National Noh Theatre
National Noh Theatre
4.5
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Neighbourhood: Shibuya / Harajuku / Ebisu
There are countless opportunities to shop in the Shibuya and Harajuku districts, especially in shops that focus on Japan's "Kawaii" culture. The trendiest areas are around Shibuya’s Center district, Harajuku's Takeshita-dori and in Omotesando. If you need to recharge from all the shopping, you can easily refresh yourself in Meiji Jingu or Sasaki Park. In contrast, Ebisu has a more grown up ambiance of calm and cool. At the Museum of Yebisu Beer you can learn about the beer that was responsible for the town’s name, and enjoy dining at the popular noodle shops in the surrounding area.
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles36 reviews
Excellent
18
Very good
14
Average
3
Poor
1
Terrible
0

Mzia K
14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
I have thoroughly enjoyed performance on 14th of October 2022. It was meant for visitors and started with very interesting commentary in English, followed by Kyogen “Suminuri” and Noh “ Shoki”. Subtitles were available in several languages, so following the plot was easy .
Performance left very strong impression on me - I felt I gained an insight into this very special form of art.
Written 15 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

nobunaga2017
London, UK11 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
I saw a fairly traditional performance-Kyogen to start with and then after an interval a Noh performance.Both were excellent-the only niggle I had was with the theatre itself:it was roasting inside.After 10 minutes I felt myself getting a headache due to the heat.The audience was mostly made of retired Japanese who seemed to be mostly asleep after 30 minutes no doubt due to heat stroke...
There is an exhibition room which is also worth a look.
The staff are also friendly and helpful.
Written 9 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jerry J
Hallandale Beach, FL624 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018 • Couples
We had long wanted to see Noh Theatre, and this is a beautiful venue, and a high quality performance. We had good seats - and there were good English translations of the performance itself. Only negative was a woman who came out at the beginning, and explained the whole performance and story only in Japanese for a half hour. As these are very simple stories, there is no need for more than a few minutes of explanation. She seemed to have no sense of humor, and even the 99% Japanese audience got restless. I will never complain about American pre-curtain Theatre speeches again! Nevertheless, the performance itself was wonderful, and we're very glad to have attended it. Be prepared for two intermissions, and dining in the lobby during them.
Written 31 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HardeeHar
Calgary, Canada21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2018 • Solo
I attended Noh performances here and was so taken by them I returned again for additional, different performances. Both times there was a presentation of a comedy followed by presentation of a more serious story. The more serious presentations touched on a philosophical observation; and with these notions, plus the pacing, the delivery, the costumes, the chorus, the music, the dancing...you might be transported to what feels a somewhere extraordinarily special. That’s how it felt for me, anyway. The English language translations electronically displayed where so good that emotional reactions — laughter and tears, for example — met those of the Japanese audience members. Also, a hardcopy English language synopsis of the performances is available on request and very helpful.
Written 5 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

wdcwrldtrvlr
Washington DC, DC55 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2018 • Friends
We attended a performance that included both kyogen and noh. The kyogen was great and very entertaining. The noh was much slower paced, especially since we had already read the synopsis, but still very enjoyable. Having surtitles on the small screen in front of us throughout the performances helped greatly. This particular noh performance was an "introduction to noh" which included a 30-minute, Japanese-only explanation prior to the performance – be aware of this when booking. When booking, check the schedule and book on the first day tickets become available. They tend to sell out very quickly.
Written 30 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Keizo
Kawasaki, Japan1,575 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2017 • Solo
As I wanted to see Noh(first time) and Kyogen(second time) play,
I bought a cheap ticket for trainees play. I recognized their efforts but
there were surely difference between their and senior famous actors' performances. Anyway that was a good experience.
There is a restaurant inside. There are no vending machine of drinks and
they sell it at rather expensive price in the restaurant, so it is better to buy it
elsewhere in advance. 5 minutes walk from Kitasando Subway station and reservation in advance is necessary.
Written 15 March 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DianeMi930
Tokyo, Japan5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2016 • Friends
I saw a Noh performance last September in Tokyo at Hosho-Nohgakudo. It was great that they had tablets available with English guidance for the play. It made it easy to understand what was going on, so I definitely recommend using the tablet to follow the play. However, the English guide isn’t available for all shows, so make sure to check which one has them.

The play I saw was called “Aoinoue,” a story from The Tale of Genji. It was about a jealous lover’s spirit that was haunting the formal wife of Hikaru Genji. It was truly fascinating! The Noh-masks that the performers wore were intriguing! The costumes were beautiful too. It’s amazing how the performers can express their emotions without facial expressions…just by their movements and the various use of the Noh-masks.

It was quite different than Kabuki which is more showy and flamboyant. Noh is more subtle and elegant. Definitely worth seeing!
Written 23 January 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

chagebak
Avarua, Cook Islands144 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2016 • Solo
This venue is absolutely elegant - one of those few places that you step into and realize that it's been built with loving care. I was here for the April 5 performance of Kurama Tengu, and could not have been more impressed. I had anticipated a culturally enriching, if rather confusing, performance, but was very pleasantly surprised to find that the seats contain screens that will allow translation of the play line-by-line, or display the Japanese. I had made a guide for the play so that I could follow it, but discovered that it was not necessary. Very helpful and friendly staff, and an exciting and fascinating performance. I note that tickets to the National Noh Theatre sell out quickly, so if you are planning to make arrangements to attend, book your ticket on the first day of sale. So glad I made the effort.
Written 10 April 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jack F
Bandung, Indonesia827 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2014 • Friends
Although the venue is like a house that is simple, but can simply store a variety of facilities that can be relied upon for those who do various performances such as art performances, meetings, etc. Sometimes they have their scheduled performances. If you are interested, you can view the performance schedule on their website.
Written 22 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AnaSte1234
Sacramento, CA22 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2014 • Friends
Our group expected Noh theatre to be subtle and understated. We also expected Noh masks, dancing, and taiko drumming.
The theatre itself has seen far better days. The pink carpet is threadbare and stained, as are the very compact seats. The center of the main stage has a strip that saw heavy use the day we were there that light bounces off creating the appearance of a gutter, but is otherwise lovely.
The people at the theatre were incredibly gracious and welcoming. There were no printed or audio guides available for English speakers but upon our arrival theatre staff sent over two women. These kind and lovely ladies gave us a brief orientation to Noh, summarized the segments we'd be seeing and patiently answered all our questions. We had tried to look up the program before we went, but were unable to find anything on line.
The theatre was filled with patrons who appeared to be in their late 60s +. About 20% of the theatre fell asleep during the show, only to be startled awake by the drumming.
We did not see any masks during the performance. The only dancing was during an inter-mezzo. The first dance piece was performed by a very elderly lady. The second dance piece was performed by an elderly gentleman. There was one drum piece with a single drummer. The remaining three hours was stylized, guttural Japanese opera singing. The subtlety of the gestures and expressions made it difficult for our group to follow.
We did not see any other tourists in the theatre the day we went.
I'm not sure if the lack of other tourists, average patron age, lack of dancing and masks and the sleepiness of the audience converged in a series of bizarre coincidences and we just hit it on an off day or if this is the norm.
TL/DR; The December 2014 program at the National Noh Theatre did not contain any of the elements we expected to see. If time is tight I would suggest an alternate activity. Staff at the theatre were kind and very helpful.
Written 21 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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NATIONAL NOH THEATRE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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