Film Exhibition at Theaters

General Situation in Each Prefecture
General Situation in Each Prefecture
As for the film attendance of each prefecture, the prefectures with big cities and the “ordinance-designated cities” (bestowed
higher autonomy) dominated the top of the list, such as Tokyo, Kanagawa, Osaka, Aichi, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka, Hyogo, Hokkaido
and Shizuoka.
The average number of films a person went to see annually was obtained in each prefecture. The national average in 2019 was 1.5
films, higher by 0.2 than the 1.3 in the year before. Tokyo’s number, 2.4, was higher by 0.4 than the 2.0 in the year before; and was
followed by 1.9 of Kyoto and Osaka; 1.8 of Kanagawa and Aichi; 1.7 of Chiba, Tochigi, and Fukuoka; and 1.6 of Ishikawa, Yamagata,
Saitama and Gunma. These were the prefectures with the number above the national average of 1.5 films, leaving all otherprefectures with the number below the average.
The number of screens in each prefecture was high like that of attendance in the prefectures with big cities. From 2018 to 2019,
the total number of screens nationwide increased by 36. From 2010 to 2012, its number dramatically decreased, however during thelast several years, its number has been constantly increasing. From 2015 to 2016, 29 screens were added; from 2016 to 2018, 54
screens; and from 2017 to 2018, 61 screens were added.
The national average population per screen was 34,809. When this figure is lower, it means that there are more screens in thearea, and the inhabitants feel that the screens are easily accessible. The numbers in only two prefectures, Ishikawa (18,642) andYamagata (19,233) were between 10,000 and 19,999, and these are the “prefectures with many movie houses.” In these two
prefectures, the average number of films a person went to see annually was also above the national average.
On the other hand, seven prefectures whose average population per screen exceeded 50,000 were: Kochi (63,425), Yamanashi(62,466), Miyazaki (59,540), Fukushima (57,630), Iwate (53,323), Nagasaki (53,008), and Tottori (50,515). In these prefectures, thenumber of movie theaters has remained low for several years. The average number of the films a person went to see annually was
as low as 0.7 to 1.1, and the inhabitants living in these prefectures do not have easy access to film culture. However, in these areas
with less theaters, there have been an increasing number of traveling screenings at public halls, and recently, many new types of
independent exhibitions have been developed, creating community film exhibitions that supplement or replace conventional theaters.
We must keep in mind that rich film exhibition environments could be uncounted in these film business statistics.

General Situation in Each Prefecture (2019)1

Film Exhibition at Theaters# of Theaters and Screens: from "List of Theaters" of Film Almanac (Jiji Press/Kinema Jumpo-sha) and Film Exhibition Activities Almanac (Japan Community Cinema Center)
Population: from "Population Estimates" (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Statistics Bureau)
Attendance of Each Prefecture (estimate):“Japanese Film Industry Statistics” (Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, January 2020) includes no attendance in each prefecture. “Special Service Industry Situation Research
Report: Film Theaters” (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, September 2019) includes 2017 numbers of attendance in each prefecture. The numbers in the above chart are based on theattendance of each prefecture in the above “Report” (2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017), calculating the average share of the attendance in each prefecture against the national total; calculate theaverage close figures of the number of attendance in the “Report” and the nationwide attendance in the “Japanese Film Industry Statistics”; multiply them by the 2019 attendance of the“Statistics”; the above came up with the rough attendance of each prefecture.
*As for the prefectures with no data, their figures were calculated by the prefecture’s total numbers divided by the number of screens.

