AKB48 Theater
AKB48 Theater (AKB48劇場) , is where AKB48 was founded, and where they hold their Theater Performances almost everyday. The AKB48 Theater is in Akihabara, Tokyo, which is the city that AKB48 is named after.
The AKB48 Theater is situated in the Don Quixote in Akihabara, with the theater on its 8th floor.
The Theater famously contains 2 pillars just before the stage, which on them have pieces of pink tape. These stripes of paint represent the number of years that AKB48 has been performing at the theater.
The AKB48 Theater is small and can therefore only fit a small amount of people. In order to go to a Theater Performance, fans have to enter a lottery to get tickets.
The theater formerly held the theater performances of SDN48 , until their disbandment.
The current theater manager is Yuasa Hiroshi , and Kayano Shinobu is General Theater Manager of ALL48 Groups.
To celebrate Maeda Atsuko ’s graduation from AKB48 , a photo mosaic was created with 10,000 pictures sent by fans. The poster was displayed at AKB48 Theater between August 27 through September 3.
AKB Theater Anniversary is coincide with AKB48 Anniversary.
Iwate Incident
In May 2014, AKB48 members Kawaei Rina and Iriyama Anna were attacked during a handshake event. The group closed its theater for a week, and canceled all planned shows. When the theater was reopened, AKB48 had made several changes to its security system. Metal detectors were established at the theater entrance. The number of security staff was also increased, and for the opening show 6 policemen were on lookout in the theater. A fence was established between the audience and the stage, forbidding the use of the front rows. This was a drastic change for AKB48, as the group had always put emphasis on being "close" to their fans.
During the first theater show since the attack, the members did not see off the fans with high fives as usual. It is unknown whether the high-fives will be introduced again. Furthermore, it was not possible to watch the show on the monitor in the theater lobby. Only people with a ticket to the specific show or those on the cancellation waiting list were allowed into the theater.
Current Stages
Past Stages
Team A
1st Stage 「PARTYが始まるよ」(AKB48 Team A 1st Stage "PARTY ga Hajimaru yo") [2005.12.08-2006.03.31]
2nd Stage 「会いたかった」(AKB48 Team A 2nd Stage "Aitakatta") [2006.04.15-08.11]
3rd Stage 「誰かのために」(AKB48 Team A 3rd Stage "Dareka no Tame ni") [2006.08.20-2007.01.25]
4th Stage 「ただいま 恋愛中」(AKB48 Team A 4th Stage "Tadaima Renaichuu") [2007.02.25-06.26] and [2008.04.20-10.11]
5th Stage 「恋愛禁止条例」(AKB48 Team A 5th Stage "Renai Kinshi Jourei") [2008.10.19-2010.05.27]
6th Stage 「目撃者」(AKB48 Team A 6th Stage "Mokugekisha") [2010.07.27-2012.10.29]
Team K
1st Stage 「PARTYが始まるよ」 (AKB48 Team K 1st Stage "PARTY ga Hajimaru yo") [2006.04.01-07.05] and [2006.11.08-2006.12.14]
2nd Stage 「青春ガールズ」 (AKB48 Team K 2nd Stage "Seishun Girls") [2006.07.08-11.06]
3rd Stage 「脳内パラダイス」 (AKB48 Team K 3rd Stage "Nounai Paradise") [2006.12.17-2007.06.22]
4th Stage 「最終ベルが鳴る」 (AKB48 Team K 4th Stage "Saishuu Bell ga Naru") [2008.05.31-2009.04.04]
5th Stage 「逆上がり」 (AKB48 Team K 5th Stage "Saka Agari") [2009.04.11-2010.02.21]
6th Stage 「RESET」 (AKB48 Team K 6th Stage "RESET") [2010.03.12-2012.10.24]
Team B
1st Stage 「青春ガールズ」 (AKB48 Team B 1st Stage "Seishun Girls") [2007.04.08-10.02]
2nd Stage 「会いたかった」 (AKB48 Team B 2nd Stage "Aitakatta") [2007.10.07-2008.02.21]
