Immigration 2027, Tokyo, Japan

• January 11, 2027
  Event date:
• January 31, 2027
  Event end:

What to expect in 2027

Immigration 2027, presented at Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre’s Theatre East in Tokyo, is a new Japanese production of Takuya Kato’s internationally developed play “One Small Step.” The production stars Masaki Okada and Shiori Doi, with Ryutaro Akimoto appearing in a voice role, and runs from January 11 through January 31, 2027.

Originally created through a Japan-UK theatre collaboration and staged at London’s Charing Cross Theatre in 2024, “One Small Step” is being rebuilt for its Japanese return under the title “Immigrant.” The production uses a new stage set and a new direction while retaining the central dramatic idea of a couple involved in humanity’s attempt to establish a new home away from Earth.

The story is set in a near future when humanity is preparing to move to the Moon and beyond. A major construction company is involved in a project to establish a lunar city, create an environment where living organisms can reproduce, and create the conditions for humanity to begin again. At the center of this enormous undertaking are Joji and Narumi, a married couple working on the project.

What makes the production intimate is the contrast between its enormous science-fiction premise and its focus on a private conversation between two people. The official production description emphasizes the tension between building a new world and listening to the individual person standing directly in front of you.

The Theatre East production is also notable for its four-sided stage configuration. Rather than placing the audience on only one side of a conventional proscenium stage, the production uses an arena-style arrangement in which the performance space is surrounded by spectators. This creates a particularly close relationship between the actors and audience.

With Masaki Okada returning to the stage after several years away from theatre and appearing opposite Shiori Doi, the production places considerable emphasis on the relationship between the two central characters. Okada plays Joji, while Doi plays Narumi. Ryutaro Akimoto contributes as the voice performer.

Event dates

Performance period

Immigration 2027 runs from Monday, January 11, 2027, through Sunday, January 31, 2027, at Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Theatre East in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

Opening performance

The production opens on January 11 with an evening performance beginning at 7:00 PM.

Regular schedule

The three-week engagement includes weekday evening performances, selected weekday matinees and multiple Saturday and Sunday performances. There are also scheduled days without performances. The full timetable is published by the production and Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre.

Duration of the engagement

The Tokyo run covers 21 calendar days, although January 12, January 19 and January 25 are scheduled as days off. Some performances are designated as private or special ticketed performances.

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Venue & performance locations

Main venue

All Tokyo performances of Immigration 2027 take place at Theatre East inside Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre.

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre is located at 1-8-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0021. Theatre East is located on the B1 level of the complex.

Theatre East

Theatre East is a flexible small theatre designed for productions including drama and dance. Its movable stage floor allows different configurations, including end-stage, thrust-stage and centre-stage arrangements. For Immigration, the production uses a four-sided enclosed stage, meaning the audience surrounds the acting area.

The theatre’s capacity varies according to its configuration. Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre lists approximately 166 to 272 seats for Theatre East depending on the stage layout. The special four-sided configuration for Immigration makes the relationship between seating and performance space particularly important.

Full programme

The central story

Immigration follows Joji and Narumi, a married couple involved in a major project to establish human life on the Moon. Their professional roles place them at the centre of a futuristic plan that seeks to make another celestial body habitable.

The couple is preparing for a new stage of human existence when an unexpected event interrupts their plans. The resulting situation forces them to confront their different positions, personal values and ideas of what is right.

Humanity’s lunar project

The futuristic background provides the production with its large-scale premise. Humanity is no longer simply considering whether it can reach the Moon; the characters are working toward establishing an actual city and creating the conditions for life there.

The project involves transforming an otherwise uninhabitable environment into a place capable of supporting human and biological life. This ambitious plan becomes the backdrop against which the much smaller and more personal conflict between the married couple unfolds.

Private conversation

Although the setting involves space migration and the future of humanity, the production focuses strongly on dialogue between the two central characters. Takuya Kato describes the work as looking at the gap between a grand plan for creating a new world and the very personal act of listening to another individual.

