From large movie theatres operated by major distributors to independent screens, Tokyo offers a wide variety of cinemas. From movie theatres with luxury seats that are perfect for dates, to cinemas where you can catch classic films that are rarely show, we’ve rounded up popular cinemas in Tokyo that are suitable for all occasions.
1. 109 Cinemas Premium Shinjuku
A cinema with all premium seats that’s housed on the 9th and 10th floors of Tokyu Kabukicho Tower in Shinjuku. The acoustics of the museum’s eight theatres were supervised by musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, and several pieces of music used in the cinema lounge and other areas were also specially produced by Sakamoto. The cinema features ScreenX, a three-sided wide-view theatre that projects images not only on the front screen but also on the left and right walls, allowing visitors to enjoy not just movies but also live performances by artists. Class A seats are 4,500 yen and Class S seats are 6,500 yen, which is expensive, but worth a try if you are looking for a high-quality movie experience.
Tokyu Kabukicho Tower 9F, 10F, 1-29-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
👉109 Cinemas Premium Shinjuku official website
2. Grand Cinema Sunshine
One of the largest cinema complexes in Tokyo, located in Q Plaza Ikebukuro. The theatre is equipped with “IMAX Laser/GT Technology,” the largest of its kind in Japan, “4DX,” which synchronizes the movie with special effects such as water spray, wind, and scent, and “ScreenX,” which surrounds the audience with a three-sided screen with a 270-degree field of view. For an extra treat, the Sky Lounge on the top 12F offers a panoramic view of Ikebukuro.
1-30-3 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
👉 Grand Cinema Sunshine official website
3. Meguro Cinema
Located about a 3-minute walk from Meguro Station, this is Meguro’s only masterpiece theatre. It opened in 1955 under the name Meguro Lionza and then Meguro Kinryuza, before being renovated in 1975 and reopened as Meguro Cinema. Since then, it has operated as a double feature movie theatre. For 1,500 yen (general admission), you can see two films in each genre, selected from a wide range of films from Hollywood blockbusters to art films.
B1 Meguro Nishiguchi Building, 2-24-15 Kami-Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
👉Meguro Cinema Official Website
4. Jinbōchō Theater
Opened in 2007 in Jinbocho, a neighbourhood known predominantly for books. Jinbōchō Theater is a striking cinema with a distinctive exterior, making it easy to spot from the street. Every month, the festival presents a special feature such as “Fumiko Hayashi and Sakae Tsuboi: Enjoying the World of Women’s Literature through Movies” or “Kiyoshi Atsumi, the Actor: Not Just ‘Tora-san’ but a Life in Movies”, with screenings of films that match the theme. The program of events focus on old Japanese films, so don’t expect much Hollywood here.
1-23 Kanda Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
👉Jimbocho Theater official website
5. Waseda Shochiku
A famous movie theatre in Takadanobaba that shows a double feature every day. The cinema shows films, both Japanese and foreign, that are no longer on the regular schedule, as well as past classics, with updated listings every week. You can also get an exit pass to re-enter the theatre, so you can go out to eat after seeing one movie and then watch another one at the end of the day for some added flexibility.
1-5-16 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo