Two of Japan’s most storied traditions – noh theatre and kaiseki cuisine – can be impenetrable and intimidating for the uninitiated. And that’s not just because of the language barrier: the formalities that rule both are laden with unspoken protocols. Suigian, an innovative dinner theatre hidden under the Fukutoku Shrine in Nihonbashi, seeks to make these Japanese performing and culinary art forms more approachable.
Granted, dinner theatres, especially of the cultural kind, don’t always enjoy a favourable reputation – they are often associated with subpar food and tacky performances. Suigian, however, feels like a labour of love and there’s a sense of genuinity in everything it does. So much so that you’re advised not to eat during the noh part of the performances as a sign of respect (drinking, however, is fine, as the restaurant claims that it's only here you can enjoy noh over drinks).
The evening shows, which start at 7pm, offer a crash course to traditional Japanese theatre. The programme changes monthly, featuring varied snippets of Geisha dance, kyogen (comic theatre), court music, kagura (ritual ceremonial dance) and, of course, noh. Notably, the noh segments are actual 15-to-20-minute acts adapted from renowned noh texts and performed by seasoned noh practitioners. You’ll get an explanation sheet with summaries of the evening’s show in English to help you connect with the craft unfolding on stage.
Likewise, Suigian’s beautiful space, though contemporary in design, is filled with authentic artefacts. The restaurant’s stage backdrop is a heritage piece, salvaged from a disused stage in Kyoto’s Muromachi-Ebisugawa district, and the evergreen pine tree on it is believed to have been painted by an artist of the famed Kano School during the Edo period (1603-1868). In fact, most of the decorative elements inside the restaurant carry an interesting backstory – they either have antique origins or were made by renowned artisans.
The same reverence for prestige is also evident in the food menu, offering six multi-course meals, including a sustainable seafood option, ranging from ¥13,200 to ¥29,700. They are all rooted in the classic Japanese banquet known as kaiseki, which emphasises not only celebrating the freshest seasonal ingredients but also artistic presentation that conveys the mood of the season. The most elaborate meal (the Momokawa Sayu option) even finishes with a traditional tea ceremony held at the on-site tea room by an English-speaking master. What escapes most diners here is that the ceramics, trays and lacquerware used are heirloom pieces rescued from the now-closed traditional Japanese restaurant Fukiro in Nagasaki, which had a history dating back 350 years.
With an English-speaking maître d' presiding over the restaurant, an evening here is a relaxed way to enjoy noh and kaiseki cuisine in one sitting. However, Suigian is also open to non-diners (¥1,000 cover charge applicable) after 9pm, with an extensive drink menu serving everything from tea and seasonal cocktails to wine and sparkling sake. At bar time, the atmosphere changes: the lights get dimmed and the stage backdrop transforms into a canvas for a mesmerising and trippy projection mapping display.