Spring Music Festival in Eastern Japan [2026]

A city-style festival jointly produced by TOWER RECORDS, Shimamura Music, and PLANT, held right in the heart of Sapporo’s Odori. Set on the special rooftop stage of Sapporo PARCO, your wristband lets you move freely throughout the venue. One of its appeals is that you can enjoy live performances in an open-air setting with a drink in hand, while taking breaks for shopping or dining at the in-house restaurants. In 2026, it will be held over five days during the Golden Week holiday in May.

The Sapporo Lilac Festival began in 1959 at the urging of cultural figures who proposed “holding cultured events in the season when lilacs bloom,” and it heralds the arrival of early summer in Sapporo. Centered in Odori Park, where about 400 lilac trees blossom, the festival features a variety of programs such as the Lilac Music Festival, a wine garden, and a stamp rally. The Kawashimo venue, where more than 200 varieties are in full bloom, is also included, and the festival will be held in May 2026.

SANNOHE SOUNDS SHOWER is a music event held every year on May 4 at the event stage and plaza of Sannohe Castle Ruins Shiroyama Park, a nationally designated historic site in Sannohe, Aomori Prefecture. Launched in 2017 and organized by the local group “Sakura to Suteki na Nakamatachi,” it features around 14 performing bands, along with a green market of handmade artisans, kitchen cars (food trucks), and local shops, offering music, food, and shopping for the whole family. There are also playground facilities around the plaza, making it a comfortable place for visitors with children.

A one-day-only festival held at the Shuji Terayama Memorial Hall in his hometown of Misawa, Aomori, to coincide with Shuji Terayama’s memorial day, “Shuji-ki.” Hosted by Terayama World, the event will unfold across the outdoor multipurpose space and inside the hall, featuring a reading of “Ware ni Gogatsu o” by students of Misawa Municipal Horiguchi Junior High School, the Odradek Roadside Theater by Shoichi Fukushi, a woodworking play area, the Terayama Market, and more. The finale will be a special live performance by actor Hiroshi Mikami. Scheduled for May 2026.