It's a kind of heritage that should be in the museum !

by Kazu

This is not the ruin but was like that before a cafe was opened in this old theater building. The name is "Kanashibetsu Roman-za" which remains in minds of many people who had lived around this area and adjacent cities and towns many years ago.

Yes, this area had been in full flourish with the coalmine industry. As the coalmine workers were in the round-clock-shift, they can enjoy movie films in the theater round clock.
The entrance area is used as a cafe and the stage and the area between the stage and the entrance are used as a open-air theater. The roof of original auditorium collapsed and the original building was divided into two parts.  

What do you think these chimney are for ?
Originally, the chimney hole was used for a certain instrument.

These are not the stoves to warm up the theater building. The prototype of these machines were imported from Germany and improved in Japan. After that, this kind of machines were made in Japan and exported to foreign countries.

Yes, these are the projector in the projection room in this theater "Roman-za"..

Then, what do you think this part like a drum with a hatch is for ? The inside is gray as it is covered with ash.
According to the custodian who runs the cafe in this building, the resource of the light for the projector was the fire obtained from burning copper wire(stick) in this drum.

The copper wire(stick) was inserted from the hole on the hatch by turning around the crank. Sometimes the fire of the copper wire jumped to the film made of celluloid and in such case, the safety lever below the drum was lifted up and the burning copper wire fell down to the bottom of the machine.
Only a few machines are left in Japan and two of them are in the old theater. The others are in the museum in Tokyo.
Can you see the chimney on the top ?
That is exhaust pipe and connected to the chimney outside.  

The hole on the top is for inserting the copper wire. The label shows that this machine was made by "Komitz Kogyo K.K. in Tokyo".

 Continuing to burn the copper wire requires 300 volt of electricity but in Japan, 100 volt of electricity was and is delivered in Japan, not 300 volt.
This machine is to increase the voltage of electricity from 100 to 300 volt. It has surprising item in it.  This kind of gadget can be seen only in this old theater.  

This is the hand-made huge vacuum tube(valve) to raise the voltage of electricity. It is called Tako(octopus) vacuum tube(valve).
It works even now with the size of 40 cm high.
Have you ever seen such huge vacuum before ? It was the first time for me. I am very proud of the craftsmanship of Japan !
Kudos !