Frequently Asked Questions
for Event Organizers

Depending on the venue and weather, we can discuss switching from fire to light. If there is an indoor backup venue, we can move indoors with a light show, and with advance fire department approval, an indoor fire show is also possible. Even at venues without a lighting crew, we can handle the lighting with the equipment we bring (on-stage setup takes as little as 5 minutes).

What we can offer depends on venue conditions and how far preparations have progressed.

We have performed 40+ fully indoor shows at hotels, theaters, arenas, exhibition halls, and other venues. You can choose fire combined with lasers and lighting, or a light show that uses no fire. Using fire indoors requires the venue’s permission and an application to the local fire department.

For venues that require floor protection, we lay fire-resistant sheets on request (for an additional fee; mainly at indoor venues, and laying them takes about 5 minutes at a typical venue). Fuel is handled by a dedicated staff member, and our props are inspected before the show. During the performance, we assign fire safety staff (dedicated staff at indoor shows; at outdoor shows, performers may also take on this role), and we keep a safety distance of 6 m from the flames to the audience. We keep fire extinguishers, fire blankets, water buckets, and spray extinguishers on hand (for performances in Japan), and we follow set procedures, such as “draining” excess fuel from props and wearing costumes made of natural materials.

The safety distance may vary depending on guidance from the local fire department.

We handle everything from hotel ballroom stages (3 performers, approx. 8 m wide × 3.6 m deep) to domes, stadiums, stages 80 m wide, and large-scale area shows that fill 600 m of coastline entirely with fire. Our teams usually consist of 3 to 6 performers. For large-scale projects, we have mobilized around 100 people, including support staff. We can also perform overseas.

You need the venue’s permission and an application to the local fire department. Final approval is given at a fire inspection during rehearsal, either the day before or the day of the show (depending on the guidance of the local fire department). The application is submitted by the venue’s fire safety manager, and KAGUZUCHI provides a full set of documents on equipment, fuel, and safety measures. Once the show is confirmed, we can also attend preliminary meetings with the fire department (at an additional cost).

If fire is not permitted, we switch to a light and fabric show.

Fees depend on the number of performers, the length of the show, the type of acts (fire, light, special effects), venue conditions (such as whether an indoor fire department application or floor protection is needed), and whether travel is involved. If you let us know your approximate budget, we will propose the best program within that range.

Once we know the date, venue, show length, and your approximate budget, we can send a simple estimate right away (once we have the conditions, we can issue it the same day).

If it is urgent, please call us (Japanese only). We can issue a quote even on days when KAGUZUCHI is performing at another show.

*We also plan to introduce an automatic quote form.

Yes. We also receive inquiries at the planning stage and before pitches. You may use our photos, videos, and materials for your proposal.

You can also place a tentative hold (provisional booking) on a date. A provisional booking is not binding, and no cancellation fee applies. If another booking for the same date is confirmed, the confirmed booking takes priority, so please let us know as soon as your plans are decided.

For performances in Japan, we recommend confirming at least 1 month in advance. We also accept short-notice requests, but some government procedures, such as the fire department application, take time, so please contact us as early as possible.

For overseas performances, because of travel arrangements and other procedures, we ask that bookings be confirmed at least 2–3 months before the performance. The time required also depends on visa and permit procedures in the host country. In countries where procedures cannot be completed in time, we may not be able to accept the booking.

We arrange the program to fit the time you want, from a show condensed into a single 3–5 minute piece of music to a 10–30 minute stage combining several acts.

As a guide, a small team (3 performers) needs about 8 m wide × 3.6 m deep, a medium team (4–5 performers) about 10 m wide × 5 m deep, and a large team (6–8 performers) about 15 m wide × 6 m deep (with a ceiling height of 3.5 m or more in all cases). Acts that use fire need extra depth and ceiling height; for a large team, the guide is about 8 m deep with a ceiling height of 4 m or more. The areas to the left and right of the stage are used for props and as a safety zone for support staff, so we ask that no audience be placed there. We can also arrange the program to suit smaller venues, so please feel free to contact us.

We arrive on site at least 3 hours before the rehearsal time. We ask you to provide parking, a green room, a prep dressing room near the stage (with long tables and 100 V power), power around the stage (100 V, about 1,500 W in total), stage lighting and sound, and the run-of-show script. Teardown takes about 1–3 hours (depending on the amount of equipment and the number of people).

For performances in Japan, we can arrange liability insurance for each performance for a fee, covering bodily injury and property damage caused by KAGUZUCHI’s performance (bodily injury up to JPY 1 billion; property damage up to JPY 30 million).

Yes. We explain by phone or online meeting while you look through our materials. (In languages other than Japanese, communication is mainly in writing. Please also see “Can we hold meetings in English?”) At our base in Fuchu, Tokyo, you can hold a meeting while looking at the actual props. We can also visit you at your convenience.

From the Press Kit page, you can download and use photos, logos (image, EPS, and video), promotional videos, materials, and our credit line. Please use them for event websites, social media, posters, and more.

If there is a set date for announcing the information (release date), please let us know in advance.

Go to Press Kit

With visual poi (LED), we can draw company logos, event names, photos, and messages in the air. As long as we have the image data, any language is possible. Advance booking and a separate programming fee are required.

You can choose from KAGUZUCHI’s costumes (costumes based on Japanese-style attire for fire acts and for light acts, as well as white and black leather costumes). We can also accommodate religious or corporate cultural considerations, such as limiting exposed skin or matching colors. Fully custom-made costumes are also available (for an additional fee and lead time).

