 The theater was closed in 1999, however, by Shōchiku, on account of financial problems and the effects of the overall worsening Japanese economy.The final kabuki performance at the Naka-za was "Natsu Sugata Naniwa Goyomi", featuring Kataoka Hidetarō II, Arashi Tokusaburō VII, Bandō Takesaburō V, Kataoka Ainosuke VI and Kamimura Kichiya VI.Though the theatre was not intentionally destroyed at that time, a gas explosion and the resulting fire in September 2002 burnt it to the ground.