Kabuki 101: A Fascinating Tour into Traditional Japanese Performing Arts
4.9
8 Ratings
Chuo City
Discover the captivating world of Kabuki, Japan's traditional performing arts, on this immersive tour. Join Kazui, a Tokyo native and Kabuki enthusiast, for an engaging talk and visual presentation while savoring Japanese tea and sweets. Perfect for both newcomers and seasoned Kabuki fans.
Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Kabukiza Theater - The Kabuki talk starts with an explanation of the history of the theatre and your guide will take your photo in front of the theatre if you would like.
  • Kabukiza Gallery - Kabuki themed shopping area on the basement floor of the theatre. We will stroll and stop by the shops. Your guide would help you to purchase your lunch box style meals for your lunch/dinner at the theatre if you would attend the show.
  • Kabukiza Tower - We will visit the models of the old theatres and portraits of ancestors of Kabuki actors are displayed on the fourth floor.
  • Jugetsudo Tea Shop & Cafe - The main talk will take place at the Japanese tea shop in the rooftop garden. Please note the April main talk take place at No.5 tea shop as below.
What's Included
  • Snacks
What's Not Included
  • Kabuki show ticket
  • English subtitle device rental
  • Hotel pickup service
Additional Information

This excursion offers a fundamental Kabuki experience for anyone drawn to this Japanese art form. Kabuki, one of Japan’s most captivating traditional performing arts, will be thoroughly explored in this tour. Your host, Kazui, a Tokyo native, has been enraptured by Kabuki from the tender age of 5. The tour includes a talk and a visual presentation about Kabuki, accompanied by traditional Japanese tea and sweets.

This excursion is suitable for both beginners and those with prior knowledge of Kabuki. Bookings for just the tour/talk (excluding tickets) can be made from here. If you are also interested in securing tickets for a Kabuki performance, alongside the tour/talk, please make a booking here and reach out to us for more information about the tickets.

Location
Kabuki Inari Shrine
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(8 Ratings)
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Joan_w
Oct 13, 2023
Excellent Kabuki tour! - Kazui was excellent, providing a great background on the history of Kabuki, the performances & the actors. Her joy of Kabuki was evident in her presentation. It was also nice to hear this from someone who is local. We enjoyed it so much, we booked a follow up tour with her!
Review provided by Viator
Evlahandreas
Sep 25, 2023
Lords Shogun Dragon & magic sword. - oh Yes. just Yesterday I went. Kazui met us at 9:30 at Kabukiza Theatre. this is my 3rd tour with her over 4 years. the 1st time in Ginza . there are 2 theaters and you take subway meet in front of theater. it was an all day event, until 4:00oclock. you go below kabuki tower and buy a bento(box lunch) or western lunch take out eat at break in theater. there is a Tea included to prepare for show. 5 pages about program. 3 acts. there is so much history to read which tells you writers scene etc. the whole Pavilion stage is lowered a giant paper spider a dance drama a magic sword etc. this is the only way to see Kabuki and read later from her notes . just do it. i sat on upper floor 6,000¥ my choice. the whole package is great. i have a new culture of Japan to live i recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sid_x
Sep 20, 2023
Fruitful experience about Kabuki - 这是一段很棒的体验,Kazui带我参观了歌舞伎座建筑,介绍了建筑的历史。她还在一个小时的交谈中很详细地为我介绍了歌舞伎的发展过程和演出细节,Kazui对歌舞伎的热情和知识感染了我。期待下次有机会再和她交流,并坐下来欣赏一次演出! This was an enjoyable tour! Kazui took me to visit the Kabukiza building and introduced about its history. She also gave me a detailed introduction to the development process and performance details of Kabuki during an hour of conversation. Kazui's passion and knowledge of Kabuki infected me. Looking forward to having the opportunity to join her again and sit down to enjoy a performance!
Review provided by Viator
Sharon_v
May 4, 2023
Highly recommended!! - Well done, highly recommended !! Kazui is fabulous, informative and makes Japanese Theater and Kabuki come alive. She has very good English on top of it.
Review provided by Viator
Ellen
Mar 17, 2023
Kabuki-za tour was great!! - Kazui shared her obvious love of Kabuki with me over tea and mochi in the lovely garden cafe of Kabuki-za. I enjoyed the performance that much more for the background information she provided. I also got an English guide to the performance and performers. Kazui is friendly and organised. :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Melannew
Jan 11, 2020
Very Informative - Really liked this tour. The theatre is easy to find by yourself using the train to Ginza. Kazui broke down the acts of the show into simple terms with handouts and made it easier to understand the storylines. She also gives you a history of Kabuki theatre and directions on where your seat is, renting a translation device, and the best times to enjoy bento and taiyaki. I would definetely recommended this tour to all theatre lovers. Make sure you buy your tickets really early because the English site is a bit confusing and says the tickets are sold out even when there are still seats left or else you need a Japanese friend to call to reserve a seat for you like I did haha
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Redwords
Nov 23, 2019
Amazing Presentation Takes Kabuki Enjoyment to Another Level! - This is the second time we have used the services of Kazui for a Kabuki talk. It was fun and educational and greatly helped us with our third Kabuki experience. Although we liked our first exposure to Kabuki without one of her talks, we found that using the service opened our eyes to so many aspects of Kabuki that it brought it to a whole different level of understanding and enjoyment. Kabuki is an amazing example of "deep" Japanese culture and the theater arts. It can incorporate dance, comedy, drama, and traditional music all within a framework that explains a great deal about Japanese history and culture. And it is not a stuffy or old-fashioned art form but is totally fun with beautiful costumes, make up, special effects, and scenery. The acting can be quite humorous or very moving emotionally and the content speaks to modern people in a universal language. Plus, the audience's response is amazing! Although it is easy to enjoy Kabuki for all of the above reasons, there is a sub-text of many details that will be missed by non-Japanese people who attend Kabuki. This is where Kazui's fantastic service comes into play. Enjoying Japanese tea and a delicious treat in a calm setting while Kazui explains Kabuki in general and about the specific plays you are about to see, greatly enhances a Westerner's understanding of the whole experience. You will receive summaries of the plays you are about to see and details about the production and actors, some of whom represent generations of performers from the same families. Kazui even provides advice about theater etiquette and where you should go for the best food items. Her excellent command of English is also greatly appreciated and helpful. My wife and I have traveled to Japan four times now and I must say that seeing Kabuki after attending Kazui's Kabuki Talk is one of our top five Japanese experiences.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Les_g
Mar 19, 2024
Excellent preparation for introduction to Kabuki theater - History and story line and what to expect during the performance. English audio sets were excellent making following the story very easy. We sat in the high seats 4th floor but had excellent views (some with opera glasses) along with clear acoustics.
Review provided by Viator
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May 2024
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