[GW] Music Festivals Held During Golden Week [2026] — List of Rock and Outdoor Festivals
Here’s a roundup of music festivals taking place during Golden Week.
There’s nothing quite like immersing yourself in music outdoors, enjoying the sense of freedom that only a long holiday can bring.
This article offers a broad look at Golden Week festival options for anyone thinking, “I’m interested, but what kinds of festivals are there?” They range from easy day-trip events to multi-day experiences where you can stay on-site and dive in completely, so be sure to find an event that fits your schedule and interests.
- Music Festivals in May [2026]: Outdoor Festivals and Events Summary
- List of Rock Festivals in May [2026]
- Music festivals in eastern Japan held during Golden Week [2026]
- [2026] Complete Guide to Summer Festivals in the Kanto Region: Music Festivals and Outdoor Festival Information
- April Music Festivals [2026]: A roundup of spring festivals, outdoor rock fests, and other music events
- Music festival in Western Japan held during Golden Week [2026]
- List of Rock Festivals in the Kanto Region [2026]
- Spring Music Festival Schedule Overview [2026]
- List of Rock Festivals Nationwide [2026]
- Spring music festival to be held in western Japan [2026]
- Tokyo Music Festivals [2026]: Outdoor Festivals and Events Summary
- Osaka Festival Calendar [2026]: Music Festivals and Outdoor Events Summary
- [Held in 2026] Recommended music festivals: A roundup of outdoor festivals and major rock festivals you’ll want to attend at least once
May
Ashiya Jazz FestivalTue, 5/5 Hyogo Prefecture
This jazz festival in Ashiya City, Hyogo Prefecture began in 2017 and will mark its 10th edition in 2026. Embraced as a free-admission event that turns the entire city into a stage—from the plaza in front of JR Ashiya Station and local shopping streets to a grand hall and even a chapel—it has become a local favorite. As an official UNESCO International Jazz Day event, the festival has received a letter of appreciation from Herbie Hancock every year since its first edition, reflecting its roots in both the local community and the wider world. Held in May during Children’s Day, it delivers a day filled with music and smiles.
| Schedule | Tuesday, May 5, 2026 |
| place | Hyogo Prefecture, Ashiya City, Funadocho, around JR Ashiya Station (multiple venues within the city) |
| Appearance | [5/5] [Multipurpose Hall] O-Jazztet / Tempo rubato / Paddy Fields / Do’ Desuka Band / color jam / SUDDENCOOL / Dan Band / SANDY EB / Ashioto / Mint Jamz [Ashiya Buddhist Hall] livestock trio / EN Crazy Dogs / Klezit / Kobe Y Project / ATB / DanZ / Fig / Go for it! Boars / Dal Paradiso [Luna Hall (Small)] BENTOS / Osaka City Funk Band / Speed Limit 180 / Naniwa Fusion Project / Sensual / SHOW-LOWs / Super Works / ClockWorkThing / Acid ICE / A♭ / Takuya Hirai TRIO / BLACK CANDY [Luna Hall (Large)] Hyogo Prefectural International High School HOPPIN’ NOTE / Konan High School & Junior High Plus Ensemble KBE2026 / Edwin & Mike Duo / Wi-Mo / Osaka Swing Lab / Drinkin’ Wonders / Shiho Akagi Serie AK Special / Stevie Silver & The Westsiders / Haruko’s Yuming Band / Osaka Victory Choir / Beers In Heaven / Chitaro BLUES JACK / The Three Wishes / VERMILION FIELD [Lead Ashiya] Breeze / Club-SQUARE / Molly Lane / Mellow Tone / C.S.B Falcon / Cotton Spinners / Uncle Sammy / Tomoaki Okudaira with Friends / NYNY Quartet / Akki, Yushi, Tetsu / Yume☆Chance / AI☆HOUSE / TAKE★FIVE / Fox Biyori Band [Catholic Ashiya Church] amapola / Not-Only-Sax Ensemble Nikoni ko / nao & Taichi / com bossa / Shino Ayane / Gloria Matsuda / Wang Yemin / MONDIEU [EJ] fan dii na / DAS / LUNA with friends / Pink Peppers / The Natsumerose / E.Hearts / BEAT-LUZ / @gray zone / Elephants / KIIT Jazz Project / Fusion Rewind / Osaka Pochi-Pochi Orchestra 51/2026 / Ashiya BBQ Club Band [Satsuma Fuji] JAZZ Joto / Noboru Kitahashi Ark of note / HY!HAT / Crimson5 / macska / mini me / narumi & hiro / Reflection / Anns / Nanatsuboshi / buvetts / Sugarloaf / Kuno Takayoshi / JACKY [Rio Coffee] Feliz / kinoshita / Poporipo / Norakura Pawn / HummingBird / Sunset Cocktail / Four Sparrows [Sacle Ev] Apple and Honey / Lumière / Very Berry / AMIG / Cocodrilo / Mille-feuille / Nao Oyama & Tadahiko Kudo DUO / Kyoko Ogusu & Jun Deguchi / Yoko and Hiroshi [TBDB] Amatan / Pokin Kintaro / Bourbon Life / Naosaka Ii Sinatra Tribute / Ok-kun / Mitsuharu’s Singing with Brothers / Gon, Ante & Myu / Mint Tea / DEPARTURES / Rokko Guitar Sub Trio / agApe / Jecco. / Mamma G / kamesh [Le Coin] Keiji / Hitoshi Watanabe / mario BOSSA NOVA Satoshi Abe / hacoseco / VEGA duo / YANTOO & MABLEE / Sunset Celebration / Keiko Raspberry & Hiroshi Hata Duo / Masaya Yuasa / Iida & Kanazawa Duo [Pedestrian Deck] REJOICE / Tea Gathering / Pink Gingerale / Fool Cool Pool / Grandpa / Jo-Ja / PARA★SKA / iro. iro. iro / Cattleya / B-Groo-V / Tea Time [COTTON FIELD] Uruwaka / Riverside Diva and Acchan Piano / Tipsy Time / Satoko Shudo / naonao / Sugar Malt / Yumi Mizuno & Nobuyuki Matsuoka Duo / Emiko & Karl / Unit SUMIRE / Tateppiro / Nine-Step / Aiko Yoden / Mami Yonekawa & Mine Hida / Harumi Katakai, Kana Ando, Mayumi Miyagawa Jazz Trio |
| Website | http://www.ashiya-jazz.info/ |
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Think!Feel!ESAKA!Wed, May 6 - Osaka Prefecture
| Schedule | Wednesday, May 6, 2026 |
| place | Hattori Ryokuchi Open-air Music Hall, 1-7 Hattori Ryokuchi, Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture |
Takaragaike Irish Music MarketWed, 5/6 Kyoto Prefecture
An outdoor Irish music market held with green as its theme color, set in Kyoto’s Takaragaike Park Ikoino-mori. Popular vendors from within Kyoto City and farther afield gather at the venue, lining up their stalls to encircle the session area. Following the guest stage, an Irish music party takes place, where you can enjoy live performances and food in a picnic atmosphere. It will be held on a public holiday in May 2026 with free admission.
