Theatre: Of Japan's traditional dramatic arts, kabuki, with its gorgeous costumes, elaborate staging and complex plots, is probably the most accessible. Kabuki-za, 4-12-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku (tel: (03) 3541 3131; website: www.kabuki-za.co.jp), is a beautiful theatre that holds regular performances. English earphone commentary is available. Performances are long, sometimes lasting 5 or 6 hours, however, it is usually possible to purchase tickets for a single act.
Information on programmes of other traditional performing arts, including noh (restrained and highly stylized drama, little changed since Japan's medieval era), bunraku (puppet theatre) and kyogen (short satirical plays, often performed as intervals during noh dramas), can be obtained from the Tourist Information Centre (see above).
Contemporary Japanese theatre tends towards the obscure and the language barrier is an additional dissuasion. Far more accessible are the extravagant review-style performances of the glamorous all-female Takarazuka troop, held at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre, 1-1-3 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku (tel: (03) 5251 2001; website: http://kageki.hankyu.co.jp).