Kansai Music Festivals [2026]: Spotlight on Must-See Outdoor Fests & Events

Music Festival Master / Editor-in-ChiefHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC and in charge of music festivals. When I attended my first music festival as a freshman in college, I was captivated by its charm—“I can’t believe there’s a place this free and this fun.” I share information about wonderful music festivals every day to help grow the community of festival fans.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

Live performances resonating from vast outdoor stages, the electric energy created by artists and fans as one, and making memories with friends.

This year, a variety of unique music festivals will once again be held across the Kansai region.

In these special spaces where diverse genres—rock, pop, jazz, and more—intertwine, why not experience irreplaceable moments of excitement?

In this article, we introduce standout outdoor festivals and event information.

Past events

Dera Rock Festival Osaka EditionSun, Jan 11 – Osaka Prefecture

Schedule	Sunday, January 11, 2026
place	Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, Club Joule / BRONZE / Shinkagura / Hokage, AtlantiQs
Website	https://derarockfes.radcreation.jp/
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Unlimited Calling OsakaSat, Jan 10 — Osaka Prefecture

Schedule	Saturday, January 10, 2026
place	Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, Zepp Osaka Bayside
Website	https://freehoudaicalling.com/
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Rock’n’Roll CircusSat 1/10 – Sun 1/11, Hyogo Prefecture

Schedule	Saturday–Sunday, January 10–11, 2026
place	Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe City, Kobe VARIT. / Chicken George / Starting Over / THE CASTLE / BLUE PORT
Website	https://sites.google.com/armtechpublishers.com/rockandrollcircus/home
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Countdown Festival Kobe IlluminarieWed, 12/31, Hyogo Prefecture

illuminagegroup.com

Schedule	Wednesday, December 31, 2025
place	Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe City, Roadside Station Kobe Fruit & Flower Park Osawa
Website	https://illuminagegroup.com/
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CIRCUS×CIRCUSTue, 12/30, Osaka Prefecture

This is an outdoor hip-hop festival held at Sora no Hiroba in Maishima Sports Island, Osaka. The event has previously featured up-and-coming rappers who are gaining attention worldwide. Amid the challenge of holding the festival safely during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, it will be conducted with attendance limited to one-third of the venue’s capacity, alongside simultaneous online live streaming. Why not join in from home and discover a new way to enjoy festivals?

Schedule	Tuesday, December 30, 2025
place	Creative Center Osaka, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Website	https://circusxcircus.com/
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KOBE MUSIC COMMONSTue, 12/30 Hyogo Prefecture

Schedule	Tuesday, December 30, 2025
place	Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe City, GLION ARENA KOBE
Website	https://kobe-music-commons.com/
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Kyo Premium LiveKyoto Prefecture, Sat 12/27 – Sun 12/28

miyako-premiumlive.jp

Kyoto’s anime music festival, Kyo Premium Live. With “Kyoto-ness” as its theme, this live event features anisong singers and voice-actor artists. For anime fans, it doesn’t get more luxurious than this. If you love anime, you can’t miss it.

Schedule	Saturday–Sunday, December 27–28, 2025
place	Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, ROHM Theatre Kyoto
Website	http://miyako-premiumlive.jp

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