Guide · Culture
Kabuki, noh and bunraku: dates, tickets and English help
Kabukiza lists programmes to Mar 2027 with an English audio guide at $5 (¥800). Autumn 2026 noh seats started at $30 (¥4,600), bunraku at $42 (¥6,500) a part.
Kabukiza lists a programme for every month through March 2027, with December on 2 to 25 December 2026 and January on 2 to 26 January 2027. It sells an English audio guide at $5 (¥800) for one act or $6 (¥1,000) for the full programme. The National Noh Theatre’s own productions carry English and Japanese subtitles, and its last listed performance, Biwa and Noh on 21 November 2026, priced seats from $30 (¥4,600). The National Bunraku Theatre’s autumn run, 31 October to 23 November 2026, cost $42 (¥6,500) per part.
Kabukiza seat prices and the 2027 noh and bunraku calendars are not found. Dollar figures use about ¥155 to US$1 and are rounded; you pay in yen, so check the rate.
Which form plays where?
Each venue runs its own calendar, ticket office and language support, so a kabuki booking does not carry over to noh or bunraku.
| Form | Venue | Dates found | Seat prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kabuki | Kabukiza, Tokyo | Dec 2026 to Mar 2027 | Not found |
| Noh | National Noh Theatre, Tokyo | Last listed 21 Nov 2026 | From $30 (¥4,600) |
| Bunraku | National Bunraku Theatre, Osaka | Last listed 31 Oct to 23 Nov 2026 | $42 (¥6,500) a part |
When does Kabukiza play to March 2027?
Every month has a programme, and each has one or two dark days, meaning no performance.
| Month | Run | Dark days | Show times | Sale from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2026 | 2 to 25 Dec | 9 and 17 Dec | 11:00, 14:30 and 18:00 | 14 Nov, 10:00 JST |
| Jan 2027 | 2 to 26 Jan | 8 and 18 Jan | Not listed | Not listed |
| Feb 2027 | 2 to 26 Feb | 9 and 18 Feb | Not listed | Not listed |
| Mar 2027 | 5 to 22 Mar | 15 Mar | Not listed | Not listed |
The November 2026 programme ran 1 to 25 November with a matinee at 11:00 and an evening show at 16:30. December splits into three parts, at 11:00, 14:30 and 18:00.
January includes a Kimono Day on Sunday 24 January 2027 at both shows, when guests are encouraged to wear kimono. Renting one is covered in Tea ceremony, kimono and maiko experiences. Programmes for April to October 2027 are not published.
The November and December sale dates both fell on the 14th of the previous month at 10:00 JST. January to March sale dates are not listed, so do not assume the same pattern.
Before you book Check the dark days against your dates before you buy flights. Single-act seats are the fallback when reserved seats sell out.
How do you buy Kabukiza tickets?
Buy online through Shochiku’s multilingual ticket site, or phone +81 3 6745-0888 for dates that show as sold out online.
Seats come in reserved and non-reserved zones. Single-act seats on the fourth level are sold at the theatre on the day, and a partner ticket site says they stay available on some dates when reserved seats have sold out. A single-act seat lets you watch one act of a programme without buying the full programme.
Seat prices for the full programme and for a single act are not listed on the Shochiku page or the partner site.
What English help does Kabukiza offer?
The audio guide is the aid with a published price.
| Aid | Detail |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | Simplified English guide: $5 (¥800) for one act, $6 (¥1,000) for the full programme. Cash only, sold at Kabukiza only, and may be unavailable for some performances. |
| Programme synopsis | Programmes sold at the theatre end with a detailed English synopsis. |
| English captions | Sources conflict. |
Shochiku’s page says its English caption guides are currently not available. A partner ticket site’s November 2026 page says English and simplified Chinese caption rental is available. Which statement is current is unclear, so plan on the audio guide and ask at the counter on the day.
What does the National Noh Theatre list?
Biwa and Noh, on Saturday 21 November 2026 at 13:00, is the one noh performance read in full. Reservations opened on 10 October at 10:00.
| Seat | Price | Student price |
|---|---|---|
| Front | $47 (¥7,300) | Not listed |
| Side | $37 (¥5,700) | $26 (¥4,000) |
| Middle | $30 (¥4,600) | $21 (¥3,200) |
The listing names English and Japanese subtitles. For the theatre’s own productions, individual seat-back monitors show subtitles in both languages, as a paraphrase with short notes.
The theatre is at 4-18-1 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Book online, by phone on +81-3-3423-1331 or at the box office. The 2027 noh schedule and a general price list are not found.
What was the bunraku autumn run?
The National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka ran from Saturday 31 October to Monday 23 November 2026, with no performances on Friday 6 and Monday 16 November.
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, each part | $42 (¥6,500) |
| Student, each part | $30 (¥4,600) |
The programme has three parts, each priced separately. All three parts cost $125 (¥19,500) in adult tickets. Start times for the parts are not found.
Book online by credit card and collect at the ticket office, phone +81-3-3230-3000, or use the box office, open daily 10:00 to 18:00, which takes cash in yen and cards. Same-day tickets are sold only if seats remain.
The Japan Arts Council describes paid Japanese and English audio guides for major productions, though some smaller shows state none. The price, and whether the autumn run offered one, are not stated. Bunraku dates for 2027 are not found.
Where next?
Gion Corner shows bunraku and noh by season, but its winter programme leaves them out; see Geisha and Gion etiquette. For another ticketed tradition, see Sumo tournaments 2027. Every culture page is in the Culture hub, and the culture guide gives the overview.
Questions
There are no performances on 9 and 17 December 2026, 8 and 18 January 2027, 9 and 18 February 2027 and 15 March 2027.
Yes, an English audio guide: $5 (¥800) for one act or $6 (¥1,000) for the full programme, cash only. English captions are unclear: Shochiku says they are not available, while a partner ticket site says rental is available.
Yes. Single-act seats on the fourth level are sold at the theatre on the day. Their price is not found.
At the National Noh Theatre's own productions, seat-back monitors show English and Japanese subtitles. The listing for Biwa and Noh on 21 November 2026 names them.
At the autumn 2026 run, 31 October to 23 November, each part cost $42 (¥6,500) for adults and $30 (¥4,600) for students.