Held yearly in September.

As a small city with a profound focus on the arts, ranging from Kabuki performances to bag craftsmanship and from traditional straw craft to modern-art performances, it’s no wonder that Toyooka City serves as the epicenter of art in Hyogo Prefecture of the Kansai Region.

The Toyooka Theater Festival is one of the largest events of its kind in Asia. Hosting performances in Japanese, English, French, and other languages, the festival provides a sense of belonging and community among fellow art lovers who visit the area, regardless of language.

For information on tickets, please check the official Toyooka Theater Festival website.

Building Community Through Art

Through the integration of special currency, non-contact ticketing systems, and local tour planning, the Toyooka Theater Festival not only provides unique entertainment for visitors and locals, but also serves as a special opportunity for nurturing community development. Along with the aim of developing the local community through artistic endeavors, The Toyooka Theater Festival boasts the ambitious goal of becoming the number one theater festival in Asia within five years and one of the world’s top theater festivals within ten years.

Fringe Programs: Art for All

The beauty of Northern Hyogo Prefecture serves as a stage for artists during the Theater Festival’s fringe programs. In addition to Director’s program multilingual performances, the Toyooka Theater Festival continues to make accessibility to art a main priority of its mission by holding public fringe programs around Northern Hyogo. Coupled with the natural and dramatic beauty of locations such as Takeno Beach and the Kinosaki Onsen, visitors can enjoy performances ranging in diversity from interpretive dancing to traditional plays.

Those interested in the schedule of performances for the Toyooka Theater Festival are encouraged to check the official site here!