The MAGICO M9 speaker costs over 120 million yen! How about bringing an IMAX movie theater into your home? It seems to cost between 40 million yen and 100 million yen. IMAX® & Dolby Cinema® & Dolby Atmos® theater information for all of Japan . The customization options for the MAGICO M9 main surround theater system for IMAX theaters the highest version is said to be around $8,025,950 (around 1.2 billion yen). 8:03 No comments The MAGICO M9 speaker is over 120 million yen! How about bringing the IMAX movie theater into your home? It seems to be around 40 million to 100 million yen. IMAX® & Dolby Cinema® & Dolby Atmos® theater information for the whole of Japan. Customization options for the MAGICO M9 main surround theater system for IMAX theaters are as follows: The top-of-the-line version is said to cost around $8,025,950 (approximately 1.2 billion yen).

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MAGICO M9 speaker: over 120 million yen

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2022/ 09/  19Hiro77  comments

*Updated June 30, 2022 Information on the IMAX theaters "AEON Cinema Ichikawa Myoden, AEON Cinema Shijonawate" has been corrected.
*Updated December 26, 2021 Information on the Dolby Atmos theater "Corona Cinema World Fukui Store" has been added.
*Updated August 17, 2021 Information on the IMAX theater "109 Cinemas Kiba & Shonan" has been corrected.
*Updated August 14, 2021 Information on the IMAX theater "TOHO Cinemas Nishinomiya OS" has been added.
*Updated July 26, 2021 Information on the Dolby Atmos theater "AEON Cinema Hakusan" has been added.

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The best movies are best seen in the best theaters.
One of the theaters that offers the best movie experience is the "IMAX" system, which pursues high image quality and high sound quality.

Also, I'm sure all movie lovers have heard of the keyword "Dolby" at least once, right?

Here we look at IMAX, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Cinema.

I will also introduce theaters that support this service across Japan.
*I have written the information in a way that is easy for anyone to understand, not technical.

What is IMAX?
IMAX is a video standard and projection system developed by the Canadian company IMAX. Its history is surprisingly long; the first film using the IMAX format was "Tiger Child", which was screened at the Fuji Group Pavilion at the Expo '70 held in Osaka.

Of course, IMAX at the time was film, not digital, but some people may think that digital is better than analog.
However, analog film should not be underestimated.

The super-large 70mm IMAX film has an area about 10 times that of 35mm film (135 film),
which is the common film size used for both photography and cinema.

As of 2019, there are full-frame single-lens cameras among high-end digital cameras, which are roughly the same size as 35mm film (24 x 36 mm).

Some scenes in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, released in December 2015, were shot on 70mm IMAX film.
As mentioned above, 70mm film has a resolution more than 10 times that of 35mm film, and when expressed in terms of the number of digital pixels, the image quality is equivalent to about 8K when screened.

However, this high-definition 70mm image cannot be enjoyed at IMAX cinemas in Japan.

IMAX theaters all over Japan are "IMAX Digital" and there are no movie theaters that show regular films.
There are only 20 IMAX film theaters in the world, and none in Japan.
If you want to see the best images, you have no choice but to go overseas.

Although it is inferior to the 70mm film IMAX, there are theaters in Japan that are compatible with the digital version of IMAX.

・"Film IMAX 15/70mm" and "4K Digital Laser IMAX" have a maximum size of 1.43:1, which results in a fairly vertically long screen.
・"Regular IMAX Digital (2K)" has an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 (Vista size).
・"Regular 2K digital that is not IMAX" and "4K digital" are 2.35:1 (Cinemascope size).

As you can see from the image above, film IMAX/4K digital laser IMAX can project a very wide vertical image.
IMAX digital (2K) cuts off a small amount at the top and bottom. In
regular 2K and 4K digital theaters, the top and bottom are significantly cut off.

Movies shot in IMAX format have a longer vertical screen than regular movies, allowing you to enjoy more dynamic images.

Currently, it is not possible to watch 70mm IMAX movies in Japan.