Changes in Number of Screens in Each prefecture (2010-2019)2

Film Exhibition at Theaters

The nationwide number of screens in Japan increased by 152 from 3,475 to 3,627 during the 10 years from 2010 to 2019. At the
beginning of this period, the Great East Japan Earthquake took place on March 11, 2011; and between 2010 and 2013, a big change took
place in the form of the theatrical digitalization (transition from film projection to DCP [Digital Cinema Package] projection). Becauseof these events, the number of screens decreased by more than 200 from 3,475 in 2010 to 3,290 in 2012; and 15 multi-screen sites
with 118 screens closed. However, after 2013, the number of screens has once again been increasing, and in 2016, its number
returned to 3,476, exceeding that in 2010.
The prefectures where the number of screens has notably increased during the last 10 years from 2010 to 2019 are: Chiba (by 26
screens), Tokyo (by 31 screens), Aichi (by 35 screens), Osaka (by 20 screens), and Okinawa (by 23 screens). During these 10 years, 77
multi-screen sites with 726 screens were added, and among them, 7 sites are in Chiba, 10 sites are in Tokyo, and 6 sites are in Aichi.
The two cinema chains that are the main forces behind these increases during the past 10 years are TOHO Cinemas and Aeon
Cinemas. Aeon Cinema (until 2013, Warner Mycal Cinemas) has opened 24 sites and 219 screens since 2010, becoming the biggest
multi-screen theater chain in Japan with more than 90 sites. TOHO Cinemas has opened 17 sites and 160 screens during the last 10
years, including ones in city centers like Nihonbashi, Shinjuku, Ueno, and Hibiya. In addition, Cinema Sunshine opened 7 sites with 65
screens, and United Cinema opened 7 sites with 73 screens.
During the last 10 years, 27 multi-screen sites and 118 screens were closed. The prefectures where the number of screens has
decreased more than 10 during the last 10 years are: Hokkaido (by 13 screens), Miyagi (17 screens), Gunma (20 screens), Kanagawa(18 screens), and Gifu (20 screens). 1 to 3 multi-screen sites have been closed in each of these prefectures.

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Changes in Number of Screens in Each Prefecture (2009-2018)

From: "List of Theaters" of Film Almanac (Jiji Press/Kinema Jumpo-sha) and Film Exhibition Activities Almanac (Japan Community Cinema Center)4

Film Exhibition at Theaters

Changes in Number of Theaters and Screens according to Theater Types in Each Prefecture (2010-2019)
We will see how the number of theaters and that of screens have changed according to theater types in each prefecture during thelast 10 years.
Hokkaido and Tohoku Region
In the Hokkaido and Tohoku Region, the number of screens in 2019 was 367, decreasing by 26 from that in 2010; and the number oftheaters in 2019 was 65, decreasing by 20 from that in 2010. Their number of screens occupied 10% of the nationwide number, and thenumber of theaters occupied 11%. During the last 10 years, its population decreased by 6.0% (the national average was a decrease of
1.4%). Their decrease rate was more dramatic compared with that in other regions. In 2019, its population occupied 11.0% of thenationwide population.
The population per screen in Hokkaido (46,667), Iwate (53,936), Akita (49,034), and Fukushima (53,220), were considerably higher
than that of the nationwide average (35,443), meaning that these prefectures have fewer theaters.
During the last 10 years, notable changes were as follows: Hokkaido’s number of theaters decreased by 11 and its number of screensdecreased by 13; and Miyagi’s number of theaters decreased by 4 and its number of screens decreased by 17. In Hokkaido,
conventional theaters closed in Sapporo City (Sapporo Toho Plaza and Dinos Cinema in 2011) and mini-theater Sasori-za closed in
2014. In other cities, community-operated theaters such as Cine Tokachi Prince Theater closed in 2012, Theater Voice in 2013 andothers. There was a conventional theater in each of Asahikawa City, Bibai City, and Nayoro Town, but all of them closed.
In Miyagi, there were 95 screens in 2010. However, the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake destroyed Okada Theater in Ishinomaki City,
leading to its close, and 2 multi-screen theaters in Sendai City (Sendai Korona World and Izumi Korona) temporarily closed after the2011 earthquake, followed by their permanent closing. At one time, Miyagi’s number dropped to 64 screens. However, TOHO Cinemas
Sendai opened in 2016; Theater Forte, which was closed after the 2011 earthquake, re-opened as United Cinema Forte MiyagiOgawara in 2018. By 2019, its number was increased by 14 to 78 screens. In 2018, Sakurai Pharmacy Central Hall, a mini-theater
loved by the community, was closed.
In Iwate Prefecture, Miyako Cinemarine, a movie theater managed by Miyako Film Life Co-op and operating traveling screenings
along the seashore after the 2011 Earthquake, closed in September 2016. As a result, there is currently no movie theater in thisseashore area. In Odate City of Akita Prefecture, local people reopened the movie house Onari-za in 2014 after it was temporarilyclosed.
In the Hokkaido and Tohoku Region, Yamagata Prefecture increased its number of screens mostly due to the opening of 3 theaters:
Tsuruoka Machinaka Kinema and Forum Higashine in 2010, and Aeon Cinemas Tendo in 2014. In Fukushima Prefecture, the number ofscreens also increased when Polepole Cinema Iwaki Onahama opened in 2018. In Yamagata, the local theater owners changed their
theaters from conventional type to multi-screen theaters at a relatively early stage. This is behind Yamagata Prefecture’s
maintaining their number of screens prefecture-wide.
There are many areas in this region with no theaters at all, not just the areas along the Pacific Ocean shore. Historically, travelingscreenings taking advantage of public venues have been active. Okada Planning in Ishinomaki City lost its theater by tsunami but has
been avidly engaged in traveling screenings. Miyako Film Life Co-op also collaborates with the traveling screenings in Miyako,
Kamaishi, Otsuchi, Iwaizumi, etc., and at the newly opened public halls in the victimized areas by the 2011 Earthquake. With
population shrinking, the activities providing local people with film culture and the experience of watching films on a big screen
should become increasingly important in areas with no theaters.

