[Held in 2026] Recommended music festivals: A roundup of outdoor festivals and major rock festivals you’ll want to attend at least once

TRINGLE, held within Fukuoka’s Seaside Momochi Beach Park. It’s incredibly appealing that so many popular bands from the loud and melodic hardcore scenes are gathering, and a two-day pass is available at this price. It’s a highly recommended festival for live music kids around Kyushu! A rock fest on the beach at summer’s end—the sunset scenery will surely strike a chord in your heart, don’t you think?

This event had been held as JAPAN JAM BEACH until 2016, but due to facility constraints at Makuhari Seaside Park, the venue, we relocated starting in 2017. The new venue spans roughly 50 hectares, and the grounds where the stages are set up are adjacent to each other, allowing for a compact layout. What’s more, it has become a truly groundbreaking urban festival, just an 8-minute walk from the nearest station!

VIVA LA ROCK is Saitama’s biggest music festival. It has established itself as a mega-festival, attracting more than 60,000 attendees. Held every year during Golden Week, the event features passionate rock bands that captivate countless fans. In addition, VIVA LA GARDEN, which takes place beforehand in an adjacent space as a free-zone event, is packed with activities that both children and adults can enjoy, making it a great, easy-to-join option for families as well.

As its name suggests, the Takatsuki Jazz Street is a citywide jazz festival; last year, performances took place at over 50 venues around Hankyu Takatsuki-shi Station and JR Takatsuki Station. Events like this, with stages scattered throughout the city, fill every corner with music and create a delightful sense of stepping out of the everyday. Another big draw is that admission is free, making it easy to join in.

Kobe, which recovered and rebuilt after the damage caused by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995. There was a great deal of support for the recovery. This charity festival began as a way to give back for that support and has been held every year since. Admission is free every year, and donations are collected throughout the venue. The event has safely been confirmed to take place again this year.

TOKYO METROPOLITAN ROCK FESTIVAL, commonly known as METROCK, has been held since 2013. Although it’s a relatively new event, it attracts great popularity, drawing over 30,000 attendees every year since its inception. It takes place in Tokyo and Osaka over a total of four days.

Freedom once overcame a crisis of cancellation through crowdfunding. It’s a “thank-you” festival for music fans, with a strong commitment to keeping admission free. On the day, live performances will take place one after another across multiple stages. Odaka Ryokuchi, the venue, is a pleasant spot with plenty of trees and lawns, and it’s also close to the station—access is excellent.