September Music Festivals [2025–2026]: A roundup of autumn festivals, outdoor rock fests, and other music events

Ohara☆Break is a culture-mix festival held on the shores of Lake Inawashiro. With “slow life” as its motto, it aims to be a culture festival for adults. At Ohara Break, you can enjoy live music, visual arts such as photography and painting, literature, fashion, and even theater—expressions from artists across a wide range of genres await. It promises to be an event where you can feel both the nature of Lake Inawashiro and a variety of cultures and arts.

The Blue Note JAZZ FESTIVAL, a summer tradition in New York, the home of jazz, made its way to Japan in 2015. At the exotically atmospheric Yokohama Red Brick Park, you can enjoy performances by world-renowned jazz musicians.

Now that diversity of values has become the norm, following the boom of large-scale music festivals, the new focus is on “live circuits,” in which multiple live music venues are rented out and concerts are held simultaneously across them. In this context, three of the nation’s premier circuit festivals—Osaka’s Mihoudai, Nagoya’s Dera Rock, and Fukuoka’s TENJIN ONTAQ—are joining forces in Tokyo to stage one of Japan’s largest live circuits.

Ichikawa Music Park is a community-focused music festival held in Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture, that began in 2018. Not only musicians from Ichikawa but also top performers from across Japan appear at several venues around the city. In addition to professional musicians, performances by local junior high and high school brass bands are featured, making it an event that people of all ages and musical tastes can enjoy. Guided by the festival’s philosophy of connecting beyond differences, it promises a fun and inclusive experience.

Jazz Cruising, where you can enjoy a live jazz performance and a cruise at the same time, the four-day Jazz Week featuring live shows by both professional and amateur jazz musicians leading up to the main Jazz Street event, and then the main Jazz Street itself! It’s the ultimate event where professional performers play right near you at cafes and bars!

The ska omnibus event, boasting a 20-year history since its predecessor first launched, is set to take place again this year! Brass tones ringing out under the open sky bring a sense of freedom and exhilaration you simply can’t experience indoors. Come savor the rich, full-bodied sound and wide variety that are hard to find at other events.