Cinema Walk 2nd: Fujidana Shopping Arcade in Yokohama "Cinema Novecento"
"Cinema Walk" introduces mini-theaters in Kanagawa Prefecture. The second feature is a unique mini-theater that boasts the world's smallest, consisting of a theater with just 28 seats and a trattoria.
A 10-minute walk from Tobe Station on the Keikyu Main Line or Nishi-Yokohama Station on the Sagami Railway Main Line will take you to a small shopping street bustling with locals. Fujidana Shopping Street, also known as Yokohama's downtown, is a balanced mix of long-established stores dating back to the Taisho era and new, trendy shops.
As I entered the back of this shopping street, which still retains a nostalgic atmosphere, I was drawn to a signboard featuring the faces of world-famous stars. The letters on the temple-like white gate read "Cinema Novecento."
Its exterior, which fits perfectly with the appearance of the shopping street, gives the impression that it has been watching over this area for a long time, but it actually only opened in 2015. It has such a dignified presence that it's hard to believe it has only been open for less than 10 years. The owner, Katsuhiko Minowa, originally ran a cinema bar called "The Grissom Gang" in Kawasaki, but it closed in 2013 due to the aging of the building, and he decided to open a new one, "Cinema Novecento," here.
Just past the gate, you come to a narrow staircase, the walls and ceiling of which are covered in still photographs, giving you the feeling that you are stepping into the world of cinema. When you arrive on the second floor, you are greeted by a reception desk that also serves as a shop, and then there is a spacious bar space. The lobby area of this theater is a bar, so you can have a drink right after enjoying a movie! Like Novecento (which means 1900 in Italian), this bar is also affectionately known as "Trattoria" (dining hall) in Italian.
This theater boasts being the smallest in the world, with just 28 seats! Its size certainly lives up to its name, but it also means you're closer to the screen, making it easier to immerse yourself in the world of the movie. It offers a completely different experience from watching a movie at a large cinema or at home. The purple and yellow seats that add colour to the black-based theater are said to have been inherited from the Kichijoji Baus Theater, a movie theater that sadly closed down.
This theater uses 35mm and 16mm film projectors to screen around three films a day, but what's particularly noteworthy is the lineup, which could be described as quite niche. The program, which focuses on film, captures the hearts of movie fans. Foreign films that have not been released in Japan are sometimes introduced as "Cinema Novecento Distribution," allowing you to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing works that can only be seen here. From favorite works that you've watched over and over on video, DVD, and Blu-ray, to undiscovered works that are no longer available on those platforms, the lineup ranges from classics to obscurities, and is unique and hard to find anywhere else.
The theater, where the director's love for movies can be felt everywhere, is loved by many regulars, some of whom even come from far away. The theater also incorporates the opinions of its audience members into the films screened and the guests at talk shows, making it a place built in solidarity between the theater, its audience, and people involved in the film industry.
Cinema Novecento is one of the "must-visit" movie theaters, whether you're looking for films that can only be seen there, hidden masterpieces you've never seen before, or a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Cinema Walk No. 1 "Cinema Jack & Betty" is here
Cinema Walk No. 3 "Yokohama Cinemarin" is here
