College of Rock is a music event held twice a year—in summer and winter—in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. As the name suggests, it’s a festival planned and run mainly by college students and other young people. In summer, it takes place on an outdoor stage set up at the Ishigami-no-Oka Museum, and in winter, it’s hosted across multiple live houses in central Morioka, featuring many young bands. There also appears to be an open application process, so if you’re in a band in the Tohoku region, why not give it a try and enter?

This is a circuit event organized by Shikachan, an event promoter active in Fukushima Prefecture. Shikachan is reportedly a staff member of TONEFOLK, a music information site based in the Tohoku region. Although it’s a small-scale circuit event held across two venues, the lineup mainly features up-and-coming bands on the verge of breaking through, making it an event you won’t want to miss.

The Horseback Warrior Rock Festival is held every year in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture. It began with the hope of creating a new festival so that people who left the city due to the earthquake disaster and the nuclear accident—those who evacuated—could return home at least once a year. I’ve heard there’s also a fireworks display on the day, making it feel just like a summer festival.

Pay attention to the star-studded lineup at one of Fukushima Prefecture’s largest festivals, created by local Fukushima TV, Creativeman Productions (the organizer of Summer Sonic), and Flying Beko, a creative team formed by Fukushima natives. The spacious stadium venue—also used during the Olympics—offers more than just live performances by artists; it also features a rich array of free areas, including a market showcasing local Tohoku ingredients and art. It’s the perfect season for outdoor concerts, and well worth the trip to join!