On Friday, September 11, 2026, Shochiku Otani Library will host a special guided tour, "How to Enjoy Shochiku Otani Library: The Kabuki Edition," organized by Navi Tomo, a community site.
New Depths of Kabuki Viewing: Uncovering a World of Hidden Materials Through Scripts and Stage Photos
As a special project from the Shochiku group, this tour offers an easy-to-follow introduction, led by library staff, to Shochiku Otani Library, a specialist library located near Kabukiza Theatre, Shinbashi Enbujo, and Togeki that is a must-visit for lovers of theater and film. Participants will also receive a "bunko book cover," an original, non-sale Shochiku Otani Library good, as a souvenir.
Highlight 1: A Thorough Guide to Shochiku Otani Library by Specialist Staff
What kinds of materials does the library hold, and how can they be used? Specialist staff will answer these questions in an easy-to-understand way. Because the library operates on a "closed stacks" system, with materials stored in a back-room archive, visitors who have hesitated, feeling the library might be intimidating to enter, can feel at ease. Once you know the basics, anyone can enjoy exploring its collection in depth. Join for a time of discovery that opens the door to new learning.
Highlight 2: Discover New Ways to Enjoy Kabuki Through Its Historical Materials
This tour's theme is "kabuki materials."
Posters, programs, scripts, stage photographs, and other rare materials will be introduced one after another. How has the way of enjoying kabuki been passed down from the Edo period to the present day? The tour offers a chance to encounter the kind of specialized knowledge that only a dedicated library can provide, making a kabuki viewing even more enjoyable.
About Shochiku Otani Library
Shochiku Otani Library opened in 1958 to commemorate the Order of Culture awarded to Takejiro Otani (1877-1969), one of the founders of Shochiku Co., Ltd. It holds approximately 500,000 items, including scripts and programs for kabuki, musicals, commercial theater, film, and television, ranging from precious materials dating back to the late Edo period to works currently being staged. Themed exhibitions are also on view, and admission is free.
Valuable materials not otherwise in circulation, used by actors, producers, researchers, and other specialists for actual stage and film productions, are available for anyone to read.
Shochiku Otani Library official website: https://www.shochiku.co.jp/shochiku-otani-toshokan/
Event Overview
Date & Time: Friday, September 11, 2026, 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Venue: Shochiku Otani Library (Tsukiji Shochiku Building, 3F, 1-13-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo)
Participation Fee: ¥1,500 (tax included) *Payment on the day
Capacity: 14 people (first-come, first-served) *Minimum of 4 participants required to hold the tour
Details & Reservations: https://www.navi-tomo.com/special/detail.php?id=109