Four-sided staging

The new Tokyo version is staged with the performance space surrounded by audience seating. The configuration brings the actors into close proximity with spectators and changes the visual relationship between performer and audience throughout the production.

Featured productions & performers

Masaki Okada

Masaki Okada plays Joji, one half of the married couple at the centre of the story. The production marks his return to stage performance after several years away from theatre. Okada has described the enclosed environment of the production as creating the feeling of watching a couple’s private reality from an unusually close position.

His extensive screen career includes film, television and streaming productions, while his participation in Immigration represents an important return to live theatre.

Shiori Doi

Shiori Doi plays Narumi, Joji’s wife and the second central character in the production. Doi has spoken about approaching the work through the contrast between its enormous futuristic setting and the small, personal emotions moving between the two characters.

Her performance is central to the production because much of the drama is constructed around the changing relationship between Narumi and Joji.

Ryutaro Akimoto

Ryutaro Akimoto appears in a voice-acting role. His contribution adds another layer to the production without expanding the principal onstage cast beyond the two central performers.

Takuya Kato

Takuya Kato is the playwright and director. He originally created “One Small Step” as a Japan-UK theatrical collaboration and directed its London production at Charing Cross Theatre in 2024. For Immigration, he has developed a new Japanese version with a completely renewed stage environment.

Shows & performances

Immigrant – Japanese production

The main and only production presented during the Tokyo engagement is Immigration, the Japanese reworking of “One Small Step.” It is not a collection of separate plays; every performance presents the same core theatrical work, subject to normal cast, schedule or production changes.

Contemporary theatre

The production combines contemporary dialogue-driven drama with a science-fiction setting. Instead of concentrating on spectacle, the story uses the future lunar settlement as a framework for examining a relationship between two people.

Four-sided performance

The arena-style staging is an important component of the Tokyo production. Because spectators surround the acting area, audience members may experience scenes from different angles, with the actors moving through a space that does not have a conventional front-facing orientation.

Performance schedule

The official schedule currently lists the following performances for the Tokyo run:

January 11

7:00 PM

January 12

No performance.

January 13

2:00 PM and 7:00 PM

January 14

7:00 PM

January 15

2:00 PM and 7:00 PM, with the 2:00 PM performance designated as a special/private performance.

January 16

1:00 PM and 5:00 PM

January 17

1:00 PM and 5:00 PM

January 18

2:00 PM

January 19

No performance.

January 20

2:00 PM and 7:00 PM, with the 2:00 PM performance designated as a special/private performance.

January 21

7:00 PM

January 22

2:00 PM

January 23

1:00 PM and 5:00 PM

January 24

1:00 PM and 5:00 PM

January 25

No performance.

January 26

7:00 PM

January 27

2:00 PM and 7:00 PM

January 28

7:00 PM

January 29

2:00 PM

January 30

1:00 PM and 5:00 PM

January 31

1:00 PM

The organizer notes that the programme, performers and schedule may change when unavoidable circumstances arise, so visitors should confirm the latest information before attending.

Ticket types

Reserved seating

The standard Tokyo ticket is a fully reserved seat ticket. The announced price is approximately $60 USD per ticket, converted from the official 9,500-yen price using an approximate exchange rate.

All seats are reserved, which means ticket holders receive an assigned location rather than entering on a general-admission basis.

Standard performance tickets

The standard ticket applies to the scheduled public performances throughout the Tokyo run. Ticket availability can vary according to individual dates, with some performances having different sales arrangements.

Group viewing

The production also accepts group theatre enquiries for groups of 15 or more. This option can be relevant to companies, schools, organizations and other groups planning to attend together.

Ticket release & booking

General sale

General ticket sales are scheduled to begin on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 10:00 AM. The official production information lists the standard Tokyo ticket at approximately $60 USD.

