Ichikawa Danjūrō at Dan-no-ura will be held for two nights only, on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7, 2026, at a special venue overlooking Dan-no-ura in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, known as the site of the final battle between the Genji and the Heike. The World Heritage Theater Executive Committee is holding the performances.
Before the show, the venue will host a performance of Heike Odori, a traditional performing art representing Shimonoseki, along with booths selling specialty products from Shimonoseki and the Kanmon Strait area and tourism promotion booths.
Shuttle buses and parking are expected to be crowded on the day of the performance, so visitors are encouraged to allow plenty of time. Visitors are invited to enjoy culture shaped by a long history, along with the view of the strait at Dan-no-ura, the site of the last Genji–Heike battle.
Performers
Two performances are scheduled between 4:00 PM and 5:30 PM.
Shimonoseki Heike Odori Preservation Society (下関平家踊保存会)
The Shimonoseki Heike Odori Preservation Society is responsible for passing on and promoting Heike Odori, a traditional performing art that originated with the Battle of Dan-no-ura.
Heike Odori is said to have originated as a dance to memorialize the Heike clan, and its present style is said to have formed as dances from across Japan blended together, a result of the area's history as a thriving port town.
The ondo (lead chant) in kudoki-bushi style, based on a seven-seven meter, leads the whole performance. Backing it are a shamisen in nijōagari tuning that keeps a lively rhythm, two kinds of powerful taiko drums, high and low, and hayashi accompanists playing empty barrels. The dance is also enjoyed at summer festivals and Bon dances around the city. At the grand dance of the Shimonoseki Bakan Festival, the city's largest summer festival, thousands of dancers fill the venue, and visitors can feel the force and energy of the taiko, the heart of Heike Odori, with their whole bodies.
https://yamaguchi-tourism.jp/spot/detail_10428.html
Booths
The booths open at 3:30 PM, when the doors open.
Kanmon Strait Tourism Promotion Council
Two cities, one strait: the Kanmon Strait, where history and romance intersect
The Kanmon Strait Tourism Promotion Council is an organization in which Shimonoseki (Yamaguchi) and Kitakyushu (Fukuoka), on opposite shores of the strait, work together to propose new travel value centered on the Kanmon Strait.
The Kanmon area can be crossed by boat in about 5 minutes or on foot through the undersea tunnel, making it one of Japan's leading crossroads where two regions and cultures can be enjoyed in a single trip. The council connects the strait's dynamic scenery, historic sites that marked turning points in history, and the rich culture of both shores into a single story, offering experiences that let travelers move freely between history and the present.
Kanmon Strait Japan Heritage Council (関門海峡日本遺産協議会)
The Kanmon Strait Japan Heritage Council works toward building an attractive, community-led region by making use of the Japan Heritage story certified in Shimonoseki and Kitakyushu, "Kanmon 'Nostalgic' Strait: Station of Time, Memories of Modernization" (関門“ノスタルジック”海峡～時の停車場、近代化の記憶～).
At its booth on the day, the council will hand out a pamphlet on "Kanmon 'Nostalgic' Strait" and original can badges. Visitors are encouraged to tour the modernization history and nostalgic scenery that Shimonoseki and Kitakyushu have created together.
https://www.japanheritage-kannmon.jp
Kitakyushu Tourism and Convention Association (北九州観光コンベンション協会)
The Kitakyushu Tourism and Convention Association works with local communities and businesses to promote tourism and revitalize the regional economy. Through tourism promotion, visitor information, and the planning and operation of events, it shares the appeal of Kitakyushu with audiences in Japan and abroad.
Its booth will offer a selection of renowned Kitakyushu confections and specialty products. Visitors are invited to stop by when attending the performance.
https://hello-kitakyushu.or.jp
Oishimo! Tanoshimo! Project
Shimonoseki's "tasty and fun" products, for all of Japan and the world
Shimonoseki City runs the "Oishimo! Tanoshimo!" Project, which certifies products with the appeal of Shimonoseki as "Oishimo! Tanoshimo!" certified products and promotes them widely.
