The best place to see Kabuki is at the Kabuki-za, built especially for this purpose, with its hanamichi (runway) passing diagonally through the audience to the revolving stage. Built originally in 1925, the Kabuki-za was destroyed in an air raid in 1945 and rebuilt in the identical style in 1951. Matinees usually begin at 11 and end at 4; evening performances, at 4:30, end around 9. Reserved seats are expensive and hard to come by on short notice; for a mere ¥800 to ¥1,000, however, you can buy an unreserved ticket that allows you to see one act of a play from the topmost gallery. The gallery is cleared after each act, but there's nothing to prevent you from buying another ticket. Bring binoculars -- the gallery is far from the stage. Call by 6 PM the day preceding performance for reservations. Subway: Hibiya and Toei Asakusa lines, Higashi-Ginza Eki (Exit 3).