| Schedule | Wednesday, May 6, 2026 |
| place | Ikoino-mori, Takaragaike Park, Matsugasaki Kitorocho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Appearance | [5/6] [Irish Music Party] Tomoko Saito (fiddle) / Jun Akazawa (bouzouki) / Sho Iwasa (flute, whistle, banjo) / Shunsuke Shimizu (flute, whistle) / Hiroshi Yamamoto (guitar) / Miwa Horio (vocal) / Toshi Bodhrán (bodhrán) [Guest Stage] Ribet towns / Akiko Ando / Joke on the puppy (shirt shop) & Old Time Jam |
| Website | https://inagawabase.com/event/takaragaike_irish_music_market2026/ |
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Unebi Station Music MarcheWednesday, May 6 – Nara Prefecture
A day of music and a market that has continued with the aim of creating a place where local people can gather and thrive in their own community, set at JR Unebi Station in Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture. Using the historic station building—which includes a VIP room established for visits to the Unebi Mausoleum—as the venue, there will be a music stage alongside local food and merchandise booths. The Capras Jr.
A diverse lineup including Band and CHARHAN is scheduled to appear, and the interior of the VIP room will also be open to the public. The 9th edition will be held in May 2026.
| Schedule | Wednesday, May 6, 2026 |
| place | JR Unebi Station, 2-1-1 Yagi-cho, Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture |
| Appearance | The Capras / Jr. Band / CHARHAN / DJ Chee / DJ Jiro / Shika Senbei / Hiruan Donpaku / crayons / barrel band |
| Website | https://unebi-fes.jimdofree.com/ |
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Picnic of Wind and SoundWednesday, May 6 – Wakayama Prefecture
| Schedule | Wednesday, May 6, 2026 |
| place | Kataonami Park Outdoor Stage, 3-1700-2 Wakaura Minami, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture |
HUG ROCK FESTIVALThursday, May 7, Tokyo
HUG ROCK FESTIVAL is a circuit-style festival featuring only female vocal artists, first held in 2015. Organized by Hug Teppei, it takes place across multiple live music venues around Udagawacho in Shibuya, offering a wide variety of stages centered on singer-songwriters. The Golden Week edition on May 7, 2026, is slated to feature dozens of acts, including Kanoerana, Momo Hashizume, and Chiharu Midorimura.
| Schedule | Thursday, May 7, 2026 |
| place | Shibuya City, Tokyo, around Udagawacho (11 venues across multiple live houses) |
| Website | http://hugrock.tokyo/2026_2 |
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EBISU Bloomin’ JAZZ GARDENMay 8 (Fri) – 10 (Sun), Tokyo
This urban festival was first held in 2024 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the opening of Yebisu Garden Place, and 2026 will mark its third edition. With the theme of “MUSIC × BEER × FOOD × GREEN,” it spans the entire Yebisu Garden Place, offering a setup where visitors can enjoy music along with Yebisu-style drinks and food amid the fresh greenery of the season. Acts such as Yanowa to Agatsuma and the Katsushika Trio will appear, making it a three-day event where both children and adults can spend their time as they please.
| Schedule | Fri, May 8–Sun, May 10, 2026 |
| place | Ebisu Garden Place (entire complex), 4-20-3 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo |
| Appearance | [5/8] [Center Plaza] Reitaro Kimyo × U-zhaan × Yoda Nakagome / Reiya Terakubo [MINI SOUND HUB] DJ Tatsuo Sunaga [5/9] [The Garden Hall] Yano to Agatsuma [Center Plaza] Kotaro Oshio / The Gospellers & Masanori Sasaji / Saigenji / Michiko Takada & Jun Satsuma / Miyuki Hatakeyama [5/10] [The Garden Hall] Katsushika Trio (Tetsuo Sakurai & Akira Jimbo & Minoru Mukaiya) [Center Plaza] Yosuke Onuma / Toshitaka Shibata / Yosuke Inoue / Paulina Przybysz & Aga Derlak / Yoshitaka Minami / Yuki Atori / Takuma Asada Duo |
| Website | https://jazzgarden.jp/ |
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