Advance sales

Before general sales, several advance lottery periods are being offered through the Umeda Arts Theater network. The first member advance lottery ran from September 8 to September 13, 2026, while a second advance lottery is scheduled from September 26 to September 30, 2026.

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Box Office

Tickets can be purchased through the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Box Office online, with box-office and telephone services also available during stated operating hours.

Other ticket agencies

The production is also listed through Ticket Pia, ePlus and Lawson Ticket, alongside Umeda Arts Theater ticket services.

VIP & premium seating

Pia special seats

A premium seating opportunity has been announced for the Pia-reserved performance on January 15 at 2:00 PM. The special seating covers the front rows of the four audience-facing sides, specifically A, RA, LA and F rows.

Because Immigration uses a four-sided stage, these special seats are particularly significant: they are positioned at the front of each side of the performance configuration rather than simply representing the front rows of a conventional theatre.

Private performances

Several performances are marked as reserved or private performances in the official schedule. January 15 at 2:00 PM and January 20 at 2:00 PM are among the specially designated performances. Availability and booking arrangements can differ from standard public performances.

There is no officially announced VIP lounge, backstage tour, meet-and-greet or hospitality package for the general Tokyo run.

Event rules

Age restriction

Children below school age are not permitted to enter the performance.

Ticket resale

Tickets are sold as designated entertainment admission tickets covered by Japan’s law concerning the prohibition of unauthorized ticket resale. Paid transfers to another person without the organizer’s consent are prohibited.

Refunds

Refunds and transfers to another performance are not available except when the performance itself is cancelled. Customers should therefore confirm their chosen date before completing the purchase.

Programme changes

The organizer reserves the possibility of changing the production, performers or schedule if circumstances make this necessary. Visitors should check the official production website for final updates before attending.

Late arrival

As with other theatre performances, late arrivals may be required to wait for an appropriate point before entering the auditorium. Audience members should arrive early enough to complete entry procedures before the performance begins.

How to get there

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre is located in Nishi-Ikebukuro, immediately beside Ikebukuro Station.

The theatre address is 1-8-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0021. Theatre East is on B1F of the building.

From Ikebukuro Station

The simplest route is to use Ikebukuro Station’s west side and follow the underground route to Exit 2b. Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre is directly connected to the underground passage at this exit and is approximately two minutes from the station.

Ikebukuro is served by JR lines, Tokyo Metro, Tobu Tojo Line and Seibu Ikebukuro Line, making the venue accessible from many parts of Tokyo.

Public transport & parking

Rail access

Ikebukuro Station provides access via the JR Yamanote Line, Saikyo Line and Shonan-Shinjuku Line, as well as Tokyo Metro lines and the Tobu and Seibu railway networks.

Underground connection

The underground connection to Exit 2b is particularly useful in poor weather because visitors can reach the theatre without walking a long distance outdoors.

Parking

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre has a public paid underground parking facility with approximately 100 spaces. The official theatre information lists operating hours from 7:00 AM to midnight, with entry until 11:30 PM.

The facility has vehicle restrictions, so visitors with larger vehicles should check the latest requirements before travelling. The theatre recommends public transport for general access because Ikebukuro Station is directly connected to the complex.

Accommodation areas

Ikebukuro

Ikebukuro is the most convenient area for visitors attending Immigration because the theatre is only a short walk from the station. The district has hotels ranging from business accommodation to larger full-service properties, as well as restaurants and shopping centres.

Nishi-Ikebukuro

Staying on the west side of Ikebukuro places visitors particularly close to Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. This area is useful for anyone attending an evening performance and wanting to return to their accommodation quickly afterward.

Shinjuku

Shinjuku offers a much larger selection of hotels and is connected directly to Ikebukuro by the JR Yamanote and other rail services. It can therefore work well for visitors combining the theatre with sightseeing elsewhere in Tokyo.

Ueno and Tokyo Station

Visitors planning broader Tokyo itineraries can also stay around Ueno or Tokyo Station and travel to Ikebukuro by train. These areas are useful for travelers arriving through Tokyo’s major rail hubs.

