It’s not all that uncommon in Japan to find, and be able to photograph, the likes of abandoned homes and holiday resorts. Long out of business movie theatres, on the other hand, are without a doubt much rarer.
Opened in 1950, the cinema below was one of two that stood side by side, but the other structure burnt down, meaning it was left to entertain the locals all alone. With a capacity of about 400 people and a decades-long operational run, it must have more than managed that, but nothing lasts forever, and it eventually closed down in the early 1980s.
Since then it has stood silently in a slow, gradual state of decline. It hasn’t, however, been left untouched, as the interior is piled high with boxes. So many boxes. Even stranger is they are almost all empty. Some are obviously from many years ago, with others much more recent additions. Why they are all there is anybody’s guess, but without all that clutter, the auditorium would have looked truly incredible with row after row of empty wooden seats.
That said, it’s still a fascinating place, and while old telephones are always a treat to discover, massive and pristine looking vintage projectors are something else altogether. The room they were in was almost pitch black, but the smell of oil suggested we had found what we were looking for, and in the dim torch light, the appearance of those two machines was as amazing as the movies they once played.
john says
That must be the box office.
Lee says
Brilliant. That genuinely made me chuckle.
john says
I felt I was risking a groan but it made me chuckle too..
Paul says
Haha. Good one.
Sean says
Such an awesome find. I would love to explore somewhere like this. Thanks for the proxy thrills!
Lee says
You are very welcome. I do wish all those boxes weren’t there, but it was a truly fascinating place to explore. Surpassed all expectations and then some.
Matthias says
Although it is boxes we’re looking at, the scene somehow reminds me of an audience before a movie, show or performance is about to begin – finding a place, not settling down yet, disorganized but not completely so… anyway, I cannot stop looking at the photos – again. Thanks!!
Lee says
That’s a really nice way of looking at it. Easy to see what you mean and also eases my regrets. Thanks.
You are very welcome. Glad you like the results. Didn’t expect to get in, so it was a real treat to both explore and photograph.
cdilla says
A great find, and arn’t those projection machines something. They reminded me of the Merlin engine found in Spitfires.
That “box room” bears an uncanny resemblence to our attic.
Lee says
Yes, they really are. We hoped they’d still be there, but even then I didn’t expect them to be quite so special. Or in such good condition.
Haha, you and the cinema culprit should swap notes.
Richard says
The blue tile on the walls by the entrance must have been great. Thanks for sharing these.
Lee says
You are welcome. Thoroughly enjoyed photographing it. All very unexpected too which made it even better. And yeah, those tiles must have been something. Would love to know what it was like back in the day.
Anonymous Tokyoite says
Would you mind sharing where this is? I love old theaters and it’s so rare to find them in Tokyo, abandoned or otherwise!