Experience Takarazuka Revue to the Fullest: The Allure of Its Stage Art and the Complete Guide to Takarazuka Grand Theater

Takarazuka Revue has another major defining feature. It is its troupe system. In principle, performances are staged by troupe.
There are currently five troupes: Flower, Moon, Snow, Star, and Cosmos.

Flower Troupe and Moon Troupe were established in 1921, Snow Troupe in 1924, Star Troupe in 1933, and Cosmos Troupe in 1998. Each troupe has about 80 members, and each has one top star and one top musumeyaku.
There is also a specialist group called Senka whose members do not belong to any one troupe.
Stars from Senka make special appearances in performances by various troupes and play a supporting role onstage.
It currently has more than a dozen members, all of them highly experienced performers who excel in acting, singing, and dancing.

All Takarazuka Revue stars are graduates of Takarazuka Music School, the training school for members of Takarazuka Revue.
Applicants to the school must be women between the ages of 15 and 18 at the time of the entrance exam, and the entrance examination, held once a year, assesses their potential as stage performers through interviews, singing, and dance.
Those who pass spend two years studying the foundations and spirit of stage art, including vocal music, ballet, Japanese dance, drama, and piano.
After graduating from Takarazuka Music School following this rigorous training, they officially become members of Takarazuka Revue.
A dedicated school existing solely to train future company members is quite rare even by global standards.
It is a system designed to cultivate professional talent.

A broad range of productions is staged.
In addition to original works by Takarazuka Revue’s resident directors, a wide range of subjects has been adapted for the stage over the years, including the overseas musicals PHANTOM and WEST SIDE STORY, the film “Ocean’s 11,” and GONE WITH THE WIND, known through both the novel and the film.
Among them, “The Rose of Versailles” and “Elisabeth,” both revived many times, have become representative works.
Takarazuka Revue may be strongly associated with Western-style productions, but works based on Japanese subjects such as The Tale of Genji and Chushingura have also traditionally been staged as what are called Japanese-style productions.

In recent years, so-called “2.5D” productions, in which real stars perform characters from two-dimensional worlds such as manga, anime, and games, have also been presented one after another.
Stage adaptations have also been created from Japanese manga and games popular overseas, including Boys Over Flowers and Ace Attorney.

Whether you love theater, singing and dancing, or music, Takarazuka Revue is something anyone can enjoy.
Founder Ichizo Kobayashi developed Takarazuka Revue with the desire to create a national theater that everyone, regardless of age or gender, could enjoy.
Now, more than 100 years after its birth, Takarazuka Revue has become one of Japan’s representative forms of entertainment.
For that reason, it is ideal not only for people who love theater, but also for anyone who wants to learn about a culture beloved by Japanese people.
It is also perfect for those who want to experience the appeal of Japanese entertainment firsthand.

Today, performances are often presented as a two-part bill, typically consisting of about 1 hour and 30 minutes of play in the first half, followed by an intermission of about 30 minutes, and then about 1 hour of revue or show in the second half.
By contrast, one-part works such as “Elisabeth” are plays in both the first and second halves, but include a short show-style finale instead.
In either case, the total running time is around three hours.

There are several theaters in Japan where Takarazuka Revue performs, but there are only two dedicated theaters.
One of them, and the very origin point of Takarazuka Revue, is Takarazuka Grand Theater in Takarazuka, Hyogo.
Here, in addition to seeing performances, you will find plenty to enjoy throughout the day, including original goods available only here, restaurant menus that change with each production, a chance to transform yourself into a star at the photo studio, and displays of costumes and props from past productions.

If you come to Takarazuka Grand Theater, seeing a performance is a must.
Every production is popular.
As soon as you know the date of your visit, we recommend buying your ticket right away.
First, experience the appeal of Takarazuka Revue for yourself through a live performance.
Enjoy the story in the play in the first half, then savor the singing and dancing in the revue or show in the second half!
You can also see signature Takarazuka Revue features such as the line dance and giant feathered wings.
It is wonderful to enjoy the stage as a whole, but why not bring opera glasses and take a closer look at the stars’ makeup as well?
Designed to stand out beautifully onstage, OTOKOYAKU create a masculine impression with sharply defined eyebrows and orange-toned blush, while MUSUMEYAKU create a feminine impression with softly shaped brows and warm pink blush.
Incidentally, the stars apply this makeup themselves.
They are said to study every day what kind of makeup suits them best.
Their costumes are richly adorned with sequins and jewels and are dazzlingly glamorous.

Gorgeous costumes and beautiful makeup. I want to become a Takarazuka Revue star too.
The place that makes that dream come true is Salon de Takarazuka Stage Studio.
Here, you can put on a costume and have your makeup done by staff.
After your transformation, you can also have your photo taken in the studio. This facility offers three experience plans.

In the original course, you transform yourself by choosing one costume from about 40 OTOKOYAKU and MUSUMEYAKU costumes.
For those who want to experience not just one, but both OTOKOYAKU and MUSUMEYAKU, there is also a course that lets you try both.

Because you need to remove your own makeup before the experience begins, though cleansing products and face wash are provided, it is best to go wearing only light makeup.
After the experience, you must remove the makeup on the spot before leaving.
For that reason, be sure to bring cosmetics for touching up your makeup afterward.
As you will also need to change clothes, we also recommend going in clothing that is easy to change out of.
The experience takes about two hours, and up to two people can participate at the same time.
Reserve with a friend, transform yourself into the star you admire, and enjoy the commemorative photo session.
The photos you take will be mailed to you about one week later. (Unfortunately, international shipping of photos is not available.)
This experience requires a reservation. Reservations for the following month open on the first day of each month.
Because it is such a popular experience plan, some dates fill up very quickly.

