Tokyo is one of the top 10 cities in terms of the number of music performances presented a year. According to All Japan Concert and Live Entertainment Promoters Conference (A.C.P.C.), 26,383 music performances were held in Japan last year, of which 11,146 performances were in the Greater Tokyo Area.
In 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, the figure was 31,889 performances nationwide, and about 3% of those were presented by international artists.
Whether you are a J-POP fan thanks to various anime series popular in and out of Japan, an explorer of traditional Japanese culture such as Kabuki or Noh, a classical music person who enjoys the silence just before the music starts or a ballet lover who once dreamed of becoming a ballerina, Tokyo has great theaters offering performances of all genres.
Let us have a look at some of the major theaters. After reading this, you will be able to see yourself visiting one of these theaters next weekend already!
Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre
Opened in 1990, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre is run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as a base to promote art and culture by offering quality programs mainly in the fields of music, theatre, opera, and dance. The Theater consists of a concert hall, a playhouse, and two theater rooms. The Concert Hall is designed exclusively for classical music performances and features the one of the world's largest pipe organs. Its Lunch Time Organ Concert has started in 1999 and invites the audience to a luxurious afternoon only for 500 yen/ticket (held once in three months).
Address: 1-8-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0021
For more information, visit here.
Tokyo National Theatre
If you are interested in Japanese traditional culture, Tokyo National Theatre may be the place for you. Opened in 1966, Tokyo National Theatre has been a home of traditional Japanese performing arts. You don’t speak Japanese but want to have a taste? English audio guide is available, except for some performances. In June 2023, Kabuki Performance for Beginners will be held from 2nd to 24th June. It comes with a session to learn how to appreciate Kabuki, before experiencing the live performance of Kabuki. It will be a perfect opportunity to start your journey to the traditional Japanese culture.
Address: 4-1 Hayabusacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8656
For more information, visit here.
New National Theatre, Tokyo
The New National Theatre, Tokyo is Japan's first and foremost national theatre for the contemporary performing arts. More than 750 of productions have been staged in this world-class, state-of-the-art theatre since its opening in 1997. The performance season runs from October to July of each year and in a single season about 300 performances are held according to their official website. In the four-story Opera Palace, English subtitles are available for the performances organized by the theater.
Address: 1 Chome-1-1 Honmachi, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-0071
For more information, visit here.
Tokyo International Forum
Tokyo International Forum is a convention & art center comprised of eight halls in various sizes, 31 meeting rooms, lobby gallery, lounge and plaza. Strategically located in the heart of Tokyo, Marunouchi, Tokyo International Forum is an urban MICE facility where 23 million people come and go. From musicals and concerts to exhibitions, international conferences, ceremonies, academic conferences and even fashion shows, events of a wide variety of genres are held here. The building itself is a piece of art designed by Urguayan-born and New York based architect, Rafael Viñoly. You can enjoy not only the glass atrium in a shape of giant vessel but also the artworks placed in the various points of the premises.
Address: 3-chōme-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0005
For more information, visit here.
Imperial Theatre
The history of the Imperial Theatre dates back to 1911, when “Joyu-Geki”, plays performed by newly grad actresses from the School of Arts attached to the theater, were popular. Now the theater produces a wide variety of performances every year, ranging from including Western musicals such as Les Misérables, Elisabeth, The Man of La Mancha, and Miss Saigon, as well as spectacular shows by Japanese entertainers. The building experienced a lot of historical events in Japan, the Great Kanto Earthquake, Showa Depression, and World War II since its opening, and now is due to temporary closure in 2025 for the redevelopment of the whole building.
Address: 3-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0005
For more information, visit here.
Nissay Theatre
Nissay Theatre celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The theatre presents a wide range of performances from opera, ballet and musicals and also strives to provide more opportunities for the young people and children to appreciate arts and culture, through its initiatives such as Nissay Masterpiece Series inviting elementary school children to opera, classical concerts, puppet plays and other performances in various genres for free of charge, and Nissay Theatre Family Festival where the theatre introduces their series of family-friendly performances at reasonable prices so both young children and their parents can enjoy.
Address: 1-1-1, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0006
For more information, visit here.
Suntory Hall
If you are a classical music fan, this is the hall you must go to. Suntory Hall was designed based on the concept "the most beautiful sound in the world”. The main hall adopts “vineyard style”, the first of its kind in Japan, with 206 seats surrounding the stage like terraced vineyards. The sound of music pours down to every seat like the rays of the sun. This format allows the performers and audience to become one, both acoustically and visually, and to share a real music experience.
Address: 1-chōme-13-1 Akasaka, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0052
For more information, visit here.
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