At the Galaxy Theater at Space World in Kitakyushu City, which was open until January 1, 2018, you could watch 70mm IMAX films on an impressive, gigantic screen measuring 21m x 28m, equivalent to the size of seven floors of a building.

What is the best IMAX in Japan? Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro
, which opened in Ikebukuro in July 2019 , is currently the strongest IMAX in Japan. It is equipped with 4K IMAX® Laser/GT technology (4K twin laser projector) , a huge screen measuring 25,849mm x 18,910mm (25.8 x 18.9m) , and a 12.1ch surround system .

In addition, the 4K digital IMAX at 109 Cinemas Osaka Expocity, which opened in Osaka in November 2015, is of a quality that is just as good as the one in Ikebukuro.
・4K IMAX® Laser/GT technology (4K twin laser projector)
・26m x 18m giant screen
・Aspect ratio 1.43:1
・12.1ch surround system

However, it may be difficult for people living in other regions to go all the way to Tokyo or Osaka to see a movie, but IMAX theaters have a larger screen and better sound than your local movie theaters.

I think the next best IMAX theaters after Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro and 109 Cinemas Osaka Expocity are United Cinema Terrace Mall Matsudo , TOHO Cinemas Hibiya , TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku , 109 Cinemas Futakotamagawa
, 109 Cinemas Kawasaki , 109 Cinemas Granberry Park , Cinema Sunshine LaLaport Numazu , 109 Cinemas Nagoya , TOHO Cinemas Namba (Main Building) , 109 Cinemas Shobu , and
United Cinema Urasoe , which are equipped with 4K laser projectors and 12-channel real sound.

The appeal of IMAX is not just the size of the screen, but also the brightness of the screen when converted to 3D, and other various other features.

The secret behind IMAX's unique spatial design, which takes into account human vision and how we see things

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Immersive visual experience

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IMAX's unique, powerful and realistic sound is different from normal surround sound.

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Incredible 3D images only possible with IMAX

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When you look into it like this, you can really understand the appeal of IMAX.
So, rather than just looking up information online, why not go and actually go to an IMAX theater?

So, I've compiled a list of IMAX theaters in Japan.

