Thursday, October 23, 2008

Ginza Kabuki-za Theater to be demolished

The famous theater in Ginza is to be razed for a new office-theater complex in 2010.

We've gone to that theater numerous times over the years, and although I am not a rabid Kabuki fan, it was always an enjoyable experience. More than that, the building itself has been an icon.

I once read somewhere that the Japanese like old traditions, but not old things. Like about everything else, that is a gross oversimplification, but I do sense a ring of truth to it. Not that the public would have much effective say one way or another...

Kabuki-za Theatre boasts a history of nearly 120 years, as the original wooden structure was built on the same site in 1889. Since then, the theater has been the center of the kabuki world...

...The government has also designated the building as a "Registered Tangible Cultural Property" of the nation, although such classification does not prohibit dismantling or remodeling...
Japan Times

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous6:47 PM

    utter madness to lose this iconic building

    ReplyDelete