[2026] Guide to Music Festivals and Outdoor Events in Hokkaido and the Tohoku Region

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.

Asahikawa Music Week is a music event that turns the entire city into a stage under the banner “A week overflowing with music in Asahikawa,” transforming the early-summer streets. From the North Station Plaza and the Shopping Park to the Asahikawa Civic Culture Hall, inside JR Asahikawa Station, and AEON Mall Asahikawa Nishi, a wide range of genres—brass band, orchestra, choral, jazz, rock, pop, DJ, and traditional Japanese music—resonate together to color “Asahikawa, the Music City of the North.” Featuring performers selected through a public call, the 2026 edition will be held from June 7 to 14.

HOKKAI Donuts FES is a new outdoor music festival championing “MADE IN Hokkaido,” set at Dalwhinnie Entertainment Village Sapporo in Minami Ward, Sapporo, heralding the early summer of Hokkaido. In the vast lawn area, alongside a live stage featuring bands and singer-songwriters from around Hokkaido, there will be kitchen cars (food trucks) and a handmade goods market. With a dog run and camping area also on site, the 5th edition will be held in June 2026.