IMAX theaters across Japan

facility	place	Width(m)	Length(m)	aspect	Projector	sound	2D Seat	3D Seat	Opening Day
United Cinema Sapporo No. 11 Screen	Chuo Ward, Sapporo City, Hokkaido				4K Laser	12ch Surround	338	304	November 8, 2019
TOHO Cinemas Sendai	Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture					IMAX Sound	366	366	July 1, 2016
Cinema Sunshine Tsuchiura IMAX (Cinema 1)	Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture				2K Digital	IMAX Sound	259	259	November 19, 2010
United Cinema Urawa No.4 Screen	Urawa Ward, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture				4K Laser	12ch sound system	375	320	Scheduled for March 2020
109 Cinemas Ayame Theater 11	Kuki City, Saitama Prefecture	17.68	8.53	2.07:1	4K Laser	12ch sound system	349	297	Opened June 19, 2009. Renovated and reopened April 26, 2019.
TOHO Cinemas Nagareyama Otakanomori Screen 6	Nagareyama City, Chiba Prefecture				4K Laser	12ch sound system			June 19, 2020
Narita Humax Cinemas Cinema 9	Narita City, Chiba Prefecture	24.50	14.00	1.75:1	2K Digital	IMAX system	471	471	May 25, 2012
US Cinema Chiharadai Cinema 3	Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture				2K Digital	–	327	327	August 4, 2017
United Cinema Terrace Mall Matsudo Screen No.9	Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture				4K Laser	12ch Surround	347	303	October 25, 2019
Aeon Cinema Ichikawa Myoden	Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture				4K Laser	12ch Surround	232	232	July 22, 2022
United Cinema Toshimaen No.8	Nerima Ward, Tokyo				4K Laser	12ch sound system	383	345	Scheduled for March 2020
Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro	Toshima Ward, Tokyo	25.8	18.9	1.43:1	4K IMAX® Laser /GT Technology	12.1ch Surround	542	542	July 19, 2019
TOHO Cinemas Hibiya SCREEN 4	Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo				2K Digital	12.1ch Surround Immersive Sound System	341	341	March 29, 2018
TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku SCREEN 10	Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo				4K Laser	12ch Surround	311	311	April 17, 2015
109 Cinemas Futako Tamagawa Theater 7	Setagaya Ward, Tokyo				4K Laser	12ch sound system	224	224	March 20, 2020
109 Cinemas Kiba Theater 2	Koto Ward, Tokyo				4K Laser	12ch sound system	315	315	July 15, 2011
T-Joy Prince Shinagawa Theater 11	Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo				2K Digital	–	302	302	July 1, 2016
109 Cinemas Grandberry Park Theater 9	Machida City, Tokyo				4K Laser	12ch Surround	335	335	November 13, 2019
TOHO Cinemas Tachikawa Tachihi SCREEN 1	Tachikawa City, Tokyo				2K Digital	12.1ch Surround Immersive Sound System	290	290	September 10, 2020
109 Cinemas Kawasaki Theater 7	Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture	17.68	8.53	2.07:1	4K Laser	12.1ch Surround	458	458	June 19, 2009
Yokohama Burg 13 Theater 7	Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture				2K Digital	–	360	360	July 1, 2016
TOHO Cinemas LaLaport Yokohama SCREEN 3	Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture				2K Digital	12.1ch Surround	373	373	December 16, 2016
109 Cinemas Shonan Theater 10	Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture				4K Laser	12ch sound system	294	272	November 11, 2011
Cinema Sunshine LaLaport Numazu Theater 10	Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture				4K Laser	12ch Surround	294	272	October 4, 2019
109 Cinemas Nagoya Theater 7	Nakamura Ward , Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture	17.68	8.53	2.07:1	4K Laser	12.1ch Surround	407	407	December 23, 2009
Aeon Cinema Otaka	Midori Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture	–	–	–	2K Digital	–	376	376	July 1, 2016
United Cinema Toyohashi 18 No.15	Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture				2K Digital	IMAX Sound	269	229	June 13, 2014
TOHO Cinemas Nijo SCREEN 10	Nakagyo Ward , Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture				2K Digital	–	325	325	December 18, 2015
109 Cinemas Osaka Expo City Theater 11	Suita City, Osaka Prefecture	26.00	18.00	1.43:1	4K IMAX® Laser /GT Technology	12.1ch Surround	407	407	November 19, 2015
"AEON Cinema Shijonawate	Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture				4K Laser	12ch Surround	382	382	July 29, 2022
TOHO Cinemas Namba (Main Building) SCREEN 2	Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture				2K Digital	12.1ch Surround	455	455	December 16, 2016
United Cinema Kishiwada No.7	Kishiwada City, Osaka Prefecture				2K Digital	IMAX Sound	366	336	December 17, 2010
109 Cinemas Minoh Theater 1	Minoh City, Osaka Prefecture	17.68	8.53	2.07:1	2K Digital	–	273	273	June 19, 2009
Cinema Sunshine Yamatokoriyama IMAX (Cinema 4)	Yamatokoriyama City, Nara Prefecture				4K Laser	12ch Surround	380	380	November 22, 2019
TOHO Cinemas Nishinomiya OS Screen 2	Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture				4K Laser	12ch Surround			November 19, 2021
Fukuyama Aegal 8 Cinemas IMAX Digital Theater (Cinema 4)	Fukuyama City , Hiroshima Prefecture				2K Digital	IMAX Sound	264	225	November 28, 2015
Hiroshima Wald 11 Theater 10	Fuchu Town, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture				2K Digital	IMAX Sound	298	298	December 15, 2017
Cinema Sunshine Kinuyama IMAX (Cinema 1)	Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture				2K Digital	IMAX Sound	271	271	December 1, 2012
United Cinema Canal City 13 No.12	Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture				4K Laser	12ch sound system	288	251	Scheduled for March 2020
Kagoshima Mitte 10 Theater 10	Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture				2K Digital	IMAX Sound	263	263	July 13, 2018
United Cinema Urasoe	Urasoe City, Okinawa Prefecture				4K Laser	12ch Surround			June 27, 2019
Darling HarbourLG IMAX Theatre Sydney	Sydney , Australia	35.73	29.42	1.21:1	IMAX 70mm15p	15,000W Digital Sound	540	540

*Numbers in red are estimates or unconfirmed numbers.
Most IMAX theaters do not disclose detailed screen sizes or sound systems.

