KABUKI's News
December 22 ,2020
【Updated】Notification of the coronavirus (COVID-19) measures at the Kabukiza Theatre
Thank you for supporting the Kabukiza Theatre and our theatre productions.
To prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), all performances at the Kabukiza Theatre have been cancelled since March.
We have been preparing to resume theatre operations and have decided to start the performances from August 1st.
We will provide a safe environment inside our theatres by taking the following measures.
We ask all visitors' understanding and cooperation regarding the precautionary measures below which will be implemented at our theatres.
Requests for Customer Cooperation
・To prevent overcrowding, we may ask customers to keep their distance from one another while entering and exiting the theatre. As admission to the theatre may take longer than usual, the theatre may open earlier than scheduled so please come early enough before the performance begins.
・We ask all customers to wear a mask inside the theatre. Please refrain from wearing mouth shield or face shield only. Admission to the theatre may be denied to those who do not have one due to the potential risk for other customers. (Updated Dec 12)
・When visiting the theatre, we kindly ask for your cooperation in washing your hands and using the hand sanitizers available near the theatre entrance.
・Customers who are not feeling well are asked not to enter the theatre. If you are concerned about your health, please take your temperature before visiting.
・Please refrain from talking as much as possible during performances and in the lobby when it is crowded.
・To reduce congestion, please keep your distance from other customers while waiting for the restrooms.
・Shouts by members of the audience (Ō-mukō) will be prohibited.
・Customers with tickets for consecutive parts are asked to leave the theatre once the previous part has ended so that the theatre can be cleaned and sanitized.
・Please refrain from giving gifts or letters or from paying visits to cast members.
・Please do not wait outside for the actors' arrivals and exits from the theatre during performances.
・We recommend that customers use the 'COVID-19 Contact-Confirming Application (COCOA)' by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
・When entering the theatre, after a member of staff checks your ticket we ask that each customer tears off the ticket stub by themselves. Please leave the stub in the stub box provided.
・Depending on the program and the staging practices, curtains in the auditorium may be closed.
As for the theatre's precautionary measures, doors will remain open at all times to allow as much fresh air as possible into the auditorium. (Updated March 4, 2021)
・If a customer is suspected of being infected, that customer's personal information (name and address) may be submitted to public institutions such as the Health Department.
Therefore, we ask that the ticket purchaser visit the theatre in person. For customers who have not purchased their own tickets, the personal information of the actual visitor may be submitted.
・We deny entry to customers in the following cases:
-Customers who have been in contact with persons infected with Coronavirus
-Customers who are suspected of being contagious
-Customers from foreign countries with whom the ministry has strengthened border measures after their arrival in Japan within the last two weeks
-Customers who have symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, fever, physical weariness etc.
Measures for the Prevention of Epidemics
・As a rule, seats are left vacant to the front, back, left and right of each filled seat (in a checkered pattern) so that customers can sit at a distance from each other.
(One section of the auditorium will be sold in two-seat blocks, with every third seat vacant from January 2021).
・Thermography will be installed at the entrance to scan the body temperature of our customers. Customers who are detected to have a high body temperature with a fever of 37.5℃ or higher will be asked not to enter the theatre.
*Admission may be denied to customers who refuse to cooperate with the temperature measurement, or to those with symptoms such as a cough, sneezing and nasal mucus, smell and taste disorders, physical weariness, etc.
*Customers asked to refrain from entering the theatre will have their tickets refunded.
・Hand sanitizers will be installed in theatre lobbies and restrooms, as well as surfaces that are frequently touched by customers in the theatre.
・We will sterilize the surfaces touched by customers in the theatre frequently every day, such as the display screens on the ticket machines, handrails, doorknobs and armrests. This will be done periodically by using alcohol disinfectant.
・All audience seats will be sterilized every day during the performance run.
・We will put non-circulating ventilation into effect, so that the air conditioning of the auditorium will take in only fresh air and the exhaust will be taken outside of the theatre. Doors will be opened as much as possible during intermissions to increase ventilation. As a result, the effects of the air conditioning may be affected. We recommend that customers wear clothes that are easy to put on and take off for temperature control.
・We will temporally suspend all lending of blankets, cushions and opera glasses.
・The use of coin lockers and cloakrooms may be restricted.
・All theatre staff will take their temperature every morning and wear a mask, hand gloves, face shields, etc., to prevent any infection spreading to customers.
・To avoid overcrowding of the space, elevator capacity will be restricted to 4 people.
・The performances will not include intermissions so please refrain from eating inside the theatre. Minimal hydration is permitted.
(Short intermissions will be held form January 2021)
Changes will be made to the performance schedules, the style of performance and the theatre countermeasures if new announcements including the emergency declaration are made by the government, relevant government agencies and local governments. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.