[2026] Complete Guide to Autumn Festivals in Hokkaido & Tohoku: Recommended Music Events

Cosquín en Japón is Japan’s largest folklore (Latin American music) festival, held in Kawamata, Fukushima Prefecture since 1975. Named in homage to the music festival in Cosquín, Argentina, the venue is filled with the rustic tones produced by Andean instruments such as the quena, charango, and bombo. In the preliminary Cosquín Parade, townspeople march in South American traditional costumes, transforming the entire town into a South American scene. It will be held over three days in October 2026.

This is a jazz festival held in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture, a World Heritage town. Aiming to create a community where music can be enjoyed in Hiraizumi throughout the year, we organize a variety of music events that everyone can enjoy. In 2025, about 200 musicians from across Japan gathered, and the festival was held on the stage at the Kanjizaio-in Temple Ruins. On June 14, 2026, a waterside concert will be held on the newly completed wooden stage at the World Heritage Muryoko-in Temple Ruins, which was finished in March.

“SAGAE MUSIC DAY” is a music event that began in 2018 as an independent project by the Sagae City Civic Cultural Center in Yamagata Prefecture, and has been held four times to date. A support committee formed by local young volunteers is involved in its operation, making it a distinctive event that continues to be rooted in the community. The venue is the Sagae City Civic Cultural Center, and performer and ticket information will be announced in due course. In 2026, it will be held on Saturday, November 21.