As of October 30, 2019, there are 36 IMAX theaters with a total of 36 screens nationwide (including those scheduled to open).
Sadly, there are no IMAX-compatible theaters in the Hokuriku and Koshinetsu regions.

At first, IMAX theaters were mostly 2K, but since 2019, they have been increasingly supporting 4K laser.
2K is full HD level.
　
Also, while the sound system was originally IMAX sound, the number of IMAX theaters supporting 12ch surround sound has increased.

By the way, for example, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was originally made in 2D.

Since the 3D images were added later, I personally would prefer to watch it in 2D if possible.
However, there was no 2D IMAX screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

In June 2016, a luxurious IMAX private theater was also unveiled, allowing you to enjoy the best movies in the comfort of your own home.

The smallest, the "IMAX Private Theater PALAIS Small Theater," has seats for seven people.
The largest theater can accommodate up to 40 people.

The price is said to be around $400,000 (about 40 million yen) to $1 million (about 100 million yen).

I don't know if it will be released in Japan, but it's a must-see for movie buffs.

I also like the trailer when the IMAX starts.
It's so exciting!

But the best theater isn't just reserved for IMAX.

The sound system called Dolby Atmos is particularly good.
(There are no IMAX and Dolby Atmos or DolbyCinema theaters.)

What is Dolby Atmos?

Dolby Atmos is the latest audio system from Dolby Laboratories, the company best known for its surround sound.

To briefly explain the history of movie theater sound/surround and Dolby specifications, they are:
Mono / 1.0ch
, Dolby Stereo / 2.0ch
, Dolby Surround / 4.0ch
, Dolby Digital / 5.1ch
, Dolby Digital Surround EX / 6.1ch
, and Dolby Surround 7.1 / 7.1ch
.

Mono / 1.0ch

This is the mono format used when movie theaters first started, with only one speaker placed in the center behind the screen.

The addition of Dolby Stereo / 2.0ch

two speakers on the left and right gives the listener a more expansive sound experience.

Dolby Surround / 4.0chAn

early type of surround sound system placed around the audience.
The surround sound was mono, and all the surround speakers played the same sound.

Dolby Digital / 5.1ch

surround speakers are now split into two, left and right, allowing the movement of sound across the audience.
Recording has changed from an analog matrix to a digital discrete format in which audio is recorded separately for each channel.
The dedicated bass range below 120Hz has been made clear, and the notation 0.1ch has been adopted.

Dolby Surround 7.1/Dolby TrueHD / 7.1ch

When moving sound with 5.1ch, it was only possible to express movement from left to right, but with 7.1ch, it is now possible to move the sound in finer detail, such as left → rear left → rear right → right.
It is now possible to express the movement and positioning of sound more precisely, but it cannot be said that it expresses the movement of sound accurately.

Dolby Atmos
is the next step, enabling lossless recording of up to 128 (simultaneous) acoustic elements and playback of digital surround from up to 64 independent speakers.

Until now, 5.1ch surround and 7.1 surround sound have felt like the same sound was coming from the surface of the wall.

On the other hand, Dolby Atmos provides audio tracks with a maximum of 128 channels.
However, this does not simply mean that the number of channels has increased from 7.1 to 128; rather, in addition to the previous "channel-based" format, it has become an "object-based" surround format in which the sounds of moving objects, called "objects," are composed in the same way as in the real world.

By adding multiple speakers, including overhead speakers, it is now possible to precisely position and move sound anywhere in the cinema. The
additional speakers allow for three-dimensional expression, free movement of sound, and natural acoustics.

