Izushi Eirakukan
Built in 1901, the Izushi Eirakuan is the oldest Kabuki theater in the Kansai region and the oldest in Japan still standing in its original location. In its heyday, the theater had a capacity for audiences of approximately 700, who first enjoyed plays and, when the space was turned into a movie theater in 1920, films. The theater closed in 1964, but the owner kept the building in good condition.
Izushi Eirakukan has been wonderfully preserved over the years. When it was dismantled for renovation in 2008, each piece of the building was labeled with a number so it could be put back together easily, and 80 percent of the original materials remain in place. The theater interior displays the original hand-illustrated signboards lining the walls that were used to advertise local businesses.
Visitors can tour the historic building and see the backstage area, including the actors’ dressing rooms and the underground space used to move parts of the stage. Exhibits include old photos of the building as well as examples of the unique method that was used to build the theater without the use of nails. Today, the theater is mainly used for local community events and an annual Kabuki performance.