Roppongi is a crossroads of diverse cultures. On July 5, 2025, a new landmark for laughter was born in this city. Following in the footsteps of the "Haiyuza Theatre," where many great actors performed for decades, Yoshimoto Kogyo opened its first permanent theater dedicated to sketch comedy: the "YOSHIMOTO ROPPONGI THEATER." For the nine days from its opening on the 5th to the 13th, the theater held its "Opening Week," featuring fiery performances by unique and quirky sketch comedians, led by past champions and finalists of the "King of Conte" competition. What kind of future does this new Roppongi cultural spot aim for? We'll introduce the theater's interior and backstage areas with guidance from Ms. Yoko Seiza, General Manager of the East Japan Theater Department at Yoshimoto Kogyo, who launched the theater.

This hall of laughter is located just steps from Exit 6 of Roppongi Station on the subway. Regarding the theater's launch, Ms. Seiza explains, "When people think of Japanese comedy, manzai (stand-up) often comes to mind. However, our company also has many konto-shi (sketch comedians), and there had long been discussions that we should have a theater focused on sketch comedy. The momentum for it was building, and various timings aligned, leading to the theater's opening."

The theater's entrance lobby is spacious and fully equipped with seating, including wood-grain benches. Tickets for performances can be purchased online through FANY Ticket and other services, or at the theater's box office if seats are available. Let's wait in the lobby with excitement until the show starts.

From joint live shows featuring new material by up-and-coming sketch comedians to solo shows by veteran performers, the racks at the entrance are filled with comedy-related flyers. The rich variety is exciting just to look at.

In collaboration with the adjacent "HUB Roppongi," the theater held trial runs of "Yoshimoto Comedy Night OWARAI" for inbound tourists in October and December. The entrance side of the lobby is used as a stage, allowing guests to enjoy the show while dining at "HUB Roppongi." "Roppongi has many international visitors, so one of this theater's themes was to create a stage that inbound tourists and foreign residents in Japan can enjoy," says Ms. Seiza. "Inside the theater, food and drinks are prohibited, except for drinks with lids. However, many comedy shows overseas allow eating and drinking. To create a show that people can enjoy while dining, we consulted with HUB and decided to hold it in the lobby. The lineup mainly features performers known for acts that transcend language barriers, such as Wes-P and Ichikawa Koikuchi, who have appeared on 'Got Talent' programs abroad. The October and December shows were preliminary, with a full-scale launch planned for January 2026."

Now, let's finally head up the stairs on either side of the lobby and into the theater. The theater has 300 seats and a capacity of 302 people. For a dedicated comedy theater, this capacity is quite large.

In the passageway leading to the theater, messages from comedians celebrating the opening were on display. It's a thrilling sight for fans. The theater has also received great feedback from the sketch comedians who have actually performed on its stage. "Everyone praises this theater highly," Ms. Seiza shares. "They even say they want to perform sketches here forever, which makes all the effort of launching it worthwhile (laughs)."

Although the theater's capacity is large, the stage feels close from the seats. This setup allows the audience to thoroughly enjoy the sketch comedy, from the props to the performers' facial expressions.

As it was originally a theater for stage plays, it's guaranteed to be an easy space for performing sketch comedy. "For example, blackouts are crucial in sketch comedy because the atmosphere is so important," Ms. Seiza explains. "A blackout is when the stage lights are turned off to change scenes without lowering the curtain. In typical theaters, it's quite difficult to achieve complete darkness because light often leaks in from gaps. However, this theater can achieve a perfect blackout, allowing the audience to enjoy the performance to the end without breaking the atmosphere. We've received positive feedback from audience members saying it was 'easy to watch.'"

This time, we were given a special look backstage. Although there was equipment, it was impressively spacious.

The sets, which are essential for sketches, are created by the comedians in consultation with the theater staff. "In September, the comedy duo Bambino held a family performance for children called 'Adventures with Mr. Danson.' Bambino and the staff worked tirelessly, day and night, to create a forest-like set, figuring out how best to appeal to the children visiting the theater. The show was on a Sunday morning, and about 100 children and their parents attended. Roppongi has a strong nighttime image, and this theater also focuses on evening shows, but I felt this performance showed us new possibilities."

Beneath the stage, there are costumes and wigs used in the sketches. It's clear that a great deal of preparation is necessary to make a sketch comedy show happen.

The theater features sketch comedians not only from Tokyo but from all over Japan. During the "Opening Week," comedians from both Eastern and Western Japan gathered to perform various sketches. "There were new combinations of performers who had never worked together before, which led to new discoveries," says Ms. Seiza.

I felt this wasn't just a comedy theater, but a place dedicated to delivering polished sketch comedy "works" to the audience in an optimal environment. The true value of this theater also seems to lie in its role as high-quality, everyday entertainment that you can drop into anytime. Ms. Seiza suggests, "People working around Roppongi can just stop by casually after work. It's close to the station, and the shows are only about an hour long, so we'd be happy if people added this as an option for how to spend their time before heading home." She continues, "Roppongi has many tourist spots, so we also recommend stopping by for 'a quick laugh' while sightseeing. Comedy live shows are among the more reasonably priced entertainment options, and we deliver laughs with confidence. Please feel free to come by." Why not experience the sketch comedy created by Japan's top comedians right before your eyes?

《YOSHIMOTO ROPPONGI THEATER》
Location: 4-9-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Lobby Hours: From 1 hour before the start of the first performance.
*For other details, please check the official website below.
https://roppongi.yoshimoto.co.jp/