minamiza is Kyoto’s premier kabuki theatre. If there’s a show on while you’re in town, we highly recommend that you see at least a few acts (performances usually go on for hours, with plentiful intermissions). You can get audio descriptions of the dialogue, but – frankly – why bother? We find that not understanding the otherworldly vocalizations of the performers adds immeasurably to the bizarreness of the entire spectacle. See our in-depth explanation of attending a kabuki performance at Minamiza.
English address:
198 Nakano-cho, Shijo-dori, Yamato-oji nishiiru, Higashiyama-ku
Japanese address::
東山区四条通大和大路西入中之町198
Opening hours:
Irregular
Price:
Performances \4200-27,000
Non-smoking area: Yes
Nearest Transport:
1min walk from Gion Shijo Station, Keihan line
Telephone: 561-1155
Website:
Official Website (Japanese)

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Near To Here:
Minamiza Kabuki Theatre is located in Kyoto’s Southern Higashiyama district. See our complete list of things to do in Southern Higashiyama, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.
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