Dining & refreshments

Ikebukuro has one of Tokyo’s largest concentrations of restaurants, cafés, department stores and casual dining venues, giving visitors plenty of options before or after a performance.

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre itself has shops and restaurant facilities within the building complex.

Before a matinee

For afternoon performances, visitors can arrive early and have lunch around Ikebukuro Station before entering the theatre. The station area has numerous quick-service and full-service restaurants.

Before an evening show

The 7:00 PM performances make it possible to have dinner before the show or eat after the performance. Visitors attending from outside Ikebukuro should allow additional time if dining before an evening performance.

After the performance

Ikebukuro remains active after many evening performances, with restaurants and cafés around the station. The area’s extensive rail connections also make it practical to return to hotels in other Tokyo districts.

Accessibility

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre provides a range of accessibility facilities, including elevators, wheelchair lifts, tactile guidance blocks, accessible toilets, loan wheelchairs and assistance-dog facilities. The theatre also has an accessibility desk and designated priority parking spaces.

Two priority parking spaces are available on B2F. The theatre states that visitors with a disability certificate or Mirairo ID can use its parking facility free of charge on the day of attendance, subject to the stated conditions.

For Immigration specifically, wheelchair users are asked to contact Umeda Arts Theater by the day before their performance so that arrangements can be made for a smooth visit.

The four-sided stage configuration may make seating arrangements particularly important for visitors with mobility requirements, so advance contact with the organizer is recommended.

Best performances to attend

January 11 opening night

The opening performance on January 11 at 7:00 PM provides the opportunity to experience the production at the beginning of its Tokyo run. It is scheduled as the first public performance of the engagement.

Weekday matinees

Weekday afternoon performances such as January 13, January 15, January 18, January 20, January 22, January 27 and January 29 can suit visitors who prefer daytime theatre and want to keep their evening available for other Tokyo activities.

Weekend performances

Saturday and Sunday performances include afternoon and, on several dates, early evening options. January 16, 17, 23, 24 and 30 have two scheduled performances, while January 31 has a 1:00 PM performance.

January 15 premium seating performance

The January 15, 2:00 PM Pia-reserved performance is notable because special seats covering the front rows of each side of the four-sided stage were offered through Pia’s premium advance booking.

Previous year’s highlights

Immigration does not have a previous Japanese production under this title. Its most important predecessor is “One Small Step,” the original play written and directed by Takuya Kato and developed through a Japan-UK theatrical collaboration.

“One Small Step” premiered at London’s Charing Cross Theatre in 2024, running from late September into October. The production was developed in Japan and the UK through workshops and readings with British artists and was presented as part of a wider UK-Japan collaboration project.

The original London production followed Takashi and Narumi, a married couple working for a major contractor on a project to migrate humans to the Moon and establish a new city there. An unexpected setback forces the couple to reconsider their plans and positions.

The London cast included Mark Takeshi Ota as Takashi, Susan Momoko Hingley as Narumi and Jay Faisca in a voice role. The production was translated by Andrew Eglinton and Mika Eglinton.

The 2027 Tokyo version is not simply a direct transfer of that London production. Umeda Arts Theater states that the Japanese production has a completely new stage set and new direction while bringing the story back to Japan with Masaki Okada and Shiori Doi in the central roles.

This makes the Tokyo production a new stage interpretation of a work that already has an international development history, rather than a conventional revival of the 2024 London staging.

Official tickets

The official Ticket Pia page provides ticket information for Immigration 2027, including the Tokyo performances, advance sales and general-sale information.

https://t.pia.jp/pia/event/event.do?eventBundleCd=b2670033

The Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and Umeda Arts Theater also provide official production information, schedules, ticket details and venue information. The general public sale is scheduled for October 31, 2026, at 10:00 AM, while advance lotteries are being conducted before the general release.

Location

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