Laugh, cry, and laugh some more... Come to the moving "Yose" in Yokohama
Enter an artistic space!
YOKOHAMA ART SPOT FILE
Full of old-fashioned atmosphere! Experience popular entertainment in the popular area of Noge
Yokohama Nigiwaiza
The city of Yokohama used to be lined with vaudeville halls and theaters, bustling with activity every day. In 2002, Yokohama Nigiwaiza was established in Noge, Yokohama, as a venue specializing in popular entertainment, in the hopes of preserving that culture and revitalizing the city with the power of laughter. Have you ever been to this rare place where you can experience popular entertainment such as rakugo, manzai, and street performances up close?
The current second director is Master Katsura Utamaru, who is from and lives in Yokohama. The photo spot on the second floor with the panel of Director Utamaru is popular with people of all ages and genders. They also lend out happi coats and folding fans, so please take a photo as a souvenir.
The third and fourth floors are the main performing arts halls, with red and white lanterns and box seats that create the atmosphere of a vaudeville hall, creating a space that evokes the atmosphere of a popular performing arts venue.
There is also a shop outside the hall where you can purchase lunch boxes, snacks, etc.
They also serve beer and sake, and it's popular that you can bring food and drinks into the hall and enjoy the show while having a drink! (Depending on the show, eating and drinking may not be allowed.)
We were given a special peek at the stage and behind the scenes, so we'd like to share a little bit with you!
This is the actual stage. The storytellers' skills are incredible, so you're drawn in and feel very close, but it's actually larger than I thought.
And finally, a sneak peek behind the scenes!
Do you know what this is? This is actually a drum set up at the side of the stage to announce the start of the show. The drum sounds that let customers who are taking a break in the foyer or restrooms in front of the entertainment hall know that the show is about to start are being beaten here by the opening act performers.
You can check out how customers are entering the venue and what the stage is like on the monitor here.
Similarly, in the wings, preparations are being made for the entrance music to liven up the audience when the storyteller appears. The storyteller appears on stage to the sound of live music being played in this way! It's a stylish production that makes you feel like you're at a "vaudeville show."
We also had a peek into the dressing room area. What kind of space do the performers wait in before going on stage? I'm curious!
This is the dressing room. It looks neat and comfortable!
Western-style rooms are also available.
Now, on a table in the hallway where the dressing rooms are lined up, there is this! Do you know what it is?
A joke book is placed in the dressing room corridor. It has "Rakuyane Tacho" written on it in beautiful handwriting. It is said that the performers have been continuously writing down the "material" (plays) of performances since the theater opened. On the day of the performance, the performers look at this book to check "who performed what and when". The performers on this day were also carefully checking their previous material.
And in the hallway there's this:
Now, leaving the dressing room, we head to the general information corner on the second floor.
Here, tickets are sold, facilities are available for use, and original goods are also sold. There is also a large display of autographs of famous storytellers!
Permanent exhibits include materials related to popular performing arts and old photographs of the Noge area.
Yokohama Nigiwaiza is a venue for a variety of events, including the "Yokohama Nigiwai Yose" which focuses on Rakugo, solo performances, school meetings, live music, and dance shows. You'll laugh out loud, sometimes cry, and it's the perfect way to exercise your tired mind! Why not invite your family and friends and come along?
