This special cultural program combines two separate but complementary experiences in one memorable day in Tokyo. First, enjoy a guided stroll through the historic Ningyocho district, an area known for its traditional atmosphere, small shrines, and long-established shops. Your guide will introduce the history and stories of this charming downtown neighborhood before the performance. After the walk, attend a live Jōruri performance of “Sonezaki Shinju,” one of the most celebrated masterpieces of Chikamatsu Monzaemon, often referred to as the Shakespeare of Japan.
The performance will be presented by Matsuya Nozawa, a distinguished Kabuki Gidayū shamisen performer and a Living National Treasure (Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan). Through powerful narration and music, he brings this tragic love story vividly to life.
By combining a cultural walking tour with an authentic traditional performing arts experience, this event offers a rare opportunity to connect with both the streets and the stage of old Japan.
■ Iteneraly Meeting Point：Suitengu-shrine Meeting Time:：3:20 PM
Access：・1-minute walk from Suitengumae Station (Hanzomon Line)
・6-minute walk from Ningyocho Station (Hibiya Line)
Suitengu-shurine …（Walk) … You will enjoy a leisurely, An Authentic Edo-inspired stroll around the historic Ningyocho . 3:20 pm ～ 3:50 pm Departure at 3:50 pm
district with a local guide .… Karakuri Clock Tower … Chanoki-Shrine … Koami-shrine … traditional alleyways
…… Enjoy a relaxing café break and free time around the Ningyocho Crossing area （ Drinks are at your own expense.）…… . 5:20 pm ～ ～ 5:50 pm
…… A Joruri performance venue ～ You will attend a live Jōruri performance by Matsuya Nozawa, featuring selected . Arrival at 6:00 pm ※ The Joruri performance starts at 6:30 pm
scenes from Sonezaki Shinju：“The Temmaya Scene” and “The Tenjin Forest Scene.” . ※ THe performance ends at around 8:00 pm 8:30 pm Group disperse
■ Date Monday January 16, 2026 3:20 pm ～ 8:30 pm
■ Tour Fee (Adult) 6,000 yen
■ Meeting place and time Suitengu-shrine （Nihonbashi, Chuo-ward )
■ Included in the tour fee • Live Jōruri performance admission
• Guided walk around historic Nihonbashi & adjacent areas, and Tax
■ Not Included in the tour fee • Transportation to meeting point . • Café break time drinks / personal expenses
【Cancellation Fee】
〇 ～ 7 days … No charge 〇 6 days ～ 2 days … 30％ of the tour fee 〇 The day before ... 50％ of the tour fee 〇 On the day … 100% of the tour fee
※詳しい旅行条件書をお渡しいたしますので、事前にご確認上、お申し込みください。
■Highlight
【 Matsuya Nozawa – Jōruri Live 】
Matsuya Nozawa is a distinguished shamisen performer and Living National Treasure of Japan.
Alongside his stage career, he creates original works known as Creative Jōruri, adapting Japanese folktales and legends into the traditional storytelling style of Jōruri. Through solo narrative and shamisen performances, he shares the beauty of traditional Japanese music and storytelling with audiences of all ages across Japan.
【About Matsuya Nozawa】
Born in Hiroshima, Matsuya Nozawa began studying shamisen in 1969.
After training at the National Theatre, he made his professional debut in 1974 and later joined the Shochiku Kabuki Theatre. He was designated a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure) in 1999 and founded the Association for Creative Jōruri in 2004.
He recently celebrated 50 years of performing.
【 歌舞伎義太夫三味線奏者・重要無形文化財総合指定保持者 野澤 松也 】
【Suitengu Shrine】
Suitengu Shrine is widely known as a place of prayer for safe childbirth and fertility.
Its modern shrine buildings stand on a site with deep historical roots dating back to the Edo period.
It is one of the most popular spiritual spots in the Ningyocho area.
【 Ningyocho Cultural Walk 】
Enjoy a guided stroll through the historic Ningyocho district, where the atmosphere of old Edo still lingers. Explore traditional alleyways, long-established shops, and small shrines that reflect the charm of Tokyo’s downtown heritage. You will also have free time for a café break during the walk.
Drinks are at your own expense.
〇 Karakuri Yagura (Mechanical Clock Tower)
At set times, figures come to life in this whimsical mechanical clock tower. A beloved local landmark reflecting Ningyocho’s heritage as a town of Edo-period puppet theatre.
Its name, “Edo Rakugo Karakuri Yagura,” comes from performances inspired by the playful storytelling spirit and narrative devices of Edo rakugo comedy.
〇 Chanoki Shrine
A small and peaceful shrine with a quiet history hidden within its modest grounds — a little-known oasis of calm in the city.
The enshrined deity is an Inari kami associated with the Fushimi tradition. The land was once known for its beautiful tea plants, from which the shrine takes its name.
〇 Koami Shrine
This historic shrine enshrines Ukanomitama-no-Kami (Inari), Ichikishima-hime-no-Kami (Benzaiten), and Fukurokuju, deities associated with prosperity and good fortune.
The shrine’s name originates from an old legend in which ears of rice caught in a fishing net were enshrined to ward off epidemics. Visitors wash coins at the shrine’s famous “money-washing well,” believing it brings financial luck when the purified money is kept in one’s wallet. Because of this, the shrine is also known as “Tokyo’s Zeniarai Benzaiten”, a popular spiritual spot for good fortune and protection from misfortune.
The shrine buildings, which survived wartime air raids, still retain an Edo-era atmosphere.
〇 Amazake Yokocho
A lively street lined with long-established sweet shops and traditional confectioners. The gentle aroma of amazake fills the air, making it a delightful place to sample local treats.
〇 Daimon Street & Suehiro Street
These main streets of Ningyocho blend old and new, where traditional shops stand alongside modern stores. Enjoy Edo-style cuisine and time-honored flavors as you stroll at a relaxed pace.
Beyond stone-paved paths and quiet side streets, glimpses of old Edo suddenly appear — Ningyocho is a place where you encounter the spirit of iki simply by walking.
【Sonezaki Shinju (The Love Suicides at Sonezaki)】
A masterpiece of domestic drama by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, one of the most celebrated playwrights of the Edo period. Set in the merchant quarters of Osaka, the story tells of the tragic love between Tokubei, a soy-sauce shop clerk, and Ohatsu, a courtesan. Driven into despair by the conflict between social duty and human emotion, the two lovers ultimately choose to die together, vowing reunion in the next life. This work vividly portrayed the emotional struggles of ordinary townspeople, deeply moving audiences of its time and giving rise to an entire genre of “love-suicide plays.”
With its poetic language and deeply emotional narration, the play remains one of the greatest works of Japanese classical theatre and continues to be performed today in both Bunraku and Kabuki.
【The Temmaya Scene】
Set in the Temmaya teahouse in Osaka, this scene marks the turning point of the tragedy between Tokubei and Ohatsu.
Cornered by betrayal and social obligation, Tokubei falls into despair, and their relationship begins to lose all hope.
Amid a world ruled by money and reputation, the fragility of human emotion quietly emerges.
【The Tenjin Forest Scene】
In a nighttime forest at Tenjin Shrine, Tokubei and Ohatsu meet again and resolve to die together.
Having lost all hope in this world, they pledge their bond in the next life and choose their final path.
This quiet yet beautiful double-suicide scene is one of the most iconic moments in Chikamatsu’s works, where love, fulfillment, and tragic destiny intertwine.