Unlike previous methods of creating sound, where fixed sounds included in the content were played from each channel, if there is a sound as an object, then we calculate what kind of sound should be played from multiple speakers to reproduce its positioning, and then output and play the sound.

The ability to create, control and play back sound from each speaker independently delivers rich, accurate, immersive and realistic sound.

There are 128 tracks for the theater, of which 10 are used for conventional bed audio and floor-mounted 5.1ch and 7.1ch, and the remaining 118 tracks are used for objects.

The content does not contain audio data divided into 7.1ch or the like, but rather contains "object data" that specifies how "this sound" should be played in "this position" and at "this volume." This data is then calculated and output to match the number and size of speakers in each theater.

This is getting a bit technical, but the bottom line is that Dolby Atmos sounds great.

Incidentally, Dolby DIGITAL (5.1ch) was first used in Batman Returns in 1992.
In 1999, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace was the first in the world to use Dolby Digital EX / 6.1ch.

Here is a review of 7.1 surround sound for home use . Here is my impression
of STAR WARS . Here is [IMAX & Dolby Atmos] I looked into which movie theater is best for watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens .

Which cinemas support Dolby Atmos?
There are only a few IMAX-compatible theaters across the country, but there are also few cinemas that support Dolby Atmos.

So, we have compiled a list of Dolby Atmos-compatible theaters in Japan.