At the merchandise booth, certified products that capture the character of Shimonoseki will be sold with the cooperation of Fuku no Sato, a shop at Kamon Wharf that carries many products, including Shimonoseki specialties and local sake from Yamaguchi Prefecture.
https://oishimo-tanoshimo.com/news/kamonwarf_1226/
Shokindo
Awayuki Honpo Shokindo is a long-established Shimonoseki confectioner founded in 1866 (Keio 2) that marks its 160th anniversary this year.
Its lineup includes Awayuki, a well-known confection named by Ito Hirobumi, Japan's first prime minister, as well as fresh confections that reflect the changing seasons and souvenir sweets that evoke the atmosphere of Shimonoseki. The sweets are suited to gifts, a personal treat, or a travel memento.
Fuji Coffee
Fuji Coffee has been a long-time favorite in Shimonoseki. It focuses on in-house roasting to bring out the appeal of coffee beans, and it turns the possibilities of coffee into a variety of original products, offering new ways to enjoy coffee.
The company also runs a café in the Karato shopping street, where visitors can relax over aromatic coffee.
Performance Overview
Performance name: Ichikawa Danjūrō at Dan-no-ura — A Fierce Historical Stage Performed by a Master Actor
Dates: Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7, 2026
Doors open 3:30 PM / Performance starts 6:00 PM / Ends 7:40 PM (planned)
Held rain or shine; canceled in severe weather.
Venue: Hananocho Nigiwai Plaza (岬之町にぎわい広場), special venue
13-3 Hananocho, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi
Overlooks Dan-no-ura. A shuttle bus runs to the venue from JR Shimonoseki Station.
Program:
Commentary: Ichikawa Ujaku, Ichikawa Shinpachi
Suodori (plain-dress dance) Ennen no Mai (Benkei's celebratory dance), performed by Ichikawa Danjūrō
Suodori Shizuka to Tomomori, performed by Ichikawa Udanji
Renjishi, performed by Ichikawa Danjūrō and Ichikawa Shinnosuke
Ichikawa Danjūrō at Dan-no-ura special page:
http://sekaiisangekijyou.com/event/dannoura
Ticket Information
General tickets
S seats ¥12,000 / A seats ¥9,000 (all seats reserved, tax included)
Yamaguchi Prefecture / Kitakyushu City resident discount tickets
S seats ¥10,500 / A seats ¥8,000 (all seats reserved, tax included)
Discount tickets are limited in number. Up to 4 tickets can be purchased per person, but the representative must bring identification showing their address (My Number card, driver's license, health insurance card, passport, etc.) to the venue on the day.
Purchase online (e-plus):
https://eplus.jp/sf/detail/4577050001-P0030001
Venue Access
Train and bus
On foot: About 20 minutes (approx. 1.5 km) from JR Shimonoseki Station
By bus: Take a route bus from bus stops 1 to 4 at JR Shimonoseki Station and get off at "Sanbyakume," about 5 minutes
By car
About 15 minutes from the Shimonoseki IC on the Chugoku Expressway to paid parking near the venue. There is no parking at the venue itself; nearby options include the Hosoe-cho parking lot (500 spaces) and the Mirai Park parking lot (386 spaces).
Shuttle bus
A shuttle bus runs between JR Shimonoseki Station and the venue on the day of the performance (about 10 minutes from Shimonoseki Station).
Outbound: Departs from the JR Shimonoseki Station south exit traffic plaza from 3:30 PM, running regularly (last departure 5:00 PM)
Return: Departs from the venue regularly after the performance ends
Riders are asked to board the bus early. Because the buses are expected to be crowded, please arrive at the shuttle bus stop at 3:30 PM on the day. The last bus departs at 5:00 PM, so please do not arrive late. The fare is ¥500 round trip. As congestion is expected on the day, tickets should be purchased in advance through the Nippon Travel Agency website.
Shuttle bus tickets: https://va.apollon.nta.co.jp/dannoura_bus/
Organizer: Yamaguchi Drama Tourism Executive Committee
Supporters: Shimonoseki City, Kitakyushu City, Kanmon Strait Tourism Promotion Council
Planning and production: World Heritage Theater Executive Committee
Cooperation: 3Top Co., Ltd., Nippon Travel Agency Co., Ltd.