3rd Stage 「パジャマドライブ」 (AKB48 Team B 3rd Stage "Pajama Drive") [2008.03.01-2009.02.01]
4th Stage 「アイドルの夜明け」 (AKB48 Team B 4th Stage "Idol no Yoake") [2009.02.08-2010.04.16]
5th Stage 「シアターの女神] (AKB48 Team B 5th Stage "Theater no Megami") [2010.05.21-2012.10.20]
Team 4
1st Stage 「僕の太陽」 (AKB48 Team 4 1st Stage "Boku no Taiyou") [2011.10.10-2012.10.25]
Himawarigumi
1st Stage 「僕の太陽」 (AKB48 Himawarigumi 1st Stage "Boku no Taiyou") [2007.07.01-2007.11.30]
2nd Stage 「夢を死なせるわけにいかない」 (AKB48 Himawarigumi 2nd Stage "Yume wo Shinaseru Wake ni Ikanai") [2007.12.08-2008.04.19]
Team Kenkyuusei
1st Stage 「ただいま恋愛中」 (AKB48 Team Kenkyuusei 1st Stage "Tadaima Renaichuu") (2008.05.22~2008.10.07)
2nd Stage 「アイドルの夜明け」 (AKB48 Team Kenkyuusei 2nd Stage "Idol no Yoake") (2009.03.06~2010.04.12)
3rd Stage 「恋愛禁止条例」 (AKB48 Team Kenkyuusei 3rd Stage "Renai Kinshi Jourei") (2010.04.17~2010.06.18)
4th Stage 「シアターの女神」 (AKB48 Team Kenkyuusei 4th Stage "Theater no Megami") (2010.06.20~2011.04.03)
5th Stage 「RESET」 (AKB48 Team Kenkyuusei 5th Stage "RESET") (2012.03.29~2012.09.08)
6th Stage 「僕の太陽」 (AKB48 Team Kenkyuusei 6th Stage "Boku no Taiyou") (2012.10.26~2013.03.17)
7th Stage 「パジャマドライブ」 (AKB48 Team Kenkyuusei 7th Stage "Pajama Drive") (2013.03.20~2013.10.27)
1st Stage 「誘惑のガーター」 (SDN48 1st Stage "Yuuwaku no Garter") [2009.08.01 - 2012.03.28]
Trivia
It is customary for the graduates to take off their own photo from the hall by the theater when they finally officially graduate.
Slideshow
AKB48 Theater
Members Removing Portrait
Maeda Atsuko removing her portrait, August 27, 2012
Nito Moeno removing her portrait, April 28, 2013
Nakaya Sayaka removing her portrait, March 6, 2013
Kasai Tomomi removing her portrait, May 3, 2013
Komori Mika removing her portrait, July 7, 2013
Matsubara Natsumi removing her portrait, July 7, 2013
Nakatsuka Tomomi removing her portrait, July 7, 2013
Shinoda Mariko removing her Portrait, July 22, 2013
Itano Tomomi, removing her portrait, August 27, 2013
Akimoto Sayaka, removing her portrait, August 28, 2013
Nakamata Shiori, removing her portrait, September 15, 2013
Kikuchi Ayaka, removing her portrait, April 21, 2014
Nonaka Misato, removing her portrait, April 22, 2014
Oshima Yuko, removing her portrait, June 9, 2014
Sato Amina, removing her portrait, June 29, 2014
Tsukamoto Mariko, removing her portrait, September 1, 2014
Katayama Haruka, removing her portrait, September 21, 2014
Takashima Yurina, removing her portrait, December 27, 2014
Ikoma Rina, removing her portrait, May 14, 2015
Morikawa Ayaka and Suzuki Shiori , removing her portrait, May 30, 2015
Kawaei Rina, removing her portrait, August 4, 2015
Hashimoto Hikari, removing her portrait, August 9, 2015
Maeda Mitsuki, removing her portrait, August 9, 2015
Tsuchiyasu Mizuki, removing her portrait, August 9, 2015
Kobayashi Marina, removing her portrait, August 9, 2015
Matsui Sakiko, removing her portrait, August 9, 2015
Kuramochi Asuka, removing her portrait, August 17, 2015
Kitahara Rie, removing her portrait, August 26, 2015
Nishiyama Rena, removing her portrait, December 23, 2015
Matsui Jurina, removing her portrait, December 24, 2015
Kobayashi Kana, removing her portrait, March 31, 2016
Takahashi Minami, removing her portrait, April 8, 2016
Nagao Mariya, removing her portrait, May 1, 2016
Takajo Aki, removing her portrait, May 1, 2016
