July Music Festivals [2025–2026]: A roundup of summer festivals, outdoor rock festivals, and other music events

GFB stands for Goose Fresh Beat, and since Goose Fresh is a playful misspelling of “goosebumps,” it’s a music festival curated around the concept of a band that gives you goosebumps. It’s held on Mount Tsukuba, offering a festival where you can enjoy music surrounded by nature. The local love really shows, for example, in the special Ibaraki discount available on tickets.

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.

Japan’s number one yakiniku town is hosting a rock festival! Yakiniku and music that bring smiles to people’s faces. The lineup is as sizzling hot as the barbecue itself! Whatever your definition of rock, let’s share a hot and exciting time together! At the venue on the day, there will be a zone where you can enjoy yakiniku empty-handed—just show up and dig in.

The decisive Sekigahara Divas Battle! In Sekigahara, Gifu Prefecture, idols from all over Japan gather to deliver a torrent of performances. From morning till night, adorable performers keep singing and dancing—an unmissable day for idol fans. Even if you’re new to idols, if you love a festival atmosphere, you won’t want to miss this. It’s sure to be an event that will go down in the history of Japanese idols—no, in Japanese history itself. Be a witness to history!

This is a jazz festival held in Hida-Takayama, famous for its gassho-style houses. Jazz was originally created by Black musicians, but it has come to be enjoyed around the world and has evolved continually over many years. In much the same way, Hida-Takayama has become a place that attracts people from all over the globe and continues to evolve day by day. This event is imbued with the hope that, despite these changes, it will not lose what lies at its core.