Kaho Theater Now（2024）

The Kaho Theater is a wooden playhouse that conveys the kabuki style of the Edo period. It opened in 1931 in Iizuka City, located in the center of Fukuoka Prefecture. The Kaho Theater is a valuable cultural asset that preserves the history of Chikuho and the lives and culture of the people there.

About 50 theaters (playhouses) were established in the area along the Ongagawa River from the Meiji period (1868-1912) to the early Showa period (1926-1989), but today, only the Kaho Theater remains. The Kaho Theatre is the largest of the existing playhouses in Japan and was the only one that continued to operate for 90 years without changing its form, despite the changing times.

The theater still retains its original design and stage mechanisms. The stage is still equipped with a man-powered "mawari-butai" and "seri," and the audience seating consists of traditional Japanese tatami-mat "masuseki" and "sajiki" seats. The theater also has two permanent hanamichi (stages stretching toward the audience ), which is unusual for a playhouse.
The theater continued to operate even after it was designated a National Tangible Cultural Property in 2006.

However, due to the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, the Kaho Theatre became difficult to manage, and in May 2021, the operating body was dissolved and the theater was closed. The theater was then donated to Iizuka City in September 2021.

In order to ensure that the Kaho Theatre, which has survived the passage of time, remains an indispensable facility for the promotion of culture, art, and tourism, Iizuka City is currently discussing building renovations and new plans for its use in preparation for its reopening.

Present Kaho Theater

The Kaho Theatre was donated to Iizuka City by its former management entity, but its facilities and equipment are deteriorating, and measures to address this are urgently needed in order to reopen the theater.

In addition, the Kaho Theatre is currently closed as renovation of the facility is being considered so that many people can use the newly public facility in various ways.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to theater fans, and ask that you please be patient.

Citizens' Workshop on the Future of Kaho Theatre

A citizens' workshop was held to think about the utilization of the Kaho Theatre while generating a variety of ideas.
The workshop provided an opportunity to think and discuss about the future of the Kaho Theatre, based on various themes such as "How can we make the theater more familiar to citizens and make it a theater that will be loved by them for a long time to come?

People interested in Kaho Theatre gathered from all over the city for each citizens' workshop, and a lively exchange of opinions took place. The opinions expressed at the citizens' workshops will be reflected in the "Kaho Theatre Facility Renovation and Management Plan" that is currently being formulated.

Although Kaho Theatre has been closed for some time, various efforts are being made for the benefit of those who are looking forward to its reopening.

Conference of Experts

The "(Phase 2) Iizuka City Cultural Facilities Utilization Study Committee" has been meeting since July 2023. The committee discusses and examines the policy for the renovation and maintenance of the Kaho Theater so that it can be used by many people, including performers and citizens, as a modern theater, and the policy for its management and operation as a facility of Iizuka City (the "Kaho Theater Facility Renovation and Management Operation Plan").

3D panoramic view

Although the Kaho Theatre is still closed, you can see the inside of the theater through this 3D panoramic view. Please enjoy the experience of visiting the theater via the Internet.