 The theatre was purchased in 1897 by a man by the name of Kawazoe Sadaji, who changed its name to Chitose-za (One Thousand Years Theatre), and sold it three years later.Kanamaru Genjirō thus obtained the theater in 1900, for 4500 yen, and renamed it once again, to the Kanamaru-za, a name which continues to be used today.After falling into disuse for many years, and being used as a movie theater for some time, the theatre was designated an Important Cultural Property by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of the national government in 1970, after having been designated as such by the prefecture in 1953.