Kanto Region
In the Kanto Region, the number of screens was 1,235 in 2019, increasing by 43 from that in 2010; and the number of theaters in 2019was 196, decreasing by 32 from that in 2010. This region’s number of screens occupied 34% of the nationwide number, and thenumber of theaters occupied 33%. The population during these 10 years increased by 2.1% (Japan’s average was a decrease of 1.4%),
and the population increased in the 4 prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo and Kanagawa. In 2019, the population in this region
occupied 34.5% of the nationwide population.
During the last 10 years in this region, 26 multi-screen theaters opened, and 23 out of the 26 opened in the metropolitan areas ofTokyo, Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa Prefectures. In Tokyo, 9 multi-screen theaters have opened since 2014.
Notably, 2 theaters and 20 screens closed in Gunma Prefecture, and 5 theaters and 18 screens in Kanagawa Prefecture closed, a5Film Exhibition at Theaters

decrease in both the number of theaters and screens. In Gunma, two multi-screen theaters, Ota Korona World Theater and Previ
Isesaki, closed and the number of the multi-screen theaters in this prefecture decreased from 7 to 5. In Kanagawa, 3 theaters closed
including Aeon Cinema Tsukimino, 109 Cinemas MM Yokohama and MOVIX Honmoku, and multi-screen theaters decreased from 22 to
20. In addition, Yokohama New Theater in Isesaki-cho, loved by the community for a long time, closed. On the other hand, in
Kanagawa Prefecture, 5 mini-theaters opened during the last 10 years, including Yokohama Cinemarine and Cinema Novecento, Kino
Cinema Yokohama Minato Mirai, Cine-koya and Atsugi no Eigakan kiki. In other areas, mini-theater Amaya-za opened in Naka City of
Ibaragi Prefecture in 2017, and in Takasaki City of Gunma Prefecture, Takasaki Eiga-kan, with its long history, revived in 2014 as arepertory theater.
In Tokyo, multi-screen theaters increased by 7 theaters and 79 screens, while other theaters decreased by 30 theaters and 48
screens. Since 2010 in Tokyo, 19 mini-theaters and repertory theaters and 18 conventional theaters have closed. Especially in
Shibuya, during the last 10 years, 6 mini-theaters (Cinema Rise, Shibuya Theater TSUTAYA, Theater N Shibuya, Cine Saison Shibuya,
Cinema Angelika, etc.) closed; and when Cinema Rise, a symbol of mini-theater culture, closed in 2016, it attracted attention.
In other areas, several theaters popular among many fans for a long time and helped make film culture in Tokyo diverse, closed,such as: Asakusa Meiga-za and Ueno Tokyu in 2012, Ginza Cine Pathos in 2013, Shimbashi Bunka Theater/Shimbashi Roman Theater,
Sangenjaya Cinema, Shinjuku Milano-za and Kichijoji Baus Theater in 2014, and TOHO Cinemas Nichigeki in 2018.
However, on the other hand, Cinema Chupki Tabata, Japan’s first barrier-free movie house, opened in 2016, and 8 more mini-theaters
opened including Uplink Kichijoji in 2018, Kinoshita Group’s Kino Cinema Tachikawa Takashimaya SC in 2019, and others. In 2019, a
new multi-screen theater Grand Cinema Sunshine (12 screens) opened in Ikebukuro, changing Tokyo’s cinema map. There are 4 adultfilm theaters with 7 screens and in 2010, Ueno Okura Theater re-opened after its renovation.
In October 2019, Typhoon # 19 attacked many areas in Japan and Kawasaki City Museum was flooded. As of March 2020, theMuseum’s reopening has not been planned. Many valuable items in its collection including films and film related documents weredamaged severely, and the restoration work has only just begun.

