🗺️ Yachiyoza

The Yamagata area in Kumamoto Prefecture is a hub for cargo distribution along the Kikuchi River and is also known for its hot springs, making it a bustling town during the Edo period. The Yachiyoza is a large Kabuki theater built in 1910 by wealthy merchants of Yamagata using their own funds. Yachiyoza flourished during the Meiji and Taisho eras when Kabuki was at its peak, but gradually declined after the 30th year of the Showa era. Although it was later converted into a cinema, it could not withstand the wave of television popularity and closed in 1973. After the building fell into disrepair, a fundraising campaign initiated by citizens in 1987 led to a reconstruction effort. Following extensive renovations, it regained its former glory as a Kabuki theater in 2001. Yachiyoza can accommodate around 700 people, featuring masu seats, hanamichi (flower path), ceiling advertisements, and more, evoking the grandeur of Kabuki theaters depicted in Edo period ukiyo-e. On days without performances, the theater is open for tours, allowing visitors to walk inside the stage area and the basement, and to explore the mechanisms of the revolving stage. Adjacent to it is the "Yume Kozo" museum, which displays historical materials and theatrical props related to Yachiyoza.

Built in the 43rd year of the Meiji era (1910), it is an active Kabuki theater designated as an important cultural property of the nation. The theater retains the romantic atmosphere of the Taisho era. The interior is structured like a Kabuki theater from the Edo period, with ceilings adorned with advertisements from the Meiji period. On days when there are no performances, visitors can enter for tours. The museum "Yume Kura" is an even older building than the Hachiyadoza theater.