Dolby Atmos-enabled theaters across Japan

facility	place	Width(m)	Length(m)	aspect	Projector	sound	seat	Opening Day
Aeon Cinema Shin Rifu Screen 4	Rifu Town, Miyagi County, Miyagi Prefecture				4K Laser	Dolby Atmos ULTIRA	216	March 5, 2021
TOHO Cinemas Sendai SCREEN9	Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture	15.00	6.30	2.38:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos TCX Vive Audio	298	July 1, 2016
TOHO Cinemas LaLaport Fujimi SCREEN 1	Fujimi City, Saitama Prefecture	18.70	7.80	2.39:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos TCX Vive Audio	373	April 10, 2015
Movix Saitama	Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture	13.92	5.80	2.4:1	4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	292	April 27, 2019
AEON Cinema Makuhari New City 8 Screens	Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture	18.40	7.71	2.38:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos JBL Speakers	345	December 20, 2013
US Cinema Kisarazu ADMIX (3D) (Theater 4)	Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture	18.90	8.20	2.30:1	4K/3D Digital	Dolby Atmos	392	October 18, 2014
TOHO Cinemas LaLaport Funabashi SCREEN 4	Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture	18.80	10.10	1.86:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	405	November 22, 2013
TOHO Cinemas Kashiwa SCREEN6	Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture	16.10	7.00	2.3:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos TCX Vive Audio	310	April 25, 2016
Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro Theater 5 (BESTIA)	Toshima Ward, Tokyo	15.6	6.5	2.4:1	4K/3D HDR Digital	Dolby Atmos	346	July 19, 2019
Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro Theater 6 (BESTIA)	Toshima Ward, Tokyo	12.7	6.3	2.01:1	4K/3D HDR Digital	Dolby Atmos	235	July 19, 2019
TOHO Cinemas Ikebukuro Theater 10	Toshima Ward, Tokyo				2K Digital TCX	Dolby Atmos	315	July 3, 2020
Marunouchi Piccadilly	Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo	15.0	7.13	2.1:1	4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	255	October 4, 2019
TOHO Cinemas Hibiya SCREEN 5	Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo				2K Digital TCX	Dolby Atmos TCX	397	March 29, 2018
TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku SCREEN 9	Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo	19.20	8.00	2.40:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos TCX Vive Audio	501	April 17, 2015
Shinjuku Abak Theater	Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo	3.32	1.87	16:9	4K/3D HDR Digital	Dolby Atmos 7.2.4ch	4	June 16, 2018
TOHO Cinemas Roppongi Hills SCREEN 7	Minato Ward, Tokyo	20.20	8.50	2.37:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos TCX Vive Audio	531	March 13, 2015
TOHO Cinemas Nihonbashi SCREEN 8	Chuo Ward, Tokyo	16.00	6.70	2.38:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	292	March 20, 2014
Cinema Sunshine Heiwajima Amazing Sound Theater (Cinema 1)	Ota Ward, Tokyo	13.70	6.10	2.24:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	291	April 25, 2015
T-Joy Yokohama Theater 4	Nishi-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture				4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	327	June 24, 2020
Yokohama Abak Theater Room 1	Naka Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture	1.99	1.12	16:9	4K/3D HDR Digital	Dolby Atmos 7.2.4ch	2	March 23, 2018
Yokohama Abak Theater Room 2	Naka Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture	2.21	1.24	16:9	4K/3D HDR Digital	Dolby Atmos 7.2.4ch	2	March 23, 2018
Yokohama Abak Theater Room 3	Naka Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture	2.65	1.49	16:9	4K/3D HDR Digital	Dolby Atmos 7.2.4ch	4	March 23, 2018
AEON Cinema Hakusan Screen 8	Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture				4K Laser	Dolby Atmos	210	July 19, 2021
Corona Cinema World Fukui Store SCREEN10	Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture	12.70	5.70	2.3:1	4K Laser	Dolby Atmos	200	November 20, 2021
Midland Square Cinema Sc5	Nakamura Ward , Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture	11.95	5.00	2.39:1	4K HDR Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	163	December 20, 2019
Midland Square Cinema 2 Screen 9	Nakamura Ward , Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture	11.4 /10.27	4.78 /5.55	2.38:1 1.85:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	169	July 15, 2016
Midland Square Cinema 2 Screen 10	Nakamura Ward , Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture	8.8 /8.8	3.69 /4.76	2.38:1 1.85:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	120	July 15, 2016
Aeon Cinema Nagoya Chaya 10 screens	Minato Ward , Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture	17.45	8.50	2.05:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	356	June 27, 2014
TOHO Cinemas Akaike SCREEN 5	Nisshin City, Aichi Prefecture	16.90	7.20	2.35:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	325	November 24, 2017
MOVIX Kyoto	Nakagyo Ward , Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture	12.38	5.18	2.39:1	4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	306	March 6, 2020
Aeon Cinema Kyoto Katsuragawa 8 Screens	Minami Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture	15.80	8.54	1.85:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	357	October 17, 2014
TOHO Cinemas Umeda SCREEN 1	Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture	15.00	6.30	2.38:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	737	December 5, 2015
Umeda Burg 7 Theater 1	Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture				4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	378	June 28, 2019
AEON Cinema Theatas Shinsaibashi Grand Theater	Chuo Ward , Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture	4.00	2.00	2:1	2K Laser	Dolby Atmos 37 speakers	9	March 16, 2021
Shinsaibashi Abak Theater Room 1	Chuo Ward , Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture	2.43	1.37	16:9	4K/3D HDR Digital	Dolby Atmos 7.2.4ch	2	June 30, 2018
Shinsaibashi Abak Theater Room 2	Chuo Ward , Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture	1.77	0.99	16:9	4K/3D HDR Digital	Dolby Atmos 7.2.4ch	2	June 30, 2018
Shinsaibashi Abak Theater Room 3	Chuo Ward , Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture	2.43	1.37	16:9	4K/3D HDR Digital	Dolby Atmos 7.2.4ch	4	June 30, 2018
Shinsaibashi Abak Theater Room 4	Chuo Ward , Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture	3.09	1.79	16:9	4K/3D HDR Digital	Dolby Atmos 7.2.4ch	4	June 30, 2018
TOHO Cinemas Kuzuha Mall SCREEN 1	Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture	20.00	8.40	2.38:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	377	March 12, 2014
Aeon Cinema Wakayama 7 screens	Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture	19.20	8.04	2.38:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	365	March 16, 2014
Earth Cinemas Himeji Theater 3	Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture	11.10	6.00	1.85:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos Vive Audio	192	July 24, 2015
Earth Cinemas Himeji Theater 9 Ushio Premium Theater	Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture	16.00	8.30	1.92:1	4K/3D Digital	Dolby Atmos Vive Audio Speaker Count: 53	340	July 24, 2015
Aeon Cinema Okayama 7 Screens	Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture	18.96	10.11	1.87:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	389	December 5, 2014
Cinema Sunshine Shimonoseki Cinema 6	Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture	13.60	7.41	1.83:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos	302	July 5, 2014
T-Joy Hakata Theater 9	Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture				4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	348	November 23, 2018
TOHO Cinemas Amu Plaza Oita SCREEN 2	Oita City, Oita Prefecture	15.00	6.20	1.24:1	2K Digital	Dolby Atmos Vive Audio	366	April 16, 2015
Cinema Q Okinawa Theater 1	Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture				2K Digital	Dolby Atmos		November 23, 2018
Cinema Q Okinawa Theater 2	Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture				2K Digital	Dolby Atmos		November 23, 2018
Cinema Rycom Theater 1	Kitanakagusuku Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture	16.00	8.00	2:1	4K/3D Digital	Dolby Atmos		June 14, 2019

