Salon Cinema

Salon Cinema (サロンシネマ) is a two-screen independent movie theatre in Hiroshima, Japan, operated by the film exhibition company Johakyu Co., Ltd. Its catch copy is "Dream-selling theatre, Salon Cinema" (夢売劇場 サロンシネマ). The cinema is part of Johakyu's exhibition business alongside the nearby Hatchobori theatre Hatchoza, and it specialises in art-house, foreign, documentary and repertory programming rather than mainstream multiplex fare. The current Salon Cinema occupies the eighth floor of the Hiroshima Toei Plaza building in Hatchobori, Naka-ku, where it reopened on 20 September 2014 after relocating from the Takano-bashi district of Otemachi. The two screens seat 125 and 91 respectively. The interior was designed by Kyoko Hiya, who also worked on Hatchoza, and the lobby features illustrations of famous film scenes by illustrator Yuji Miyazaki. A branch of the long-running Hiroshima kissaten Jun Kissa Pearl operates inside the theatre. Both screens have horigotatsu (sunken kotatsu) seating at the rear, and some seats on Screen 2 reuse seats from the closed Shin-Tenchi cinema. Before the move, Salon Cinema 1 and 2 had operated in Takano-bashi since the 1950s and 1960s under earlier names. Salon Cinema 1 was formerly Takano-bashi Daiei, a Daiei studio direct-release theatre opened in 1962, and was renamed Salon Cinema 1 on 1 March 1972. Salon Cinema 2 was formerly Takano-bashi OS, a Nikkatsu direct-release theatre opened in 1959, later renamed Takano-bashi Nikkyo and then Salon Cinema 2 on 29 April 1994. The old Takano-bashi site was known for unusual seating: Screen 1 had what was described as Japan's widest leather seats with a counter table in front, while Screen 2 used car-type seats developed with Mazda and had a fresco on its ceiling. Johakyu Co., Ltd. was established on 30 April 1981 (Showa 56) with capital of 5 million yen. Its head office is on the eighth floor of the Fukuya Hatchobori main store building in Hiroshima. The company's business includes film exhibition, planning, production and distribution of films including foreign films, sales promotion and public relations for exhibition, event and seminar planning, publishing related to film, and television, radio and record production. As of the company profile, the representative director and president is Junko Kuramoto, and the director and general manager is Masaaki Sumioka, with nine employees. Salon Cinema's programming in the 2020s continues to mix new independent releases with repertory and special formats. The official website lists screenings such as a 35mm film version of "Odyssey" alongside Japanese-dubbed and subtitled versions, and it promotes late-show discounts and audience gifts. The cinema remains a fixture of Hiroshima's independent film culture and a key venue for film festivals and stage greetings.

