How the tipping custom works

What the custom is

Taishū engeki fans are known for their devotion, and they show it with gifts: personal letters, large bouquets and, most often, cash. Wikipedia describes the custom, go-shūgi, meaning congratulations, in some detail. Fans approach the stage during the dance part of the show and slip a letter, an envelope or a note into the performer's kimono or obi, shaking hands or exchanging a quick word as the performer stops dancing to kneel at the edge of the stage and receive them.

When it happens

Tipping belongs to the dance revue, the second half of the performance, when each actor dances alone. Fans who want to tip walk forward during a favourite performer's number. The performer stops dancing, kneels at the edge of the stage to receive them, exchanges a word or a handshake, and then carries on. It is quick, warm and part of the rhythm of the show.

Should visitors join in?

If you want to, yes. Visitors are encouraged to bring cash and take part in the local custom of tipping performers, and the guided programme includes a guided go at it, so a member of staff can show you when and how. Nobody expects a first-time visitor to tip, and staying in your seat is perfectly acceptable. If a dancer has held your attention for a whole number, though, walking up is the warmest thanks you can give.

How to do it well

Keep your phone away while you tip, and never use flash while the troupe is performing.

• Carry low-value banknotes; cards are no use for tips
• Fold the note neatly, or use a plain envelope
• Wait for the performer to come to the stage edge and kneel
• Tuck the note into the kimono or the obi sash
• Bow or say thank you, then return to your seat

Gifts other than cash

Cash is the most common gift, but it is not the only one. Wikipedia notes that fans also present favourite performers with personal letters and with large, elaborate bouquets of flowers. For a visitor, a simple note of thanks tucked into an envelope with a small tip is plenty. There is no need to bring flowers to a first visit, and the custom is about warmth rather than size.

Why cash matters

The theatre's snack bar takes cash only, and tips can only be given in cash, so arriving with none rules you out of both. Take what you need before you reach Asakusa, because time spent hunting for a cash machine is time not spent at the snack bar before the curtain.

The guided option's help

The guided programme is the easy way in. It adds a short explanation of the show from English-speaking theatre staff before the curtain, a canned drink, and a guided go at the tipping custom during the performance, so you know when to stand and where to go. When it is available, it also includes special permission to film during the show, which the show-only seat does not. If you are nervous about walking up to a stage in front of the room, this is the ticket to book.

The bigger picture

Tipping is part of what sets taishū engeki apart. In most theatre, at home or abroad, performers stay on the stage and leave by a back door. Here they walk the aisles, sell photo books and DVDs during the interval, and come out after the show to sign autographs, greet fans and pose for pictures. The tip is one more bridge between stage and seats, and taking part makes you, briefly, one of the regulars.