Japan Nostalgic Movie Theater Encyclopedia

A record of Showa-era movie theaters full of charm—both still-standing and long-lost—from large and small roadshow cinemas to classic revival houses and entertainment landmarks across Japan.

[Main Contents]
◎INTRODUCTION
・The Hibiya movie district in the memory of the Showa era
・The movie streets that turned every weekend into a festival

◎Large Roadshow Theaters
Shinjuku Milano-za, Shinjuku Tokyu, Cinema Milano
Shibuya Pantheon, Shibuya Tokyu, Yokohama Toho Kaikan
Shizuoka Orion-za / Yuraku-za, Shizuoka Piccadilly 1 & 2
Shizuoka Milano 1, 2, 3, Shizuoka Toho Kaikan
Taiyo Movie Theater, Miyuki-za, Hibiya Movie
Ueno Central, Marunouchi TOEI 1 & 2, Ueno Toho Theater / Ueno Takarazuka Theater
CINEFUKU, Shinjuku Plaza Theater, Himeji Daigeki Cinema
Sapporo Toho Plaza, Subaru-za, Sennichimae Kokusai Cinema / Kokusai Theater

◎Small Roadshow Theaters
Asakusa Toei, Asakusa Toei Palace 1 & 2
Kisarazu Toei, Kisarazu Fuji-kan, Kisarazu Central
Ginza Cinepathos, Theatre Kamata / Kamata Takarazuka
Ichinoseki Cine Plaza 1 & 2, Hikari-za
Asakusa Toho, Tsunashima Movie, Isezakicho Toei / Toei 2, Fujisawa Odeon-za
Nishio Theater, Sennichimae Central, Awaji Toho, Maizuru Yachiyo-kan
Chuo Cinema / Morioka Toho, Kure Cinema 1 & 2, Hondo Daiichi Eigeki
Aizu Toho, Oji Cinema / Oji 100 Nin Gekijo

◎Feature: A Treasure Trove of Showa Cinemas – Nagano Prefecture
Higashi-za, Tokiwa Theater, Ueda Eigeki
Nagano Shochiku Aioi-za / Nagano Roxy 1 & 2, Sengoku Theater

◎Revival Houses and Mini-Theaters
Teatro Isawa, Okada Theater
Kannai Academy 1 & 2, Kamome-za, Yokohama Nichigeki
Gifu Royal Theater, Sumoto Orion, Salon Cinema 1 & 2
Kochi Atago Theater, Taishin Theater
Meien Small Theater, Shintomi-za, Kokura Showa-kan 1 & 2
Yurakucho Subaru-za, Waseda Shochiku, Iwanami Hall
Cine Switch Ginza 1 & 2, Cine La Set, Sangenjaya Central Theater
Asakusa Meigaza, Asakusa Chuei Theater
Shinbashi Bunka Theater / Roman Theater, Shinjuku Showa-kan / Underground Theater

◎Adult Cinemas
Beppu New Nan’ei, Kanazawa Station Cinema, Mito Ginsei Movie Theater
Kinsei Theater, Ishinomaki Nikkatsu Pearl Cinema, Theatre A&P, Yachiyo-kan
Kasugai Union Theater, Senbon Nikkatsu, Nakamura Eigeki
Ueno Okura Theater / Underground Special Theater, Yuraku Movie Theater, Shuri Theater

◎Revived and Reborn Cinemas
Toyooka Theater, Onariza, Motomiya Movie Theater, Takasaki Denkikan, Takada Sekai-kan
Cinema Onomichi, Fukuchiyama Cinema, Fukaya Cinema

◎Scenery with Hand-Painted Signboards
The craft of movie signboard artists who supported the golden era of cinema – Takeo Oshita

◎INTERVIEWS
Kozue Aiki (Higashi-za Owner)
Masamitsu Mizuno (Shintomi-za Owner)
Shiro Fujioka (Kanazawa Station Cinema Owner)
Kenji Takeishi (Fukaya Cinema Director)

◎TALK
Author Hisahiro Oya × Hairi Katagiri

◎COLUMNS
01 The movie experience began the day you bought an advance ticket
02 Lobby cards were motionless trailers
03 Pamphlets were tools to replay the film in your mind
04 “What should I watch next?” – In student days, everything depended on magazines
etc.