Born on October 8 in Tokyo. One month later, taken to Dalian, China, where his father works.

Returns to Japan and enters Fujimae Elementary School in Hongo, Tokyo.

Enters Keika Junior High School.

Studies music composition with Yasuji Kiyose, but mainly teaches himself how to compose.

On December 7, makes his debut at the age of 20 with LENTO IN DUE MOVIMENTI for piano, performed by Haruko Fujita at the 7th concert of Shin Sakkyoku-ha Kyokai (Association of New School of Composition) in Tokyo. The work is dismissed by music critic Ginji Yamane as "not yet music".

In September, with other composers, painters, performers and poets organizes a group supporting collective activities among the arts, Jikken-Kobo (Experimental Workshop), named by poet/critic Shuzo Takiguchi.

With Hiroyoshi Suzuki co-composers music for the ballet "Ikiru Yorokobi" (Joie de Vivre), staged at Hibiya Kokaido on November 24 as the first public presentation of Jikken-Kobo, commissioned to commemorate the opening of the Picasso Exhibition in Tokyo.

From that time, until the group ceases activities in 1957, Takemitsu presents new works, including PAUSE ININTERROMPUE I for piano and STATIC RELIEF for magnetic tape at concerts organized by the group. 

In June, composes music for the film "Kurutta Kajitsu" (Crazy Fruits) directed by Yasushi Nakahira. Throughout his life Takemitsu contributed scores for more than 90 films and received numerous domestic and international awards for his film music.

On June 20, the first performance of REQUIEM FOR STRINGS by the Tokyo Symphonie Orchestra under the baton of Hitoshi Ueda, a commission from the orchestra. The work is acclaimed by Igor Stravinsky, who comes to Japan two years later.

In August, awarded First Prize at the Competition for Contemporary Music Composition of the 2nd Festival of Contemporary Music in Karuisawa, organized by the Institute of Twentieth Century Music, for LE SON CALLIGRAPHIÉ I.

Wins Prix Italia at the Broadcasting Competition in Italy for TABLEAU NOIR for speaker and chamber orchestra, a commission from NHK Radio.

Awarded Incentive Prize at the Japan Art Festival for SOLITUDE SONORE for orchestra, a commission from NHK Radio.

In September, awarded German Ambassador´s Prize at the 1st Tokyo Contemporary Music Festival, for REQUIEM FOR STRINGS.

In August, wins German Ambassador´s Prize at the 4th Festival of Contemporary Music in Osaka, for RING for flute, terz guitar and lute.

In March, with Toshiro Mayuzumi, Toshi Ichiyanagi and Yuji Takahashi presents his scores written with graphical notation, including CORONA II for strings, at Graphic Score Exhibition at the Tokyo Art Gallery.

In June, awarded 5th Prize of the UNESCO/IMC (International Music Council) International Rostrum of Composers in Paris, for CORAL ISLAND for Soprano and orchestra, a commission from Bunka Hoso Radio.

With Ichiyanagi designs music for the Pavilion of Japan at the International Contemporary Art Festival in Paris under the direction of Sofu Teshigahara.

In March, invited to the Festival of Arts in This Century by the East-West Center and University of Hawaii. After participating in the David Tudor Music Festival in San Francisco, returns to Hawaii with John Cage and Jasper Jones to attend the Honolulu New Music Festival in April, where many of his works are featured.

In May, publishes privately a cellection of his essays, "Toru Takemitsu 1930 - ..."

In June, wins Prize for Top Excellence in the Year 1965 at the UNESCO/IMC International Rostrum of Composers, in Paris, for TEXTURES for piano and orchestra, a commission from NHK Symphony Orchestra for the Tokyo Olympic Art Exhibition Concert.

In May, designs and produces a contemporary music festival "Orchestral Space" in 1966 (and again in 1968) with Ichiyanagi.

When Aaron Copland visits Tokyo in September, he makes an enthusiastic statement about Takemitsu`s music, concluding, "I consider him to be one of the outstanding composers of our time."

In November, awarded Grand Prize of the Japan Art Festival for a 4-disc set of  "Works of Toru Takemitsu", released by Nippon Victor.

Awarded Prize of the Music Crirics on the West Coast for DORIAN HORIZON for 17 strings, a commission from the Serge Koussevitzky Foundation, first performed in public by the San Francisco Symphony Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Aaron Copland at its Musica Viva Festival.

From October, spends six months in North America at the invitation ot the J.D. Rockefeller III Foundation.

In November, the first performance is given of NOVEMBER STEPS for biwa, shakuhachi and orchestra, a commission from the New York Philharmonic for its 125th anniversary, by Kinshi Tsuruta, Katsuya Yokoyama and the Orchestra under the baton of Seiji Ozawa.

In December, stays in Toronto for performances and recording for RCA Victor by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, with Ozawa conducting.

In October, Composer-in-Residence at Canberra Spring Festival of Musica Viva, Australia.