Short Stage is a plan in which you change into a costume without stage makeup.
Even if you do not have a reservation, you can still try it on the day if there is availability.

With this plan, you can create a composite two-shot photo with a star.

In addition to having the composite photo printed in A4 or A5 size, you can also have it made into a strap or a magnet. Why not take a co-star photo with the star you admire?

We would love for you to enjoy Takarazuka Revue through food as well.
There are several places to eat inside the theater, and one of the venues you can use without a reservation is Cafeteria Fleur.
In addition to production-limited plate lunches and desserts, you can also enjoy standard menu items such as omelet rice and pasta, as well as afternoon tea.

Wouldn’t you like to see the glittering costumes from the stage up close?
If so, Takarazuka Revue Hall of Fame is highly recommended.

Here, costumes and props from past productions are displayed.
There is also a display of the giant feathered wings, one of Takarazuka Revue’s signature images.

In addition, there are displays introducing former stars and staff members who contributed to the development of Takarazuka Revue, along with items associated with them, allowing you to experience the history of Takarazuka Revue as well.

Once you see a performance and find a favorite star to support, be sure to buy an official portrait photo.
At the goods shop Quatre Rêves, you can purchase not only official portrait photos of stars but also video releases of past productions.
Official portrait photos include both studio photos and stage photos.

You can also buy Blu-ray discs and DVDs of past productions, as well as CDs of songs from the shows.
Goods featuring the original characters Rêvie and Nemme, including plush toys, are also popular.

These sandwiches are also a favorite as gifts sent backstage to Takarazuka Revue stars.
Since its founding in 1964, the shop has developed more than 150 kinds of sandwiches in response to customer requests, and its most popular item from the very beginning is said to be the egg sandwich.
It was apparently created through repeated trial and error, and this egg sandwich is said to be the very origin of Le Mans.
There is also a wide variety of other choices, including cutlet sandwiches and fruit sandwiches.
It is about a three-minute walk from Takarazuka Grand Theater.

An okonomiyaki restaurant loved by the stars is located about a 10-minute walk from Takarazuka Grand Theater.
In addition to okonomiyaki, yakisoba, and modan-yaki, which combines okonomiyaki and yakisoba, it also offers creative okonomiyaki, with a wide variety to choose from.
The wheat flour used for its okonomiyaki is carefully selected from fragrant and delicious flour produced in Hyogo Prefecture.
Japanese-grown wheat itself is rare, and the fact that the shop insists on prefectural ingredients reflects the owner’s desire to serve truly delicious food.
There is also a gluten-free okonomiyaki made with rice flour instead of wheat flour.

Opened in spring 2013 in front of Hankyu Takarazuka-minamiguchi Station, Takarazuka Milk offers soft-serve ice cream as well as pudding and yogurt that you can either take home or enjoy on the spot.
At the time, it was located on the way back from the dormitory for students of Takarazuka Music School, so students began stopping by, and it remains loved by the stars to this day.
The milk is pasteurized at the low temperature of 63 degrees Celsius, bringing it closer to fresh raw milk just as it is after milking.
Maintaining it at 63 degrees Celsius requires judging the amount of steam, the timing, and when to stop, something that apparently depends on many years of experience and instinct.
Because this method is a low-temperature pasteurization method that preserves beneficial components, the minerals do not perish, and the milk retains its natural qualities.

The road leading from Hankyu Takarazuka Station to Takarazuka Grand Theater is called Hananomichi.
The pedestrian path in the center evokes a runway leading to the stage, and walking along it might make you feel like a Takarazuka Revue star.
Be sure to notice the bronze statues connected with Takarazuka Revue and the seasonal flowers as well.
It is especially recommended in spring, when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.

Osamu Tezuka was one of Japan’s most celebrated manga artists.
He created such works as Astro Boy, Black Jack, and Princess Knight.
In fact, Osamu Tezuka spent the years from age 5 to 24 in Takarazuka.
At Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum, you can enjoy manga and anime and even try making animation in a space that recreates the world of Tezuka manga.

A historic hot spring area that dates back to the Kamakura period.
Takarazuka Onsen has a cloudy brown “gold” spring rich in iron and a clear “silver” spring.
Both springs warm the body through and through and are known for not leaving you chilled afterward.
There are also many facilities that offer day-use bathing, making it easy to relax in these famous hot springs.

Located immediately west of Takarazuka Grand Theater, this hotel’s concept is “the dream continues.”
As the official hotel of Takarazuka Grand Theater, it includes a gallery related to Takarazuka Revue inside the hotel.
It is a highly recommended place to stay before or after seeing a performance.

This hotel is located in the Takarazuka Onsen area.
It is about a 10-minute walk from Takarazuka Grand Theater.
From rooms with open-air baths, you can enjoy views of the Rokko mountain range and the Muko River.
In addition to overnight stays, it also offers a full range of day-use plans.
You can enjoy lunch and then soak in the hot spring.

A women-only accommodation facility located just a three-minute walk from Takarazuka Grand Theater.
This is a women-only lodging facility.
In every room, you can watch the Takarazuka Revue specialty channel TAKARAZUKA SKY STAGE.
It can also be used for day stays as well as overnight stays.
A new sister accommodation facility, Hotel Grace Inn Takarazuka, has also opened and is recommended as well.