The theater was built by local merchants to celebrate the Taisho Emperor's ascension to the throne.
The revolving stage mechanism requires manual labor from stagehands beneath the floorboards to rotate.
The structure was relocated and restored in the 1980s after falling into disuse in the post-war period.
The dressing rooms contain original wooden mirrors and partitioned stations used by kabuki actors.
The theater's roof uses traditional kawara tiles consistent with the historic aesthetic of the Uchiko preservation district.
Uchiko-za is a wooden kabuki theater built in 1916 that functions as both a heritage site and an active performance venue. The facility features traditional architectural elements including a 'hanamichi' (raised runway) and 'mawari-butai' (revolving stage). Visitors gain access to the dressing rooms located beneath the stage, where performers prepare for traditional Japanese theater productions. The building was constructed during the height of the town's prosperity from the wax and silk trade. It serves as a rare example of early 20th-century theater design in Shikoku. The theater underwent a major restoration in the 1980s to preserve its authentic wood-joinery construction. It remains one of the few theaters in Japan where the trapdoor mechanisms and rotating stage are still operated manually.
The view from the stage looking out toward the main tatami-mat spectator seating.
Walk beneath the stage to see the manual pulleys and ropes used to manipulate scenery.
Check the official website for performance schedules as the building closes to general touring during active stage productions.
View the theater from the balcony level to understand the sightlines of the original wooden tiered seating.
Attempting to touch or operate the stage machinery, which is fragile and strictly for demonstration by staff.
Closed on certain days of the month for maintenance; typically inaccessible during private events or major performance rehearsals.
Visitors must remove footwear before entering the wooden stage and dressing room areas.
