Places to visit in Hyogo 8: 宝塚 (たからづか - Takarazuka)

宝塚 is a suburban city located a short distance north of 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) and 大阪 (おおさか - Osaka), on the eastern side of Hyogo. Its name, amusingly, means "treasure pile" and there are certainly shiny trinkets to be found there, thanks in part to a politician and businessman determined to make 宝塚 more than a sleepy commuter town. After several attempts, he finally struck gold with the creation of a musical theatre group now known as the 宝塚歌劇団 (たからづかかげきだん - takarazuka kagekidan - "Takarazuka Revue"). As a counterpoint to 歌舞伎 (かぶき - Kabuki), the 歌劇団 features an all-female cast and its flashy shows are still the city's most famous drawcard after nearly 100 years. I think that's our cue.

It's odd to think of it now, but a lot of Japan's shopping and entertainment infrastructure was developed by, or in close conjunction with its railway companies. Having well-serviced and well-connected 電車駅 (でんしゃえき - densha eki - train stations) is obviously good for business; to this day several デパート (depaato - department store) chains come under these companies' umbrellas and many tourist destinations started off as thought bubbles to get more people on trains. 宝塚 is no exception - early in the 20th century Ichizo Kobayashi, the founder of the 阪急 (はんきゅう - Hankyu) Corporation invested heavily in making the city an attractive destination to ensure a steady stream of customers for the new 宝塚 Line. Building a new 温泉 (おんせん - onsen - hot spring) and indoor pool didn't seem to excite anyone enough to make the trip but after turning the pool into a makeshift stage for an all-female musical theatre troupe, 宝塚 was finally put on the map.

Things have come a little further than pool covers now; the 宝塚歌劇団 now operates out of the "Grand Theatre" and has expanded all the way to 東京 (とうきょう - Tokyo) as well. It features five troupes, each with their own performers, specialities and very Japanese-style names - 星 (ほし - hoshi - star), 花 (はな - hana - flower), 月 (つき - tsuki - moon), 雪 (ゆき - yuki - snow) and 宙 (そら - sora - "cosmos"). Each troupe puts on two different shows per year which means almost constant performances and new advertisements put up every month. The shows range from Japanese stories to Western theatre staples, original creations to アニメ (anime) and movie adaptions. Whatever the story though, it invariably involves plenty of dancing, showtunes and some of the sparkliest, frilliest costumes ever made.

Much like 歌舞伎, 宝塚歌劇団 performers specialise exclusively in playing either males or females, in this case known as 男役 (おとこやく - otoko yaku - "male roles") and 娘役 (むすめやく - musume yaku - "daughter" or "female" roles). All are put through their paces, having to audition for a place then complete two years of intense training before being added to a troupe. The actresses who play 男役 are generally taller, with deeper vocal ranges; the costumes, makeup, short hair and masculine body language go a fair way to completing the illusion. Apart from that there's little to separate them - all are immensely talented singers and dancers and all attract a strong following, each with their own fan clubs and merchandise. There are even shops within the complex where fans can try on some of the more extravagant costumes and have their photos taken with life-sized cutouts of the stars.

The 宝塚歌劇団 Grand Theatre building itself is lavishly decorated, its foyer full of red carpets, chandeliers and a grand staircase that leads into the theatre proper. This seats more than 2000 people on two different levels, offering a commanding view of the stage and all its special features. A live orchestra sits between the main stage and what's known as the "silver bridge" - an LED-lit catwalk that stretches across the front of the audience which can be used for particularly elaborate dance numbers. The main stage can be rotated and different platforms can be raised and lowered to varying effect; there's even a huge disco ball that can fill the whole theatre with shimmering light, just in case there weren't quite enough sparkles already. Most performances feature a main plot-driven play, followed by an all-singing, all-dancing last act that throws all that to the wind in favour of flashy sets, choreography and costumes. The finale features a giant staircase that each performer descends in turn, crested by giant peacock feathers and greeted by thunderous applause. I thoroughly recommend at least one visit, even on the strength of the last 30 seconds.

While the 宝塚歌劇団 is a hard act to follow, it isn't the only thing 宝塚 is famous for. The city was also home to Osamu Tezuka, creator of several well known アニメ and 漫画 (まんが - manga) such as 鉄腕アトム ("Tetsuwan Atom", a.k.a. "Astroboy") and ジャングル大帝 (janguru taitei - "The King of the Jungle", a.k.a. "Kimba the White Lion"). An oddly-shaped little museum called the 手塚治虫記念館 (てずかおさむきねんかん - tezuka osamu kinenkan - "Osamu Tezuka Memorial Hall") has been set up in his memory and features shelves of 漫画 translated into different languages, animation workshops, original prints and information about the author's life and what it was like to grow up in 宝塚. The surrounding area is full of sculptures and statues of Tezuka's creations and even features a nod to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where Astroboy and other characters' hand (or paw, or pincer) prints are immortalised.

If you do end up making the trip out to 宝塚, you won't be disappointed; it's a pleasant city with plenty of attractions that can't be found anywhere else. You certainly won't be alone either - year round, it's a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. Whether you're joining the crowds for a boisterous 歌劇団 show, pulling up a chair for a quiet leaf through some of Japan's earliest 漫画 history or just going for a wander through the peaceful streets, you'll be sure to find some treasure of your own.