Today, I hereby declare a “Sonezaki Shinjū Double-Header” — my 3rd time seeing Cherry Program at Minamiza, followed by a Cinema Kabuki screening of Sonezaki Shinjū (with a stage greeting by Kazutaro). A full-course Sonezaki Shinjū kind of day. And on top of that, today’s special talk guest turned out to be an actor from the hit film Kokuho! A day so saturated with Sonezaki Shinjū, it’s almost ridiculous. As always, it was the best day ever.
What is the “Sonezaki Shinjū Double-Header”?
It all started with an internal monologue when I spotted the Cinema Kabuki announcement.
“Oh, the next Cinema Kabuki is Sonezaki Shinjū. Huh, there’s a stage greeting? But surely it’ll be on a day I can’t make it. The 23rd? Wait… the 23rd? Oh no 😢 that’s the day I’m at Minamiza! Hmm, Kazutaro’s stage greeting? Wait, could I go from Minamiza straight there? If Kazutaro can make it, surely I can too! If the performer is performing in two places, the audience can be an audience in two places! (←huh? lol)”
…And that, my friends, is how a one-woman pep talk gave birth to this schedule: 15:00pm Minamiza Cherry Program → 17:30pm curtain → 18:40pm Cinema Kabuki. A full-course Kazutaro experience. Watching the same story twice in one day — am I a complete weirdo? Nope, just an extravagant case of theatre fever.
For context: this month I’ve seen Cherry Program twice and Pine Program once, so this is my 4th Sonezaki Shinjū. I’ve already written about my first Cherry Program and Pine Program, so feel free to peek at those too.
What is a “Dobu Seat” in the “Tochiri” Row?
My seat today was a dobu seat on the 1st floor. For those going “a what now?”, here’s a quick explanation.
Kabuki theatres have a runway called the hanamichi that cuts through the audience. Dobu seats are tucked alongside the hanamichi on the wall side — right next to the runway, close enough to almost touch the actors as they pass.
Tochiri seats are the 7th to 9th rows: a sweet spot with stage-wide visibility plus clear facial expressions.
So today’s seat was both a dobu seat AND in a tochiri row — a double-whammy of premium positioning. Close enough to almost hear the actors breathe. …Though I’ll admit, it’s not quite the same as a proper (central) tochiri seat, you know? (lol)
What I Noticed on the 3rd Viewing: Tokubei’s Boyishness
By the 3rd viewing, you start to know what’s coming and in which, which gives you a bit of breathing room. And that’s exactly when you start noticing the subtle changes.
What struck me today was how Tokubei (Ukon) seemed to lean into Ohatsu (Kazutaro) more — almost like a child seeking comfort. In the scene in which they sit on chairs holding hands and gazing at each other, the way he said “Ohatsu” had this sweet, almost spoiled tone… It made Tokubei feel much younger than usual.
Opening night and the days leading up to senshuraku (the final performance) definitely feel different. On opening night there’s a fresh, still-finding-their-footing quality I really like. By the end of a month-long run, the depth of the relationship from the actors seeps into every gesture — to I love that too. It’s not about which is “right.” I just love them both.
A Surprise Appearance by Shinobu Terajima!
And for the second part of the day, the special talk guest was… ta-da-da-da-da-da… Shinobu Terajima!! I nearly fell out of my seat. The moment she walked on, the audience erupted into applause so big it was practically a standing ovation.
She talked about the upcoming Renjishi at Kabukiza the following month — a piece performed by parent and child, in this case Ukon and Mahoro-kun (her son). And it seemed Mahoro-kun himself was waiting backstage… the audience clapped hopefully, willing him to come out, but alas, he didn’t appear. I really wanted to see his face!
Throughout the talk, Shinobu was so charming and warm that I was completely melted.
Here’s the funny part: the day before this performance, I happened to see a photo on Ukon’s Instagram — Shinobu, Mahoro-kun, and Ukon standing together in front of Yasaka Shrine. I thought, “Oh, they must be rehearsing in Kyoto.” Little did I know that the very next day she’d appear as the talk guest! A real-life plot twist with the most satisfying payoff.
A bonus story: when I went to see Renjishi at Kabukiza the next month, I spotted Shinobu in the lobby wearing a kimono. She was so luminous, so absolutely stunning. As if she was wearing light itself.
Intermission Snacks, plus a Note on Eating in a Dobu Seat
My intermission picks today: Izuju‘s inarizushi (sweet-tofu-wrapped sushi), picked up just below Yasaka Shrine, plus Ran‘s saba-zushi (mackerel sushi) in Kiyamachi. Two stops, one woman.
A little tip for first-timers: unless you’re in a sajiki (private box) seat, you’ll be eating on your lap. An ordinary bento? Fine. But a whole roll of saba-zushi? That’s pushing it (lol).
In hindsight, Izuju’s inarizushi alone would have been plenty. I didn’t have much time to eat anyway, and my lap was a full-on sushi party… but I wanted the saba-zushi too! 🐟
Either way — both were so delicious I finished them without even taking a photo. The pre-curtain feast is honestly half the fun.
Wrapping Up
Two days before senshuraku, with a sold-out sign at Minamiza. There’s something about being in a packed house in which everyone is loving the same piece — it gets me every time.
“This must be the last Sonezaki Shinjū Monogatari for me…” I’d barely begun to mope when — nope, no time! Off I dashed to chase Kazutaro to Cinema Kabuki. No room for Sonezaki blues when you’re double-booked.
I’ll write about the Cinema Kabuki screening in a separate post, so stay tuned!
The Whole Sonezaki Shinjū Monogatari Series
This post is part of my Sonezaki Shinjū Monogatari viewing series.
- Pre-show excitement notes: The jitters right after I scored my tickets
- Cherry Program, 1st viewing: Opening day Cherry Program, with a gorgeous bento too
- Pine Program: Kazutaro as the male lead – what a shock
- Cherry Program, 3rd viewing ← you're reading this one
- Cinema Kabuki: Off to a screening with a stage greeting by Kazutaro
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