Thursday, April 30, 2015

TOURING DAIEI STUDIOS! Getting an Exclusive Look at the House That Gamera Built!

Former Daiei actor Sadafumi Kawahara points out that the area around Keio-Tamagawa Station all used to be part of Daiei Studios during its heyday. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today was nothing short of spectacular. First, I enjoyed a private tour of Kadokawa Daiei Studios, and later in the evening I met a legendary actor whose career touched both Japanese and Hong Kong cinema.

Inside Shop Majin at Kadokawa Daiei Studios. I'm wearing my trusty guest pass!

I was later told that tours Kadokawa Daiei Studios just aren't done, and that even former actors usually not permitted to enter the studio. So this kind of tour is extremely rare, and suffice it to say that, while I was able to take pictures behind the studio gates, I was asked not to share them online. So only photos taken in public spaces could be shared. As much as I'd like to show you the photos I took, the powers that be asked me nicely not to!

We got pretty much full access to the studio and were shown around. We got to step inside old soundstages and even Kitchen Cafe Gamera, which can be viewed from outside the studio. Everything was very impressive!


I must thank Kawahara-san, Tanaka-san, and Ogawa-san for their help in making this a day for the history books. I know I'll never forget it!

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