Maihama Amphitheater is a multipurpose entertainment venue located in Maihama, Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture, within the Tokyo Disney Resort. Originally built as a dedicated theater for Cirque du Soleil, the venue is now used for a wide variety of performances, events, and entertainment programs.
Maihama Amphitheater opened on October 1, 2008 as the first dedicated Cirque du Soleil theater outside North America. The venue was operated by Oriental Land Co., Ltd., the company responsible for the operation of Tokyo Disney Resort.
The theater was home to “ZED,” an original Cirque du Soleil production created especially for the venue. The theater stood next to the Disney Ambassador Hotel, and a huge Cirque du Soleil logo was displayed prominently on its exterior wall.
Following the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, all performances at the theater, including “ZED,” were temporarily canceled. Performances resumed on April 23, 2011, but the decline in visitors following the disaster made it difficult to continue operating the production.
As a result, “ZED” ended its run on December 31, 2011. With the closure of the show, Japan’s dedicated permanent Cirque du Soleil theater also came to an end.
After the end of “ZED,” the theater was renovated and reopened on September 1, 2012, under the name Maihama Amphitheater.
The venue was transformed into a multipurpose hall capable of hosting a broad range of performances and events. The Cirque du Soleil logo was removed from the building, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the theater.
Since October 2022, Shiki Theatre Company has presented the Disney musical “Beauty and the Beast” at the theater as a long-running production.
This marked the first time that Shiki Theatre Company had staged a Disney musical within Tokyo Disney Resort. A new “Shiki Theatre Company Beauty and the Beast” logo was also installed on the exterior of the building.
Maihama Amphitheater is a multipurpose hall featuring tiered seating designed to provide audiences with clear views of the stage. The venue was constructed at a total project cost of approximately ¥14 billion.
The seven-story building has a total floor area of approximately 14,000 square meters and accommodates approximately 2,170 seats. The building was constructed by Taisei Corporation and operates as part of the Tokyo Disney Resort complex.
When the venue served as a dedicated Cirque du Soleil theater, it was equipped with specialized facilities designed to support spectacular stage productions and advanced performance techniques.
The stage was specifically designed to accommodate aerial performances and acrobatic acts, allowing performers to make use of the height above the stage as part of the production. After “ZED” ended in 2011, however, the theater was renovated rather than simply continuing in its original form.
Following its conversion into a multipurpose hall, the venue was equipped to accommodate a wide range of performances and events. Its flexible stage configuration and sound facilities allow it to be adapted to different types of productions.
The exterior and interior were also renovated, giving the venue a more contemporary and sophisticated appearance while retaining its role as a major entertainment facility in the Maihama area.
The history of Maihama Amphitheater began in 2005, when Cirque du Soleil, Oriental Land Co., Ltd., and Disney reached an agreement concerning the construction of a dedicated theater.
Construction began in 2006, and “ZED” began performances in 2008. Following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, performances were temporarily suspended, and the final performance of “ZED” took place on December 31 of that year.
The theater was then renovated and reopened as Maihama Amphitheater in 2012. In 2022, Shiki Theatre Company began its long-running presentation of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
The theater is conveniently accessible from Maihama Station on the JR East Keiyo Line. It is approximately a 10-minute walk from the station.
It is also about an 8-minute walk from Resort Gateway Station on the Disney Resort Line.
Tokyo Bay City Bus and Urayasu City’s community bus service, known as Osanpo Bus, can also be used.
Tokyo Bay City Bus routes 2, 4, 6, 8, 14, 20, 21, and 23 stop at the Oriental Land Headquarters bus stop, which is approximately a three-minute walk from the theater. The Undokōen-mae bus stop is about a five-minute walk away.
When traveling by car, convenient access is available via the Maihama Entrance or Urayasu Exit of the Shuto Expressway Bayshore Route.
Maihama Amphitheater has undergone a remarkable transformation since opening as a dedicated Cirque du Soleil theater in 2008. Its history includes the spectacular “ZED” production, the major disruption caused by the 2011 earthquake, and its subsequent rebirth as a multipurpose entertainment venue.
Today, its location within Tokyo Disney Resort makes it an accessible venue for both visitors and local residents. Its large capacity, tiered seating, flexible stage facilities, and history of hosting major productions have made it an important entertainment venue in the Maihama area.
For visitors exploring the wider Tokyo Disney Resort area, Maihama Amphitheater offers an interesting glimpse into the area’s entertainment history and its continuing evolution as a destination for large-scale performances.