As of October 30, 2019, there are 32 Atmos theaters nationwide with a total of 36 screens (including those scheduled to open).
Sadly, there are no Atmos-enabled theaters in Hokkaido, Hokuriku, Koshinetsu, or Shikoku regions.

I understand that Atmos sounds good, but I also want to enjoy the images clearly.
Dolby is known for its sound, but in 2018, a new theater called Dolby Cinema made its debut in Japan.

Dolby Cinema first appeared in the Netherlands in 2015. Currently, there are more than 390 Dolby Cinema-enabled cinemas around the world, including those scheduled to open.

Dolby Cinema is a theater that not only offers immersive Dolby Atmos sound, but also uses the Dolby Vision projection system, which employs cutting-edge optical and image processing technology, to deliver HDR (High Dynamic Range) images that surpass other imaging technologies and express vivid colors and a wide range of contrasts across a wide color gamut.

It may be a little complicated, but basically it means you can enjoy beautiful, powerful images that immerse you in the movie.

It's not just the visuals and sound that are amazing; the interior of the cinema is also darker than a normal theater, making you feel like you're immersed in the movie from the moment you step inside.

Seeing is believing, but the best way to understand it is to first check out the promotional video on YouTube.

The first Dolby Cinema-compatible theater in Japan was T-Joy Hakata in Hakata, Fukuoka .

Dolby Cinema is fully promoting HDR and other technologies, but the projector at T-Joy Hakata is apparently also compatible with 4K.

As of June 18, 2020, Dolby Cinema is only available at seven theaters nationwide: Marunouchi Piccadilly , Movix Saitama , T-Joy Yokohama , Nagoya Midland Square Cinema , MOVIX Kyoto , Umeda Burg 7 , and T-Joy Hakata .

Dolby Cinema-enabled theaters across Japan

facility	place	Width(m)	Length(m)	aspect	Projector	sound	seat	Opening Day
Marunouchi Piccadilly	Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo	15.00	7.13	2.1:1	4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	255	October 4, 2019
Movix Saitama	Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture	13.92	5.80	2.4:1	4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	292	April 27, 2019
T-Joy Yokohama Theater 4	Nishi-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture				4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	327	June 24, 2020
Midland Square Cinema Sc5	Nakamura Ward , Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture	11.95	5.00	2.39:1	4K HDR Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	163	December 20, 2019
MOVIX Kyoto	Nakagyo Ward , Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture	12.38	5.18	2.39:1	4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	306	March 6, 2020
Umeda Burg 7 Theater 1	Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture				4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	378	June 28, 2019
T-Joy Hakata Theater 9	Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture				4K Dolby Cinema	Dolby Atmos	348	November 23, 2018

There are only four Dolby Atmos-compatible theaters nationwide that have 4K projectors installed other than Dolby Cinema. These are Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro Theaters 5 and 6 (BESTIA), US Cinema Kisarazu ADMIX (3D), and
Earth Cinemas Himeji Theater 9 Ushio Premium Theater .

