The stone benches have been here for many years, supporting passionate audiences. Once a year, on May 3rd, a kabuki performance is held at this theater in Hitoyama. This annual performance brings the villagers’ hearts together.

The tradition began in the Edo Period (1853 - 1868). The villagers built a small reservoir, which had settled disputes over the distribution of water for their rice paddies. In order to spread the joy of such peace, they began to put on performances. It is said that the plays were initially performed by actors invited from other areas, but it eventually became tradition for the villagers to perform them on their own. Eventually, this tradition was passed down and became the pride of the village.

The seating is constructed out of stone. The twelve-tier seats are allocated between the six areas of the village. However, most people would like to watch kabuki theater up close, in the front row. So, it was decided that seating would be on a rotational basis every year, maintaining equality among the villagers. This tradition also continues to this day.

On the day of the performance, relatives and residents of neighboring villages visit. Everyone, from children to adults, share a “warigo bento,” a traditional boxed lunch prepared specifically for this performance. It is said that some people crafted wooden seats in the surrounding trees to enjoy the performance, and the whole affair was a lively celebration. The stone seating isn’t just a place to watch the performance, it’s also a structure that helped bring the village together.

Next to this village is another rural kabuki theater preserved on the island. Nakayama is also home to an expanse of terraced rice fields known as “senmaida.” The people of the past had the wisdom to make the most of their limited land by building terraced rice paddies. The pride and skill put into these structures were supported by stone, just as the theater was. The rural kabuki theater is home to performances that offer prayers for abundance, and gratitude for successful harvests. Behind the scenes of such tradition are the lives of the islanders, which were supported by local stone.