Japanese Cinema Prices
Japan’s largest and most wide spread operator of cinema complexes, Toho Cinemas Ltd. Has announced plans to cut ticket prices starting in spring next year. The current price of 1,800 yen for customers aged 18 and over shall be cut back to 1,500 yen, the company is hoping the cut will increase the number of people visiting the cinema. Senior high school students are set to benifit even more, with prices for those 18 and under dropping to 1,000 yen, from the current 1,500 price.
Toho Cinemas Ltd, plans to implement the new system in six prefectures for roughly a year to see how it works out, before expanding nationwide.
The company will try out the new fee system at its movie theatres in six prefectures for about a year before extending it nationwide.
‘‘We hope to work out a fee system that would be reasonable for movie producers, distributors and film fans,’’ Takashi Nakagawa, president of the company said. Movie fans are dissatisfied with the current 1,800 yen charge when the economy is in deflation, he said.
The Tokyo based company, runs roughly 20% of cinemas in Japan. It is possible that if their plans are successful in drawing more audience members to screens, that rivals companies may follow suit, with cuts of their own.
This news may not be as welcome to senior citizens who currently pay 1,000 yen to see films, as industry insiders have stated that this discount may be abolished or the age for which you can qualify may be increase from its current 60+ range.
Japan is one of the most expensive countries in the world in which to visit the cinema.
Here is a list of prices from around the world. This is a rough guide and is not entirely accurate, but will give a general idea.
Average Ticket Price in Dollars
U.S $7.50
Japan $14.00
U.K $9.60
France $8.00
Germany $9.00
Serbia $2.00
South Korea $6.00
Denmark $13.20
Picture Source: http://punynari.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/yoshima-hyakuana-132.jpg?w=691&h=518