What's the best cinema in Japan right now?

1st place: Next-generation IMAX 4K Twin Laser + 12.1ch Surround  Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro , 109 Cinemas Osaka Expo City ,
2nd place: Dolby Cinema  Marunouchi Piccadilly , Movix Saitama , Umeda Burg 7 , T-Joy Hakata
3rd place: IMAX Laser + 12ch Sound  TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku , 109 Cinemas Ayame , 109 Cinemas Kawasaki , 109 Cinemas Nagoya , etc.
4th place: 4K + Dolby Atmos  Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro Theaters 5 and 6 (BESTIA) , Earth Cinemas Himeji Theater 9 Ushio Premium Theater , US Cinema Kisarazu ADMIX (3D)
5th place: 2K IMAX 3D + 12.1ch Surround  109 Cinemas Futako Tamagawa
6th place:  Narita HUMAX Cinemas
7th place: Regular IMAX theater ( such as United Cinema Toshimaen )
8th place: 2K Dolby Atmos theaters ( such as TOHO Cinemas Nihonbashi )
9th place: 4K theaters
10th place: Theaters with large screens and good sound ( such as United Cinema Toyosu )
However, although United Cinema Toyosu has a large screen at 22.6m x 9.3m, it only has a 2K projector + 5.1ch surround sound...

*The above is my opinion, and the order may change depending on whether you place more importance on visuals or audio.

Also, the above comparison is only a comparison of theater specifications, and the actual screening quality will vary depending on the fine adjustments and tuning of the actual theater, the condition of the content, and the quality of the adjustments.
There may be problems such as the sound being out of sync or the subtitles being out of focus.

We have also created a map of IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and Dolby Atmos theaters across Japan .

The PDF of the list is here .

There is a website that has information on 1,617 movie theaters around the world (English only).
Please refer to this as well.
Theaters – LF Examiner

I hope they will build more high-end cinemas and ensure that the specifications for screening films are also the best.

If a super IMAX theater larger than the 35.73m x 29.42m LG IMAX Theatre Sydney in Darling Harbour, Australia were built in a regional city in Japan, such as Kanazawa, I think people from all over the world would flock there...but I wonder if the construction and operating costs would be so ridiculously high that it wouldn't be profitable?
We want a better movie theater on the Japan Sea side, too!

However, I think it's also important to just enjoy the movie without getting too hung up on the picture or sound system.

We have taken great care to ensure that the tables and information are accurate, but if you find any problems, please let us know in the comments or by contacting us .

Well then, have a good movie life! (^^)

109 CinemasDOLBY ATMOSDOLBY DIGITALDOLBY StereoDTSDTS 96/24DTS-ESDTS HD Master AudioDolby CinemaDolby Digital EXDolby Pro Logic IIDolby Pro Logic IIxDolby SurroundDolby TrueHDGoogle MapsIMAXMOVIXTCXTOHO CinemasT JoyUS CinemaScrapSaitamaChiharadaiNambaLaLaportIMAXEarth CinemasAEON CinemaImmersive Sound SystemGrand Cinema SunshineSunshineCinema SunshineDolbyBaltic 11United CinemaVive AudioShimonosekiMarunouchiFutako TamagawaNijoKyotoSendaiRoppongiNagoyaWakayamaShinagawaShijonawateTsuchiuraOitaYamatokoriyamaOsakaOtakaHimejiFujimiKishiwadaKawasakiIchihara CityIchikawa MyodenHeiwajimaShinsaibashiNaritaShin RifuShinjukuNihonbashiHibiyaKibaSapporooakKatsura RiverUmedaYokohamaIkebukuroNumazuNagareyama CityUrawaShonanMount HakusanIshikawaFukuiFukuyamaFukuyama AegalTeahouseirisKinuyamaToyohashiToyosuAkaikeShizuoka

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