Akari Mado and Kaomise Chochin
In the Kanamaruza, there are windows and shutters (akari mado) behind and above the balcony seats on the east and west sides that can be opened and closed to adjust the level of brightness in the theater. There are both paper shutters and wooden shutters, which can be arranged in different ways to achieve different lighting styles. Using the paper lighting one can invoke natural daylight. When required by the performance, the wooden shutters can be manually closed all at once, plunging the theater into darkness.
The kaomise chochin are lanterns with the family crests of the actors written on them. They are hung above the audience seats. During a performance, these lanterns indicate which performers are playing and the ranks that they hold. When audience members enter the theater, they are sure to be amazed by these lanterns, because of their large and impressive size and striking appearance (1.2 m tall x 45 cm wide).