Most famous theater destinations in Asia
Most famous theater destinations in Asia
Traditional performance halls and monumental national theater structures across Asia
East Asian classical theatre preserves traditions stretching back over four centuries, with stylised performance, elaborate costume and a dedicated audience that has sustained it across generations. South Asian dance-drama adds an entirely different tradition built around dramatic makeup and gesture.
The destinations on this list range from centuries-old traditional theatre houses performing largely unchanged classical repertoire to modern performing arts centres built within the last few decades to showcase both traditional and contemporary work side by side.
Booking tickets with English programme notes tends to make traditional performances considerably more accessible to visitors unfamiliar with the specific story or symbolism on stage. Many theatres also offer simplified notes specifically for this reason. Checking whether a performance includes translated programme notes also matters considerably for visitors unfamiliar with the story being told.
Lists by region
City in Japan
Tokyo
Japan's capital of temples, towers and food
Kabukiza opened in Ginza on November 21, 1889 as a wooden building. Fires, an earthquake and wartime bombing destroyed earlier buildings. The current building by Kengo Kuma opened on 28 March 2013. It seats 1,964. Tickets can be bought for individual acts and programmes change monthly.
City in South Korea
Seoul
Where Tradition Meets High-Tech Marvels
Daehangno became Seoul's second cultural district in 2004 after Insadong. The street took its name from the Seoul National University campus beside it. The campus began moving to Sillim in January 1975. Marronnier Park was created in 1975 on the former campus site. It has an outdoor performance hall.
City in China
Beijing
Ancient history meets modern dynamism
The National Centre for the Performing Arts is ringed by an artificial lake. Visitors enter through an 80 metre underwater passage. The building opened in December 2007 under a dome of more than 18,000 titanium plates. Its Opera Hall seats 2,207. Peking opera began in Beijing in 1790 with four Anhui troupes.
City in Japan
Kyoto
Temples, geisha districts and kaiseki dining
Minamiza was founded in 1610 as Shijo Minamiza. It is one of the earliest of seven officially licensed kabuki theatres. The current building dates to 1929 and seats 1,086. Its interior was refurbished in 1991. It was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property in 1996. It stands in Gion beside the Shijo Bridge.
City in Russia
Saint Petersburg
Where history and elegance meet
The Mariinsky Theatre opened on October 2, 1860 and was named for Empress Maria Alexandrovna. Its official name was Kirov from 1935 to 1992. Mariinsky II was completed in May 2013 at a cost of 500 million euros. Alexandrinsky Theatre opened in 1832 and was designed by Carlo Rossi.
City in Russia
Moscow
A grand city of history and power
Catherine II granted Prince Peter Urusov a license for theatrical performances in 1776. The current Bolshoi building opened on January 18, 1825. A renovation from 2005 to 2011 left it with 1,740 seats. The Bolshoi Ballet has more than 200 dancers. The Moscow Art Theatre staged Chekhov's The Seagull in 1898.
City in China
Shanghai
A dazzling mix of modernity and tradition
The Grand Theatre opened on 27 August 1998 at the north end of People's Square. Its main auditorium seats 1,631 across three tiers. The Buick Theater seats 575 and the Studio Theater has 220 fixed seats. In 2002 it hosted a staging of Les Misérables.
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