List of Artist-Hosted Festivals Nationwide [2025–2026]

Bugsami is a summer festival organized by the visual kei rock band BugLug, bringing together visual kei artists. It began in 2018, held its first outdoor edition in 2022, and has been steadily expanding in scale. The lineup, featuring acts connected to BugLug, draws attention every year. There are also attendee-exclusive programs that make it well worth the trip for visitors. With accommodation plans available, you can enjoy the event at a relaxed pace.

This is a live event hosted by NONA REEVES. It has been held in Nagano Prefecture, the hometown of drummer Shigeru Komatsu, since 2019. As a pop ‘n’ soul band that pursues a sound with a strong focus on pop music—and is active beyond band activities by publishing a guidebook on ’80s pop and providing songs to other artists—it’s also worth noting which artists they invite. The event, crafted by musicians who are deeply dedicated to sound, is well worth the trip to Nagano.

This festival is being held out of the organizer ADAM at’s desire to spread instrumental music further and to let more people know about Hamamatsu, the “city of instruments” that thrives on the musical instrument industry. An instrumental music festival is pretty rare, isn’t it? Why not take this opportunity to check it out?

It’s a summer festival hosted by 10-FEET, a three-piece rock band from Kyoto. It began in 2007, but the inaugural event had to be canceled due to a typhoon. However, there’s a saying that festivals canceled by a typhoon in their first year go on to become beloved and popular events… True to that saying, this festival has seen various legends unfold every year—perhaps thanks to the mysterious power of the organizers, the three members of 10-FEET, and all the attendees. The overall atmosphere is known for being warm and friendly among both performers and visitors. It’s an essential event that marks the start of summer in Kyoto.

Muni Fest is a free outdoor rock event held under the slogan “Street performances for rock bands too!” Its appeal lies in the chance to casually enjoy high-quality indie rock bands that you rarely get to see outside of live houses. Be the first to witness the dawn of Japan’s music scene with your own eyes.

This is a music event organized by the female-vocal band IRabBits, bringing together girl bands. It was held from 2009 to 2014, and will be revived in 2023. With more artists now active in girl bands than before, it’s rare to get a chance to see so many high-energy bands all at once. There will also be collaboration projects with female idol groups, so it’s shaping up to be a hot event. I’m excited to see what kind of performances they’ll deliver.