July 1873: the zamoto Okuda Toichirô opens his own theater, the Okudaza, in the district of Hongô Haruki-chô. The zagashira is Yamazaki Kawazô and the leading actor is Okuda Tomisaburô.

October 1875: the Okudaza goes bankrupt and the management is taken over by Fukae Tôbei, who renames the theater Harukiza.

October 1881: premiere at the Harukiza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Kiwametsuki Banzui Chôbei", commonly called "Yudono no Chôbei", which is staged with the following casting:

May 1885: first performance at the Harukiza of the Torikuma Shibai troupe.

23 June 1890: a fire destroys the Harukiza.

December 1891: the Harukiza reopens with the shûmei of Nakamura Tomijûrô III, Azuma Tôzô VI and Nakamura Baiju. The others actors are Ichikawa Ennosuke I, Ichikawa Yaozô VII, Nakamura Shikaku I, Nakamura Komanosuke VI, Nakamura Kangorô XII and Ichikawa Utasaku.

January 1896: revival at the Harukiza of the dance "Kashiragaki Ise Monogatari", staged under the title "Noriaibune Ehô Manzai", with Ichikawa Ennosuke I and Nakamura Kangorô XII performing the two comic dancers.

1896: a stock-company is created to manage the Harukiza. Its name is Harukiza KK.

23 March 1898: a fire destroys the Harukiza.

March 1902: The Harukiza is renamed Hongôza.

1910: the Hongôza is purchased by the Shôchiku.

January 1914: revival at the Hongôza of the drama "Gedatsu", a long-forgotten play belonging to the kabuki jûhachiban. The roles of the warrior Taira no Kagekiyo and Akoya are played by Ichikawa Sadanji II and Ichikawa Shôchô II.

September 1915: premiere at the Hongôza of Okamoto Kidô's drama "Toribeyama Shinjû", which is staged with the following casting:

February 1916: premiere at the Hongôza of Okamoto Kidô's drama "Banchô Sarayashiki", which is staged with the following casting:

March 1923: premiere at the Hongôza of Matsui Shôyô's drama "Satsuma no Yodogimi". The leading role of Lady Yodo (Yodogimi) is played by Nakamura Utaemon V.

1 September 1923 (11:58 AM): Tôkyô is destroyed by a powerful earthquake called Kantô Daijishin, which kills more than 200,000 people; the Hongôza is burnt to ashes.

1924: the Hongôza reopens.

February 1925: Tsuruya Namboku IV's drama "Kachi Zumô Ukina no Hanabure", commonly called "Shirafuji Genta", is revived at the Hongôza, under the supervision of the writer Nagai Kafû. It is staged at the Hongôza with the following casting:

October 1927: revival at the Hongôza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", which has not been staged since March 1817. The new script is written by Kawajiri Seitan and the play is produced under the title "Kiyomizudera Azuma Bunshô" with the following casting:

April 1930: the Hongôza becomes a movie theater.

10 March 1945 (00:08 AM): 344 US Army B29 bombers drops 2,000 tons of bombs on Tôkyô, killing more than 120,000 people and destroying almost everything; the Hongôza is burnt to ashes. This theater is no more rebuilt in the post-war years.

The Hongôza