Kinokuniya Hall

A renewal project that honors the history of Kinokuniya Hall

At Books Kinokuniya Shinjuku Main Store Building, where Kinokuniya Hall is located, seismic reinforcement work was begun in 2019. As part of this project, the hall's seating, flooring, foyer walls and ceilings were completely refurbished, and in June 2021, it was reopened to visitors.
What Kotobuki Seating focussed on in the renewal of the auditorium was to inherit the spirit of the hall that had been nurtured for more than half a century. While embracing the design of Master Kunio Maekawa, the original architect, we added functionality suitable to the physique of contemporary visitors.

A new and highly functional seating system created with reusable parts

The seat backs consist of three-dimensional curved cushions that hug the back of the person seated. The backrests, which allow the audience to enjoy a comfortable seating experience, were divided into three different heights and arranged according to the slope of the seats. In particular, the rows in front of the stage were carefully designed to be lower than the stage so as not to break the sense of unity between the audience and the stage.
Before the renewal, the upholstery of the seats  was noticeably worn and dirty, as audiences members would place their hands on the backrests when sitting or passing by. Now the fabric is protected by edging the cushion with wood. Our goal is the long-lasting beauty of our products. The wood grain design complements the Bordeaux-toned upholstery, giving the seat an air of luxury and dignity.
The armrests and legs of the seats were beautifully polished and repainted. The curved shape of the armrests, which nestle into the elbows and palms of those seated, has also been retained. The sense of touch recalls memories and excitement of the theater experience that visitors to Kinokuniya Hall enjoyed in the past.
The seat shape is called "Spacia," which is known for its thin tip that touches the backs of the knees of the seated person. This shape provides more legroom than the traditional seat shape, and was highly appraised by the theater staff who visited the Kotobuki Seating showroom and led to its adoption. Thus, not only can seated visitors easily move their legs to facilitate standing and sitting, but they can also move their legs under the seat to allow other audience members to pass down the row.

Improvements in seating comfort, visibility, and number of seats

Before the renewal, the seats were lined up in rows in the center block, and the audience had to view the stage over the heads of those seated in front of them. In this renovation, to improve the line of sight, we adopted a staggered arrangement in which the seats in each row are shifted by half, meaning that the audience can now enjoy the stage over the shoulders of the person in front of them. Moreover, the backrest design angle has been raised slightly to provide a more comfortable seating experience, enhancing the ability of the audience to concentrate on the performance.
These subtle design changes, including the "Spacia" concept, have allowed for the compacting of the front-to-back pitch per seat and contributed to the evolution of comfortable seating. As a result, more room was created in the block in front of the seating area, and one new row of seats was added. The seating capacity has been increased to 427 seats, nine more than before the renewal, while improving seating comfort and ease of viewing during the performance.

Facility Overview

Kinokuniya Hall opened on the fourth floor of the Books Kinokuniya Shinjuku Main Store Building when it was completed in 1964. Since then, leading Japanese theater companies such as Bungakuza, Mingei Theater Company, Haiyuza Theater Company, Seinenza Theater Company, and Komatsuza Theater Company have performed there, and more than 60 years after its opening, the theater continues to be recognized as a gateway to success for young theater companies.