Complete Guide to Kansai Summer Festivals [2025–2026]: Electrifying Stages and Performing Artists

The Jazz Picnic in Inagawa, a pioneering outdoor concert in the Kansai region, will be held again this year. This outdoor jazz festival has been running since 1989 and has featured numerous memorable performances. The venue is a special stage set up in the Inagawa Sports Park, where the lawn feels wonderful. At dusk, you can enjoy the perfect combination of jazz and the setting sun.

This is an outdoor festival hosted by THE SKIPPERS, a three-piece rock band from Osaka. Its appeal lies in a wide-ranging lineup, from their longtime allies to up-and-coming young bands with strong momentum. The event began in 2017 to mark their 15th anniversary.

Held in Shiga Prefecture with the concept “Laugh, Dance, Learn, and Talk till Dawn!”, the festival Sansuijin is a gathering for nature lovers, featuring amenities like auto-campsites. The venue, Kusuki Harihatagō/Ikusugi, is a sacred place where local people have protected the forests and water for generations. It’s a festival where you can enjoy both the event and playful time in nature—so be sure to check it out.

It’s an event overflowing with love for Shigaraki, designed to help more people discover it. This is a completely free-admission festival. A wide variety of people with ties to Shiga—including artists, performers, and vendors—will be appearing. Since admission is free, why not take this opportunity to visit Shigaraki at least once?

A flagship Japanese music festival that has been held since 2000. It features many renowned artists from both Japan and overseas and is an event that draws attention from around the world. A distinctive feature of Summer Sonic is that it’s an urban, touring-style festival. In addition to easy access, the lineups for the Tokyo and Osaka venues swap over the two days. So whichever venue you attend, if you go both days, you can see all the headliners.