The Japan Arts Council, an Independent Administrative Institution of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, operates the National Theatre.

The Large Theatre hosts performances of kabuki and buyō (Japanese classical dance) as well as stage plays.

The Small Hall specializes in bunraku, Japanese music, smaller buyō productions, gagaku, shōmyō, and folk theatre.

The 1995 Japanese Drumming Concert, sponsored by the National Theatre of Japan, featured artists such as Tokyo Dagekidan.

[1] In 2010, a double bill of Yukio Mishima's Iwashi Uri Koi Hikiami and Roben Sugi no Yurai was performed.