Kyoto Asahi Cinema

The Kyoto Asahi Kaikan building, completed by Sanjo Kawaramachi in 1975, is the second building to be named the Asahi Kaikan. Following its 1988 renovation of the building, Masaaki Ito added a twin-screen theatre with a capacity of 158 seats, with Screen 1 having 95 seats in Screen 2 with 63 seats.

The Kyoto Asahi Cinemas opened its doors on July 10, 1988 screening the 1953 American classic “Roman Holiday” starring Gregory Peck in Screen 1 and the 1986 European film “The Name of the Rose” starring Sean Connery in Screen 2.

The Kyoto Asahi Cinema’s operation was a massive success, but ended up turning it around when the Herald Group announced that they would be leasing the twin-screen theater in January 2003, and will close the theatre for the final time. The Kyoto Asahi Cinema closed for the final time on January 29, 2003 with both Japanese titles playing on both screens (1999’s “A Wonderful Life” and 1993’s “Moving”). Prior to its last showing of “Moving”, Kyogen actor and performer Sennojo Shigeyama took the stands for its final farewells. The closure of the Ashami Cinema leaves the Kyoto Minami Hall the only mini movie house in Kyoto.

The closure of Kyoto Asahi Cinema was not only mourned by movie fans in Kyoto, but also from movie fans throughout the Kansai region and throughout Japan. A petition calling for the survival of Kyoto Asahi Cinema was signed by a grand total of 7,000 people from Hokkaido to Okinawa.

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