1924: Tsukiji Shōgekijō founded
1928: Waseda University Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum (Enpaku) opens
1955: Kishida Kunio Drama Award established
1967: Shūji Terayama’s Tenjō Sajiki founded
1969: Concerned Theatre Japan first published; Jūrō Kara arrested for staging a performance in a park in Shinjuku
1973: Seibu Theater opens (now known as Parco Theatre)
1978: Kō Murobushi stages Butoh in Paris, launching international recognition for the dance movement
1981: Kazuo Honda opens The Suzunari in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, leading to the flowering of fringe theatres in the district
1982: Toga Festival first held
1983: Death of Shūji Terayama
1985: Spiral Wacoal Art Center opens
1987: Saison Foundation established
1988: Tokyo International Festival of Performing Arts first held in Ikebukuro (later Tokyo International Arts Festival)
1989: Bunkamura opens in Shibuya
1990: Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre opens (then called Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space)
1994: Saitama Arts Theater opens
1995: Tokyo Performing Arts Market (TPAM) launched
1997: Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC) opens; New National Theatre, Tokyo opens; Setagaya Public Theatre opens
2002: Dance Biennale Tokyo launched
2009: Festival/Tokyo launched, replacing Tokyo International Arts Festival; Za-Koenji Public Theatre opens
2010: Kyoto Experiment launched
2011: Kanagawa Arts Theatre (KAAT) opens in Yokohama; Tokyo Performing Arts Market (TPAM) relocates to Yokohama
2012: Motoi Miura (Chiten) and Yukio Ninagawa invited to present productions at the World Shakespeare Festival in London
2014: Kinosaki International Arts Center opens in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture
2016: ROHM Theatre Kyoto opens; Asahi Art Square closes; Parco Theatre closes
Tokyo Stages 