A Short Guide to some 2.5D Theater Venues

A non-exhaustive list of 2.5D venues I’ve been to.

Small = under 1000, Midsize/Normal = 1-2000, large: anything bigger than 2000. 

Small:

● Animate Theater: 200 seats.
It’s a theater under the Ikebukuro Animate. Very tight, usually for small fan events.

● IMM Theater: 700 seats
In the same area as Tokyo Dome. It has a tall ceiling and a balcony so it doesn’t seem that small. Typically 2.5D sequels for mid-tier-popular franchises. 

● Theater 1010: 700 seats
On top of a shopping mall. More often used for bunraku and other cultural shows, so 2.5D is less common there. Currently closed

● Sunshine City Theater: 800 seats
In Sunshine City Complex in Ikebukuro. I personally have never been here, only watched streams that have been held here.

● Tennouzu Isle Galaxy Theater: 800 seats. 
Out by Odaiba, attached to Tennozu Isle station. Well-equipped theater, but there’s no balcony, so it feels tiny. THE venue for new 2.5D shows that have very solid preexisting fanbases. 

● Shinagawa Prince Stellar Ball: 900 seats. 
It’s a hall inside of a hotel on a hill. The theater setup has tiering available, but there’s less seating that way. The concert setup is super flat and hard to see from the sides, and the sound blasts you in the head. Very versatile wide stage though.

● Theater Creation: 800 seats
In a very posh area in Hibiya. Toho Productions venue. Pretty standard, no notes.

Midsize: 

● Theater H: 1000 seats. 
Newest as of this writing. Next to the horseracing tracks in Shinagawa. Has a balcony, but the building is tight, so it feels smaller than it actually is. 

● Zepp DiverCity: 1000 seats
In DiverCity Odaiba. Actually holds 2000 standing because it’s a primarily concert venue. Flat, but the stage is super tall so you can see everything. Has a balcony, and a drink charge. 

● Nippon Seinenkan Hall: 1300 seats 
In Shinjuku, attached to a hotel with the same name. Generally a really nice theater. 

● Nissay Theater: 1330 seats 
Another Toho venue. Feels classic or vintage because it is. 

● Tokyo Tatemono Brillia Hall: 1300 seats
In Ikebukuro near Otome Road. Has two balconies and is fairly wide but not too deep. Pretty comfortable, although the building’s format is a little odd. 

● National Theatre: 1600 seats
In Shibuya. Classic theater. Currently closed.

● Shimbashi Enbu-jo: 1400 seats
It’s a kabuki venue, but I did see Touken Ranbu Kabuki here, so it counts. Extremely cool theater.

● Stage Around IHI (rest in pieces): 1200 seats
Was out near Odaiba. 100% circular stage that wrapped around the audience area, and the seating platform would rotate so different parts of the stage could be seen during different parts of the show. A truly innovative and technically brilliant venue. Closed in 2024 because of development by parent company. 

● Meiji-Za: 1300 seats
In Central Tokyo. Holds both kabuki and western shows. A bit dated, but extremely solid. 

● Tokyo International Forum Hall C: 1500 seats
In Central Tokyo, Yurakucho. Also doubles as a lecture hall, so the stage is oddly small for the capacity. The lighting sometimes shines directly in your eyes… Good sound though. 

Large
(includes concert venues that have held story-based shows):

● Tokyo Dome City Hall: 2500 seats
Centrally located in the Tokyo Dome area. The king of venues for 2.5D; if a franchise can sell shows here they’ve made it.  

● Tachikawa Stage Garden: 2500
45 min east of Shibuya, in Tachikawa. This venue was built FOR 2.5D. The staging is nice, but because the seating is meant to accommodate variations in staging, it’s super flat for ten+ rows at a time. The balcony seats aren’t angled towards the main stage either. Generally it sucks to sit in. They have screens on both sides of the stage, though. 

● Imperial Theatre: 1800 seats
Toho Productions’ flagship venue. It’s in this category because it feels as big as Tokyo Dome City Hall, even though it technically isn’t, because it’s very grand. Set to be reconstructed in 2025, so it probably will qualify for large after it’s done. 

● Maihama Ampitheatre: 2100 seats
Shiki Theatre Company’s Disneyland venue, located right outside the shopping center adjacent to Disneyland. They do primarily Disney musicals at this venue. It’s a semicircular stage, so it feels small. But it’s actually very roomy, and the views are really nice no matter where you sit. 

● Tokyo Garden Hall: 6000 seats
Concert venue in Ariake. Honestly feels kind of like a megachurch amphitheatre, but it’s not a bad venue for extremely large shows.