Beginning in March, desings several concerts, including the "Music Today" series, and symposiums as artistic director of the space Theater or Steel Pavilion at Osaka Expo `70.

In August, Composer-in-Residence at the Marlboro Music School and Festival.

In October, a features composer with Stravinsky, Stockhausen and Eloy at Les Journées de Musique Contemporaine of Semaines Musicales Internationales de Paris (SMIP).
In the same month, Shinchoshosa publishes a collection of his essays, Oto, Chinmoku to Hakariaeru hodo ni (Sound: Confronting the Silence).

In February, Guest Composer at the contemporary music series, "The Encounters", of the California Institute of Technology.

Visits Festival International d´Art Contemporain de Royan for the first performance of GÉMEAUX (first movement), a commission from l`Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (ORTF), which was to have been performed by Jean-Claude Malgoire on oboe and Vinko Globokar on trombone, and conducted by Gilbert Amy and Michael Tabachnik with Orchestre Philharmonique de  L`ORTF. Just before the concert, a dispute occurred between a French radio station and the orchestra union concerning the supplemental fee demanded by the musicians for performing a piece written for orchestra divided in two groups, and the concert was cancelled.

In December, visits Java and Bali, Indonesia, with several French musicians, including Iannis Xenakis, Betsy Jolas and Maurice Fleuret.

In May, Composer-in-Residence at the London Music Digest.

Assumes the artistis directorship of the annual contemporary music festival, "Music Today", at Seibu Theatre in Tokyo.

In August, publishes privately a novel Kotsugetsu - aruiwa ´a honey moon` (Bone Moon, or ´a honeymoon`).

On October 30, IN AN AUTUMN GARDEN for gagaku orchestra, a commission from the National Theatre in Tokyo, is given its first performance by Kunaicho-Shikibushoku-Gakubu (Gagaku Orchestra of the Imperial Household Agency).

Visiting Professor at Harvard University.

In January, Visiting Professor of Music Composition at Yale University. Receives the Sanford Prize from the University.

In February, Guest Composer at the New Music Concerts in Toronto.

In March, Guest Composer at "Meet the Moderns" series of the Brooklyn Philharmonia, directed by Lukas Foss.

Awarded Grand Prize of the Japan Art Festival for QUATRAIN for clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano and orchestra, a commission in celebration of the 200th broadcast of the radio program "TDK Original Concert" of FM Tokyo.

In February, awarded Otaka Prize (for excellence in orchestral works of the year in Japan) for QUATRAIN.

In March, Guest Composer-in-Residence at "Evenings for New Music" of the State University of New York at Buffalo.

In July, serves as a jury member for the Concours International de Flute pour la Musique Contemporaine of the 6èmes Rencontres International d´Art Contemporaine, in La Rochelle.

In September, serves as a jury member for the International Competition for Excellence in the Performance of American Music, in Washington, D.C.

As artistic advisor for Festival d´Automne à Paris from October to December, designs 18 concerts of traditional and modern music of Japan in collaboration with an exhibition entitled "MA - Espace-temps au Japon", directed by the architect Arata Isozaki.

In May, becomes an Honorary Member of Academie der Künste der DDR.

In March, Composer-in-Residence at the Vancouver Festival of Contemporary Music. Serves as an adjudicator for the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) National Radio Competition for Young Composers.

In May, Nippon Victor Japan releases a 10-LP-record set of his self-selected film scores, "Film Music by Toru Takemitsu".

In June, awarded Prize of the Japan Art Academy.

In August, visits Groute Eylandt, Australia for a Eurovision project, created by Jiri Kylian, artistic director of Nederlands Dans Theater.

In January, awarded Otaka Prize for FAR CALLS. COMING FAR! for violin and orchestra, a commission from Min-On Contemporary Music Composition Festival.

In March, Regents' Lecturer at the University of California at San Diego. Composer-in-Residence at the CalArts Contemporary Music Festival.

In September, Guest Composer at Berliner Festwochen "Japan in Berlin" at the invitation of DAAD.

In November, awarded the Mobil Music Prize.

In april, Guest Composer et the New Music Concerts in Toronto.

From April to June, gives lectures at Harvard, Boston, Yale and Colorado Universities.

In June, Composer-in-Residence at the Colorado Music Festival.

In September, serves as a jura member for Messiaen Composition Competition.

In November, attends Meeting of Composers at Rencontres Internationales de Musique Contemporaine, in Metz.

In June, Composer-in-Resindence at the Aldeburgh Festival of Music and the Arts as the first resident composer for the festival.

In July, elected Honorary Member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.

In January, awarded Asahi Prize.

Composer-in-Residence at New Music Days of the Banff Centre held from February to March.

In May, awarded Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government.
In the same month, Guest Composer at the Festival Pontino di Musica.

In January, Guest Composer at the Melbourne Summer Music Festival.

In February, becomes an Honorary Member of the Academie des Beaux-Arts, France.

In May, visits Copenhagen at the invitation of Denmarks Radio.

