Summer Music Festivals Held in Eastern Japan [2025–2026]

Nango Summer Jazz Festival. Not only can you enjoy performances by many artists, but Nango, where the event is held, is also a famous tourist destination, and it offers local specialties such as Nango soba and blueberries. It seems you can camp at the venue from the night of the event until the next morning, so it would be nice to enjoy the jazz festival for a full day, stay overnight, and spend the second day sightseeing in Nango.

The Monterey Jazz Festival in Noto began in 1989 as a friendship initiative through jazz by the City of Monterey in the United States and the Wakura Onsen Tourism Association of Nanao City. Due to this history, the program features performances by a U.S. all-star jazz orchestra as well as by Japanese junior high school big bands.

MURO FESTIVAL is a fest hosted by Shibuya O-Crest. At a time when people say audiences are drifting away from live houses, it was launched to create opportunities for bands active in live houses to perform outdoors and give back to the live house scene. This year it will be held indoors, combining the best of Muro Fes with the appeal of live houses.

The Oga Namahage Rock Festival held in Akita Prefecture was launched to revitalize the region by drawing many visitors to Oga, increasing Oga’s name recognition, and fostering local pride. Artists from a wide range of genres—such as mixture, hardcore, and reggae—come together to create two exhilarating days.

This historic festival in Kushiro, Hokkaido began in 1985. It started by turning the troublesome sea fog—something the locals often contend with—into a unique event theme. Highlights include not only live performances by artists, but also food stalls and kitchen cars from local shops offering delicious fare, as well as a sound-and-light fog laser show in collaboration with DJs. Since 2021, there have also been booths where you can experience glamping and day-trip camping. It’s well worth the trip: enjoy music and food while taking in the natural surroundings!

Speaking of Fuji Rock, it’s one of Japan’s three major music festivals. It’s a large outdoor rock festival that draws over 100,000 attendees across three days every year. The venue is Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture. You can enjoy a wide range of musical genres across stages of various sizes, and at night there are all-night DJ events—truly a festival where you can immerse yourself in music. Plus, just being at a festival set in the great outdoors is enough to get your heart racing. If you’re a music fan, it’s a festival you should attend at least once.