Kyoto Cinema

Kyoto Cinema (京都シネマ) is an independent arthouse movie theater located on the third floor of the COCON KARASUMA commercial complex at Shijo-Karasuma in Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan. It operates three screens — Cinema 1 (104 seats, red), Cinema 2 (89 seats, green) and Cinema 3 (61 seats, blue) — and specializes in single-house (mini-theater) and specialty film programming rather than mainstream multiplex releases. The theater traces its origins to the closure of Kyoto Asahi Cinema in January 2003, which sharply reduced the number of venues in Kyoto showing independent and arthouse films. Former staff of that cinema, including its manager, established a new company and organized screenings at other facilities while working toward opening a new theater. Kyoto Cinema opened on December 4, 2004, under the operating company Kishisha Co., Ltd. (株式会社如月社). In 2006 it concluded an academic exchange agreement with Ritsumeikan University, and in 2009, on the occasion of its fifth anniversary, it adopted its current logo; that same year Toshiki Shima, representative of Shima Film, joined the theater's board. Competition from the T-Joy Kyoto multiplex at AEON Mall KYOTO and the spread of online streaming worsened the theater's finances, and on July 9, 2018, Kishisha filed for civil rehabilitation (民事再生法) with the Kyoto District Court, receiving a commencement decision on July 26, 2018. Operations and the membership program continued, and Shima Film stepped forward as a supporting sponsor. The theater is now operated by Shima Film Co., Ltd. (シマフィルム株式会社), with Toshiki Shima as representative and Noriko Kawabe as manager (as of February 2019). Kyoto Cinema sells tickets both at its box office (cash only) and online (credit card only, since September 19, 2020), with reserved seating and full audience turnover between screenings. It maintains a membership program and a range of discounts, and in recent years has run a "Kyoto Cinema Survival Support Fund" (京都シネマ存続支援基金) appeal to sustain the venue. Its programming mixes new Japanese and international arthouse releases, retrospectives, documentary work and special events with stage greetings by directors and cast.

Kyoto Cinema's history begins with the closure of Kyoto Asahi Cinema (京都朝日シネマ), a two-screen theater that shut its doors in January 2003. That closure left central Kyoto with very few venues dedicated to single-house (mini-theater) and arthouse films. In response, the former manager of Kyoto Asahi Cinema and other staff members founded a new company and began organizing screenings at other facilities while working toward establishing a new cinema. On December 4, 2004, Kyoto Cinema opened on the third floor of the COCON KARASUMA complex at Shijo-Karasuma in Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, operated by Kishisha Co., Ltd. (株式会社如月社). The theater was equipped with three screens: Cinema 1 with 104 seats (red), Cinema 2 with 89 seats (green) and Cinema 3 with 61 seats (blue). In 2006 Kyoto Cinema concluded an academic exchange agreement with Ritsumeikan University. In 2009, marking its fifth anniversary, the theater adopted its current logo, and Toshiki Shima, representative of Shima Film, joined its board of directors. Over the following years the operating environment became more difficult: the opening of the T-Joy Kyoto multiplex inside AEON Mall KYOTO and the growing popularity of online streaming services put pressure on the theater's finances. On July 9, 2018, Kishisha Co., Ltd. filed for application of the Civil Rehabilitation Act (民事再生法) with the Kyoto District Court, and on July 26, 2018, the court issued a decision to commence civil rehabilitation proceedings. The theater continued to operate and its membership system was maintained; Shima Film came forward as a supporting sponsor. As of February 2019 the theater was operated by Shima Film Co., Ltd. (シマフィルム株式会社), with Toshiki Shima as representative and Noriko Kawabe as manager. In the years since, Kyoto Cinema has continued its arthouse programming while adapting its operations: online ticket sales were introduced on September 19, 2020, alongside box-office sales (cash only at the counter, credit card only online), with reserved seating and full audience turnover between screenings. The theater has also maintained a membership program and a range of discounts, and has issued public appeals such as the Kyoto Cinema Survival Support Fund to sustain the venue. Its programming has long included stage greetings and special events with directors and cast, a tradition dating back to its early years.

• Kyoto Asahi Cinema, a two-screen theater, closes, reducing arthouse screening capacity in Kyoto.

• Kyoto Cinema opens in COCON KARASUMA under Kishisha Co., Ltd.

• Concludes an academic exchange agreement with Ritsumeikan University.

• Adopts its current logo on the fifth anniversary; Toshiki Shima of Shima Film joins the board.

• Kishisha Co., Ltd. files for civil rehabilitation with the Kyoto District Court.

• The Kyoto District Court issues a decision to commence civil rehabilitation proceedings; operations and membership continue.

• Online ticket sales begin, complementing box-office sales.

• Revised ticket prices take effect from this date's screenings.

Independent single-house (mini-theater) cinema in central Kyoto focused on arthouse, specialty and repertory programming, sustained by members and community support.

• Cinema 1 (104 seats, red)

• Cinema 2 (89 seats, green)

• Cinema 3 (61 seats, blue)

• Membership program (support, general, senior members)

• Online ticketing (credit card only)

• Box office ticketing (cash only)

1. 1京都シネマ 公式サイトkyotocinema.jp
2. 2当館について | 京都シネマkyotocinema.jp
3. 3Kyoto Cinema - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4京都シネマ - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org