Featured Composer at the Almeida International Festival of Contemporary Music and Performance held from June to July in London.

In August, Guest Composer at the Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music of the Tanglewood Music Centre.

In October, appointed supervisor of the Suntory International Program for Music Composition Series, created to commemorate the opening of Suntory Hall, Tokyo. In the same month, BBC 2 produces and broadcasts a special TY program, "13 Steps around Toru Takemitsu".

In February, awarded Los Angeles Film Critics Award for the musical score for the film "Ran" directed by Akira Kurosawa.

In May, Guest Composer of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

In September, Composer-in-Residence at the Scotland´s Contemporary Music Festival, Musica Nova, Glasgow.

In October, Guest Composer of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

In November, serves as a member of the international jury for the ISCM-ACL (International Society for Contemporary Music and the Asian Composers League) Composition Competition in Hong Kong.

In April, Guest Composer at Voices of Change, Southern Methodist University, in Dallas.

In July, as a member of the Arts Advisory Committee of the First New York International Festival of the Arts, organizes four concerts at the Japan Society, New York.

In September, awarded Kyoto Music Grand Prize.

In September, serves as a jury member for the competition of the Tokyo International Film Festival.

In October, awarded International Inter Design Grand Prize of the Japan Inter Design Conference. Awarded the First Hida-Furukawa Musik Grand Prize.

In November, invited by the Donald Keene Center of Japanese Culture and the Fritz Reiner Center for Contemporary Music of Columbia University in New York to its event entitled "Image of Sound: Toru Takemitsu".

In May, Composer-in-Residence at the Stockholm New Music Festival.

In June, receives an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the University of Leeds, England. Composer-in-Residence at the Leeds Festival of Music.

In July, receives an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the University of Durham, England. Composer-in-Residence at the Centre Acanthe / the Festival D´Avignon / the Rencontres de la Chartreuse.

In November, Featured Composer at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.

In December, awarded le Prix International Maurice Ravel.

In January, awarded Mainichi Newspaper Art Prize for recent works including VISIONS, a commission from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to commemorate its 100th anniversary. Awarded Tokyo Citizen´s Honorary Award for Culture.

In May, awarded Suntory Music Prize.

In October, awarded the UNESCO/IMC Music Price.

Directs "The Takemitsu Signature" at the Barbican Centre, London as part of the Japan Festival held from October to November throughout England.

In October, a concert series "1791-1891-1991" is held in Vienna in which Richard Stoltzmann performs as a soloist. The concert series is named for the years in which the three works were composed, Mozart´s Clarinet Concerto, Brahm´s Clarinet Quintet and Takemitsu´s FANTASMA/CANTOS for clarinet and orchestra, which was given its first performance in September in England.

In April, Composer-in-Residence at "Seattle Spring" Festival, then a featured composer at Vancouver New Music.

In May, the contemporary music festival "Music Today", held annually since 1973 under his direction, ends on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.

In November, Composer-in-Residence at The First 20th Century Music Masters given by the ISCM Polish Section, which organizes "Takemitsu Days" in Warsaw.

Composes his first Hollywood score, for the film "Rising Sun", directed by Philip Kaufman.

In May, Composer-in-Residence at the Takefu International Music Festival.

In June, Featured Composer at the Aldeburgh Festival of Music and the Arts.

In September, Composer-in-Residence at the Berliner Festwochen, the Berliner Festspiele.

In October, awarded the Japan Foundation Award.

In November, Composer-in-Residence at Wien Modern.

In December, becomes an Honorary Member of ISCM.

In January, becomes an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music, England. In the same month, the Tokyo String Quartet recording of A WAY A LONE is nominated the 36th Annual Grammy Awards, Best Classical Contemporary Composition.

In March, awarded the Broadcast Cultural Award of NHK.

In April, a documentary film, "Music for the Movies: Toru Takemitsu", directed by Charlotte Zwerin, focusing on his activities as film composer, is produced.

In May, becomes an Honorary Member of ACL.

In July, Composer-in-Residence at the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo.

In October, awarded University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition for FANTASMA/CANTOS for clarinet and orchestra, a commission from BBC.

In January, recording of FANTASMA/CANTOS by Richard Stoltzman and the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra conducted by Tadaaki Otaka is nominated fro the 37th Grammy Awards, Best Classical Contemporary Composition.

In March, Featured Composer at the First CineMusic Festival, Gstaad. In the same month, awarded 1995 Career Achievement Award of the Society for the Preservation of Film Music, Los Angeles.

In November, appointed Artistic Director of the Tokyo Opera City Cultural Foundation.

On January 29, AIR for flute, composed in commemoration of the 70th birthday of Aurèle Nicolet, is given its first performance by Yasukazu Uemura in Oberwil, Switzerland. This is to be the last musical work of Toru Takemitsu.

In early February, while undergoing treatment in the hospital, he receives the news that he is to be awarded the Glenn Gould Prize of the year.

On February 20, he dies at the age of 65.