Iwata Karen, removing her portrait, May 21, 2016
Iwasa Misaki, removing her portrait, May 22, 2016
Yamamoto Sayaka, removing her portrait, May 26, 2016
Ishida Haruka, removing her portrait, June 5, 2016
Watanabe Miyuki, removing her portrait, August 8, 2016
Maeda Ami, removing her portrait, August 29, 2016
Ogasawara Mayu, removing her portrait, December 24, 2016
Shimazaki Haruka, removing her portrait, December 26, 2016
Owada Nana, removing her portrait, March 18, 2017
Aigasa Moe, removing her portrait, March 21, 2017
Umeta Ayano, removing her portrait, March 22, 2017
Nishino Miki, removing her portrait, March 27, 2017
Nakamura Mariko, removing her portrait, March 30, 2017
Kojima Haruna, removing her portrait, April 19, 2017
Nakata Chisato, removing her portrait, April 24, 2017
Suzuki Mariya, removing her portrait, April 30, 2017
Izuta Rina, removing her portrait, June 29, 2017
Tanabe Miku, removing her portrait, July 23, 2017
Kizaki Yuria, removing her portrait, September 30, 2017
Shimada Haruka, removing her portrait, November 13, 2017
Abe Maria, removing her portrait, November 30, 2017
Watanabe Mayu, removing her portrait, December 26, 2017
Iino Miyabi, removing her portrait, January 22, 2018
Tano Yuka, removing her portrait, May 15, 2018
Kojima Natsuki, removing her portrait, May 16, 2018
Taya Misaki, removing her portrait, April 1, 2019
Takahashi Juri, removing her portrait, May 2, 2019
Kojima Mako, removing her portrait, May 12, 2019
Goto Moe, removing her portrait, August 13, 2019
Yahagi Moeka, removing her portrait, December 26, 2019
Kawamoto Saya, removing her portrait, August 30, 2020
Maeda Ayaka, removing her portrait, March 31, 2021
Honda Sora, removing her portrait, May 26, 2021
Minegishi Minami, removing her portrait, May 28, 2021
Homma Mai, removing her portrait, September 30, 2021
Yokoyama Yui, removing her portrait, December 9, 2021
Oya Shizuka, removing her portrait, December 28, 2021
Kato Rena, removing her portrait, February 14, 2022
Takita Kayoko, removing her portrait, February 26, 2022
Iriyama Anna, removing her portrait, March 16, 2022
Kuramoto Miyuu, removing her portrait, March 22, 2022
Yasuda Kana, removing her portrait, March 24, 2022
Kubo Satone, removing her portrait, March 26, 2022
Nishikawa Rei, removing her portrait, March 29, 2022
Miyazaki Miho, removing her portrait, April 14, 2022
Inagaki Kaori, removing her portrait, December 27, 2022
Muto Tomu, removing her portrait, March 8, 2023
Nagano Megumi, removing her portrait, March 22, 2023
Okada Nana, removing her portrait, April 2, 2023
Hama Sayuna, removing her portrait, April 30, 2023
Fujizono Rei, removing her portrait, May 18, 2023
Kobayashi Ran, removing her portrait, May 21, 2023
Hidaritomo Ayaka, removing her portrait, July 31, 2023
Omori Miyuu, removing her portrait, August 21, 2023
Nakanishi Chiyori, removing her portrait, August 28, 2023
Ichikawa Manami, removing her portrait, August 31, 2023
Yumoto Ami, removing her portrait, October 30, 2023
Honda Hitomi, removing her portrait, January 28, 2024
Asai Nanami, removing her portrait, January 31, 2024
Shinozaki Ayana, removing her portrait, February 10, 2024
Ma Chia-Ling, removing her portrait, February 20, 2024
Sasaki Yukari, removing her portrait, February 23, 2024
Kashiwagi Yuki, removing her portrait, April 30, 2024
Taniguchi Megu, removing her portrait, May 30, 2024
Sato Minami, removing her portrait, July 1, 2024