Morita-za

The Morita-za (森田座・守田座), also known later as the Shintomi-za (新富座), was one of the major Kabuki theaters in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during the Edo period and into the beginning of the 20th century. It was established in January 1660, and run by the Morita family of actors until its destruction in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake which destroyed much of Tokyo.

==History== The Morita-za was first built by Morita Tarōbei I and his son Morita Tashichi in 1660, in Edo's Kobiki-chō district. The theater would burn down only a few months later, and many more times over the years, but was always rebuilt (until 1923). It was designated as one of only four theaters allowed to operate in Edo, by a 1670 government edict; the other three officially designated theaters were the Nakamura-za, Ichimura-Takenojō-za, and Yamamura-za. After all four were destroyed in the 1703 Great Genroku fire, and rebuilt, there began a tradition of co-producing plays for New Year's celebrations.