Salon Cinema's history is intertwined with the decline and relocation of the Takano-bashi cinema district in Hiroshima. The two screens that would become Salon Cinema 1 and 2 began as separate studio-owned first-run theatres. In 1959, Takano-bashi OS, a Nikkatsu direct-release theatre, opened; it later became Takano-bashi Nikkyo in the 1960s and finally Salon Cinema 2 on 29 April 1994. In 1962, Takano-bashi Daiei, a Daiei direct-release theatre, opened; it was renamed Salon Cinema 1 on 1 March 1972. At one point the area around the current Salon Cinema building hosted five cinemas: Takano-bashi OS, Takano-bashi Daiei, Takano-bashi Toei (a Toei Japanese-film first-run theatre), Subaru-za (foreign films) and Takano-bashi Meigeki (a repertory cinema). By 1980, Takano-bashi Daiei/Salon Cinema 1 was facing closure. Its manager, Noboru Kuramoto, considered shutting it down, but Masaaki Sumioka, who had been working at a Tokyo publisher, took over as manager and kept the cinema running. Sumioka managed the Takano-bashi Salon Cinema from 1980 to 2011, followed by Yuki Kuwabara from 2012 to 2014. The Takano-bashi cinema was known for its distinctive seating: Screen 1 had what was described as Japan's widest leather seats with a counter table in front, while Screen 2 used car-type seats developed with Mazda and had a fresco on its ceiling. It had 100 seats on Screen 1 and 99 on Screen 2 and was a member of the Takano-bashi shopping street promotion association. In 2013, the building housing the cinema began to deteriorate; part of the exterior wall fell in spring 2013, and repairs were reaching their limit. On 21 May 2014, the Chugoku Shimbun reported that the cinema would close at the end of August and relocate within the city. On 24 June 2014, the same newspaper reported that it would move to the eighth floor of the Hiroshima Toei Plaza in Hatchobori. The Takano-bashi location held its final screenings on 31 August 2014: Screen 1 showed 'Showa Zankyo-den: Shinde Moraimasu' and Screen 2 showed 'Arigatousan'. The old Salon Cinema later appeared as the fictional 'Pigeon-za' cinema in the 2018 film 'Koi no Hana Theater' directed by Hideyuki Tokikawa. Renovation of the new Hatchobori site began at the end of June 2014. The eighth floor of the Hiroshima Toei Plaza had previously housed Hiroshima Toei and Hiroshima Louvre from 1995 until their closure in 2009, after which it was vacant. Initially the plan was to change the cinema's name upon relocation, but on 1 August 2014 it was announced that the name would remain Salon Cinema. The screen that had been Hiroshima Toei became a 125-seat auditorium, and the former Louvre screen became a 91-seat auditorium, roughly half the seating of the Toei/Louvre era. As with Hatchoza, which has the same operator, the interior was designed by Kyoko Hiya, and the first floor features illustrations of famous film scenes by illustrator Yuji Miyazaki. A branch of Jun Kissa Pearl, a coffee shop that had operated in front of Hiroshima Station until the construction of BIG FRONT Hiroshima, opened inside the cinema. On 19 September 2014, a preview event was held with benshi Tsuya Sawato, and the cinema reopened on 20 September 2014. The first films shown on reopening day were 'Uzumasa Limelight' on Screen 1 and 'Batsuichi wa Koi no Hajimari' on Screen 2. From 22 to 28 November 2014, Screen 2 hosted the 'Food and Agriculture Film Festival 2014 in Hiroshima'. On 12 January 2015, a stage greeting for the film '100 Yen no Koi' was held with director Masaharu Take and lead actress Sakura Ando. Both screens have horigotatsu seating at the rear (10 seats on Screen 1, 6 on Screen 2), and some seats on Screen 2 reuse seats from the Shin-Tenchi cinema that closed in December 2014. In the years since, Salon Cinema has continued as a two-screen independent cinema under Johakyu, programming a mix of new independent films, foreign films, documentaries and repertory titles. Its website promotes late-show discounts, audience gifts and special formats such as 35mm screenings. The cinema remains a key venue in Hiroshima's independent film scene, hosting stage greetings, film festivals and special events.

• 2018

  The old Salon Cinema appears as the fictional 'Pigeon-za' in the film 'Koi no Hana Theater'.

• 2015

  Stage greeting for '100 Yen no Koi' with director Masaharu Take and actress Sakura Ando on 12 January.

• 2014

  Takano-bashi location closes on 31 August; Salon Cinema reopens in Hatchobori on 20 September.

• 2014

  Food and Agriculture Film Festival 2014 in Hiroshima is held at Salon Cinema 2 from 22 to 28 November.

• 1994

  Takano-bashi Nikkyo is renamed Salon Cinema 2 on 29 April.

• 1981

  Johakyu Co., Ltd. is established on 30 April (Showa 56).

• 1980

  Masaaki Sumioka takes over as manager of Takano-bashi Salon Cinema, preventing its closure.

• 1972

  Takano-bashi Daiei is renamed Salon Cinema 1 on 1 March.

• 1962

  Takano-bashi Daiei, a Daiei direct-release theatre and predecessor of Salon Cinema 1, opens.

• 1959

  Takano-bashi OS, a Nikkatsu direct-release theatre and predecessor of Salon Cinema 2, opens.

Independent art-house cinema and repertory venue in Hiroshima, operated by Johakyu alongside Hatchoza.

• Salon Cinema 1

  125-seat auditorium in the Hatchobori location, with 10 horigotatsu seats at the rear.

• Salon Cinema 2

  91-seat auditorium in the Hatchobori location, with 6 horigotatsu seats and some reused seats from Shin-Tenchi cinema.

• 35mm film screenings

  Special screenings using 35mm film, such as the subtitled 35mm version of 'Odyssey'.

• Late shows

  Late-show screenings with discounts promoted on the official website.

• Jun Kissa Pearl café

  A branch of the long-running Hiroshima coffee shop inside the cinema.

1. 1広島の映画館八丁座・サロンシネマjohakyu.co.jp
2. 2会社概要｜広島の映画館八丁座・サロンシネマjohakyu.co.jp
3. 3Salon Cinema - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4サロンシネマ - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org