Chubu Region
In the Chubu Region, the number of screens in 2019 was 721, increasing by 16 from that in 2009; and the number of theaters in 2019was 112, decreasing by 24 from that in 2009. The region’s number of screens occupied 20% of the nationwide number; and the numberof theaters occupied 19%. During these 10 years, its population decreased by 2.3% (Japan’s average was a decrease of 1.4%), and the
population outside of Aichi Prefecture decreased. The region’s population in 2019 occupied 16.8% of the nationwide population.
In the 5 prefectures outside of Toyama, Ishikawa, Nagano, and Aichi, the numbers of theaters and screens both decreased.
Particularly in Gifu Prefecture, the number of screens decreased by 20. This is mostly due to the closing of the multi-screen theater
United Cinemas Shinsei in 2011, and in 2014, the only movie house in Hida area, Takayama Asahi-za, unfortunately closed.
In Aichi, 6 multi-screen theaters opened during the last 10 years, and the number of screens increased by 35 from 260 to 295. The
number of screens per population of Ishikawa Prefecture is the highest in Japan. The number of screens per population of Aichi
Prefecture was 25,603, and the number of screens is the highest among the prefectures with big cities.
The numbers of conventional and adult theaters have decreased nationwide. Takada Sekai-kan in Niigata Prefecture, Nagano
Roxi/Nagano Shochiku Aioi-za, Ueda Eigeki, and Shiojiri Higashi-za in Nagano Prefecture, all changed their programming from thatof a conventional theater to that of mini- and repertory theater, creating new images.
In Shizuoka Prefecture, during these 10 years, 10 conventional and 2 adult theaters closed, although the number of screensincreased as multi-screen theaters increased. Only Shizuoka Toho Kaikan has survived among conventional theaters. In Niigata andToyama Prefectures, there are no conventional and adult theaters. In Fukui Prefecture, one-hundred-year old Fukui Cinema closed in
2018. In Yamanashi Prefecture, two historical movie houses closed: Koho Cinema in 2013 and Theater Isawa in 2018. In Aichi
Prefecture, the only movie house in Nishio City, Nishio Theater, stopped its operation in 2011. Its building, registered as a Modern
Industry Heritage Site, was demolished in 2014.
In Toyama Prefecture, multi-screen theater JMAX Theater Toyama opened in 2016, and Toyama Theater Daitokai closed in 2018. Minitheater Forza Sogawa (operated by a community collaborative organization) closed in 2016 and Hotori-za Theater took over its
programming. In 2020, Forza Sogawa is expected to reopen. In Niigata Prefecture, a mini-theater Tokamachi Cinema Paradise, which
operated from 2007, closed in 2018 in Tokamachi City with its population of 50,000. On the other hand, Gashima Cinema opened with 5days a week operation in Satogashima Island.