If the performers wear costumes you specify, for acts that use fire we generally ask that they be made of natural materials such as cotton, silk, linen, or leather (synthetic fibers are not suitable because they melt and stick to the skin, even if labeled flame-retardant).

Costume list (costume materials, Google Slides) (Japanese)

From left: Japanese-style costumes (2 photos), white leather costume, black leather costume

After checking the conditions, we can perform together. We have performed alongside artists and dancers, and in combination with fireworks and special effects.

When fire is used, we plan movement so that no other performers or costumes enter the area where fuel may fly, and we confirm this in rehearsals both without fire and with fire. Light acts have fewer constraints and are easy to combine.

We generally offer acts that are already complete. Depending on your budget, we can also make simple customizations to an existing act to match your music, theme, or colors.

We also create fully custom acts set to new music. The cost depends on the length of the show, whether fire is used, the number of performers, and consumables. Because it requires repeated practice and testing, the guide is several to several dozen times the fee for a single performance. Acts that use fire tend to cost more, because we need to rent a rehearsal space where fire is allowed and practice in advance.

Usually, the organizer applies to the relevant authorities (fire department, police, and local government office). For indoor venues, the venue’s fire safety manager submits an application for a waiver of the open-flame ban to the fire department. KAGUZUCHI provides a full set of documents on the performance, including our track record, the equipment used, fuel data, and safety measures. Once the show is confirmed, we can also attend preliminary meetings with the fire department or handle negotiations between the venue and the fire department on your behalf (both at an additional cost).

We cover the performance area with flame-retardant punch carpet or similar to protect the floor from fuel splashes (provided by the venue, or rented from KAGUZUCHI for a fee). For venues where no damage is allowed, such as the artificial turf of dome stadiums, we also own and rent out fire-resistant sheets registered as flame-retardant products (for an additional fee). If floor protection is difficult, you can also choose a combination of gas flame projectors, which do not scatter fuel, and a light show.

We ask you to check with the venue in advance about the type of detectors, whether sprinklers discharge automatically, smoke control systems, and so on. We ask that detectors be temporarily disabled during rehearsal and the show, among other measures; if this is not possible, we change part of the program.

We can perform in light rain or snow (down to about -10°C), adjusting some acts in light rain. We recommend wind speeds of roughly 5 m/s or less; in heavy rain or thunderstorms, we decide whether to cancel or move indoors. We do not recommend bright daytime settings, but we can adapt by darkening the background, creating shade, or choosing powerful fire effects or fabric-based acts.

In case the show is postponed due to bad weather or for other reasons, you can set a backup date within 1 week of the scheduled date. The fee for a backup date is 50% of the daily fee.

Our cancellation terms are described on the Contact page.

Yes. Besides appearing on camera, we also take part by coaching and supervising talent and by providing staging with our equipment. We can film indoors or outdoors, but outdoor filming is affected by weather such as rain and wind. We have guidelines for film and video work, which we will send you when you contact us.

For filming, you can also ask about a single performer. When fire is used, support staff are assigned for safety (to manage the safety of the performer, the film crew, and other cast members; the more dangerous the staging, the more staff are needed).

For filming work, we quote based on the working hours (e.g., up to 8 hours or up to 16 hours of actual work). For costumes, we accept either KAGUZUCHI’s costumes or costumes you specify, generally made of natural materials. If you have preferences regarding the performer’s look, build, or other qualities, please let us know as well.

Some film studios do not allow the use of fire. KAGUZUCHI can introduce studios and locations where we have filmed with fire before. We also have a list of our past filming work, which we can provide on request. On location, filming is possible if we apply to the site manager and the local fire department and obtain permission (this varies by location).

This is possible as supervision, on the premise that the props are used under KAGUZUCHI’s management. We teach how to handle the props in an environment where KAGUZUCHI takes safety measures and can provide support close by during the performance.

The time needed to learn depends on the skills required. In situations where retakes are possible, such as filming, we can work with just a few hours of practice.

We also accept requests to restrict appearances in competing advertisements. However, a separate exclusivity fee applies, so if your budget allows, please do consult us. Please let us know the scope and period of the restriction.

Please also feel free to ask about working with you without the KAGUZUCHI name being shown publicly.

Yes. We ask about the media (TV, web, social media, etc.), period, region, and editing (such as compositing), quote a secondary use fee, and accept it under an additional contract. The secondary use fee is calculated based on the performance fee for the original shoot, according to the scope of use. Once you have decided how it will be used, please consult us in advance.

Yes. We have performed in Sweden, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Cambodia. Fuel is arranged locally. Travel requires shipping our props in advance (or carrying them with us), a visa or invitation letter, procedures for the temporary export and import of equipment (ATA Carnet), and a stay of about 2 days before and after the show.

Due to air transport regulations, we ask that fuel, fire extinguishers, safety equipment, and sound equipment be provided at the event location. Our performers bring their own fire props, LED props, and costumes.

We can use them as long as they are available in the host country. The low-temperature pyrotechnics we use are electrically ignited fountains that spray for 20 seconds and reach a height of 2 m or more (for performances in Japan, we choose a height of roughly 2 to 6 m depending on the venue).

We ask you to cover these costs separately from the performance fee.

For written communication such as email and chat, we can respond in English and other languages. Meetings held by voice, such as online meetings, and on-site communication require an interpreter.

We ask the organizer to obtain the permits required for the performance (such as work authorization and visa procedures for the performers, and permits for effects that use fire) and to arrange local insurance.