Summer Music Festival Held in Western Japan [2026]

The 2026 edition of Talking Rock! FES., organized by the music magazine Talking Rock!, will, for the first time, be held in both eastern and western Japan to commemorate the magazine’s 30th anniversary. The Kobe edition will take place on a single stage at Kobe World Kinen Hall in Chuo Ward, Kobe. A lineup of familiar Japanese rock acts from the magazine’s pages—such as go!go!vanillas, Harukamirai, and KANA-BOON—will appear. The Kobe edition will be held over two days, August 8 and 9, 2026.

“Shigasaku – Irie Run Festival” is a reggae festival held every summer on the shores of Lake Biwa. The venue is Takashima Biwakko Park in Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture, offering a beachside location with expansive views of the lake and sky. In addition to leading figures of Japan’s reggae scene such as CHEHON, NG HEAD, and HISATOMI, sound crews from around the country and dance shows also gather to bring an irie vibe to the day. Scheduled for July 2026.