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Kinki Region
In the Kinki Region, the number of screens in 2019 was 589, increasing by 54 from that of 2010; and the number of theaters in 2019was 94, decreasing by 22 from that of 2010. This region’s number of screens occupied 16. 2% and that of theaters occupied 15.9% of
the nationwide numbers. During these 10 years, the region’s population decreased by 1.9% (Japan’s average was a decrease of 1.4%),
and this regional population in 2019 occupied 17.7% of the nationwide population. In all prefectures except Shiga, populations
decreased.
During the last 10 years, the number of screens in three prefectures largely increased in Mie (by 15), Kyoto (by 14), and Osaka (by 20),
where 2-3 multi-screen theaters were added each.
In most big city centers, conventional theaters have shifted to multi-screen theaters. In the Kinki Region, it stands out that in Hyogo
and Osaka Prefectures, conventional theaters began to close. In Osaka during these 10 years, 10 closed and there is no conventional
theater now. In Hyogo, 6 conventional theaters were closed. Among them, Toyooka Gekijo changed its management, and after alarge-scale renovation, it re-opened with a program including mini-theater programming. In Mie Prefecture, Jisto Cinema Iga Ueno
closed in March 2018 and there is no conventional theater. The reasons behind the closing of conventional theaters were the impact
of multi-screen theaters and the need of big scale investment for digitalization.
In Kyoto Prefecture, the number of screens increased by 14 largely because 2 multi-screen theaters with 12 screens opened in Kyoto
City. Furthermore, a mini-theater Demachi-za opened in 2017, and Kyoto Minami Kaikan reopened in August 2019, adding two more
screens, an increase from 1 to 3. In April 2020, Uplink Kyoto is expected to open. In Nishi-Maizuru, a “semi-movie house” Cine Grulla,
opened operating at night and over the weekends. On the other hand, two historical movie houses closed including Shin Kyogoku
Cine La Liebe and Gion Kaikan, stopping their operations.
In Nara Prefecture, based on the statistics, the number of theaters increased by 1 during the last 10 years, and the change may notlook significant. However, 2 multi-screen theaters closed (Cinema Dept Yuraku Cinema and MOVIX Kashihara), and 2 opened (Cinema
Sunshine Yamato-Koriyama and United Cinema Kashihara).
In Wakayama Prefecture, there have not been many changes except the opening of Aeon Cinemas Wakayama in 2014. In the cities ofGobo, Tanabe and Shingu, a conventional theater Jist Cinema has continued to operate. However, two adult film theaters closed.

Chugoku and Shikoku Region
The number of screens in the Chugoku and Shikoku Region in 2019 was 289, increasing by 14 from that in 2010, and the number oftheaters in 2019 was 53, decreasing by 9 from that in 2010. The number of screens in this region occupied 8% of the nationwide
number, and that of theaters was 8.9%. During these 10 years, the region’s population decreased by 4.6% (Japan’s average was adecrease of 1.4%), and the 2019 population occupied 8.7% of the nationwide population.
There were not many changes during these 10 years in numbers. The prefectures whose number of screens increased or decreasedby more than 10 screens are Okayama and Tokushima Prefectures with one multi-screen theater each opened. During these 10
years, there was no change in numbers in Shimane, Kagawa, and Kochi Prefectures.
In Hiroshima Prefecture, a multi-screen theater with 9 screens opened in Hiroshima City, while 3 conventional theaters, 2 mini-andrepertory theaters and 1 adult film theater closed. Likewise in Yamaguchi Prefecture, 1 multi-screen theater with 8 screens opened,
while 5 conventional and mini-theaters closed with 13 screens, resulting in no conventional theater in the prefecture. In theprefectural capital city of Yamaguchi, there has been no movie theater after Yamaguchi Scala-za closed in 2012. However, Yamaguchi
Center for Arts and Media has been compensating for this situation by presenting mini-theater like programming every weekend. In
Ehime Prefecture, there were 8 multi-screen theaters. Ehime’s number of screens per population is the third largest after Ishikawa
and Yamagata Prefectures.
In the Japan Sea shore areas in Chugoku and in Shikoku, there are not many theaters. Some prefectures have only 2-3 theaters
altogether. In the prefectures of Kochi, Tottori, Okayama, Yamaguchi, and Shimane, the population per screen is between 44,000 and
63,000, becoming the prefectures with very few theaters. In Shimane Prefecture, the Shimane Film Festival has been hosting
screenings in various areas of the prefecture, and in Okayama Prefecture, a library in Maniwa City in the middle of mountains hosts amonthly film screening. These projects in the areas with no movie houses have become regular programs providing their local
people with opportunities of watching films on a big screen.

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Kyushu and Okinawa Region
In the Kyushu and Okinawa Region, the number of screens in 2019 was 426, increasing by 51 from that in 2010; and the number oftheaters was 73, remaining the same as that in 2010. The number of screens in this region occupied 11.7% of the nationwide number,and the number of theaters was 12.3%. During these 10 years, the region’s population decreased by 2.3% (Japan’s average was adecrease of 1.4%), resulting in 11.3% of the nationwide population in 2019.
In this region, during these 10 years, three prefectures increased their numbers of screens by more than 10. In Fukuoka Prefecture,
United Cinemas Fukuoka Momochi reopened in 2018, resulting in the increase of 18 screens prefecture-wide. In Kagoshima
Prefecture, 2 multi-screen theaters opened, and in Okinawa Prefecture, 2 multi-screen theaters and 3 mini-theaters opened,
resulting in the increase of 23 screens prefecture-wide. In Okinawa in 2019, United Cinema PARCO CITY Urasoe (11 screens) opened
in Urasoe City, and in Okinawa City, mini-theater Cinema Plaza House 1954 opened. In addition, two small theaters opened, Theater
Donuts (in Okinawa City) in 2015, and Yui Road Theater (in Ishigaki City) in 2018.
In Fukuoka Prefecture, two mini-theaters (Cineterie Tenjin and Cine Libre Hakata Station) closed in Fukuoka City, resulting in one
mini-/repertory theater, KBC Cinema, in this city. In April 2020, Kino Cinema Tenjin, the third movie house operated by Kinoshita
Group, is expected to open. In addition, Fukuoka City Public Library presents screenings every day in its Auditorium Cinera,
functioning as a repertory theater. In Iizuka City, Iizuka Cinema Central closed in 2008, and an NPO group took over its management,
however, this new entity again closed in 2013. Currently, the theater now named Iizuka Central Theater is used exclusively for
popular live performances.
In Saga Prefecture, the multi-screen theater Warner Mycal Cinemas Kamimine in Kamimine Town closed in 2010, resulting in notheater in the areas outside of Saga City. In October 2019, the mini-theater named Theater Enya opened in Karatsu City, the first
movie house in 30 years. In Nagasaki Prefecture, a conventional theater closed in both Sasebo City and Isahaya City in 2011, resulting
in no theaters except in Nagasaki City and Sasebo City.
In Kumamoto Prefecture, the earthquake in 2016 severely damaged many areas, however, no theater closed as a result. In 2019, TOHO
Cinemas Kumamoto Sakuramachi opened, adding 6 more screens. In Oita Prefecture, during the last 10 years, all of the conventional
theaters have closed. After Central Cinema in Oita City closed in 2010, its basement theater reopened as Cinema 5 bis. In Beppu City,
Beppu Bluebird Theater has become a movie house including mini-theater-like programming and hosting film festivals. In Hita City,
Hita Cinematheque Liberte has been operated as a mini-theater accompanying a cafe and gallery since 2009. In Oita City, TOHO
Cinemas Amu Plaza Oita opened in 2015.
In Miyazaki Prefecture, there was no change during these 10 years. In Nagasaki and Miyazaki Prefectures, the number of screens per
population is low, thus the population per screen is high: 53,008 in Nagasaki and 59,540 in Miyazaki. The number of the films a
person went to see in 2019 was less than 1 in these prefectures.

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