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

Last updated:2026/3/13

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.

The majestic nature of Hokkaido and the Tohoku region awaits you as the stage for a music festival.

A celebration of music unfolds beneath vast mountains, sweeping grasslands, and crystal-clear blue skies—an extraordinary experience you won’t find in the city.

Enjoy delicious local specialties packed with each region’s charm, and warm encounters with the people who live there.

Under a pleasant breeze and a sky full of stars, come feel the unique sense of togetherness created by the audience and the artists.

Hokkaido

NATURE BEAT JAMHokkaido, Sat 3/28–Sun 3/29

naturebeatjam.com

Schedule	Saturday–Sunday, March 28–29, 2026
place	Hokkaido, Sapporo City, Sapporo Factory
Website	https://naturebeatjam.com/
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JAL SAPPORO MUSIC EXPERIENCEHokkaido, Sat 4/18 – Sun 4/19

Schedule	April 18 (Sat)–19 (Sun), 2026
place	Hokkaido, Sapporo, Daiwa House, Premist Dome
Website	https://sapporomusicexperience.com/
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IMPACT!Saturday, 4/18 Hokkaido

IMPACT!X is a circuit-style event held across multiple venues in Sapporo. The lineup focuses on up-and-coming young artists who are steadily gaining popularity. One of the charms of circuit events is stumbling upon a band you didn’t know and becoming a fan by chance. Besides your must-see acts, you might have a wonderful encounter at a venue you wander into on a whim.

Schedule	Saturday, April 18, 2026
place	Hokkaido, Sapporo City: Zepp Sapporo / SPiCE / SUSUKINO 810 / Space Art Studio / Crazy Monkey / BESSIE HALL / KLUB COUNTER ACTION
Website	https://wess.jp/impact23/
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KITAKAZE ROCK FES.Hokkaido, Sat 4/25–Sun 4/26

The alternative rock band NOISEMAKER will host a circuit festival in their hometown of Hokkaido. With a strong focus on the region, the event aims to showcase the appeal of Hokkaido nationwide while inviting great bands to perform there.

Schedule	Saturday–Sunday, April 25–26, 2026
place	Hokkaido, Sapporo City, Zepp Sapporo
Website	https://kitakazerockfes.com/
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JOIN ALIVEHokkaido, Sat 7/18–Sun 7/19

JOIN ALIVE has been held every year since 2010 at Iwamizawa Park, which features an open-air music hall and the Hokkaido Greenland amusement park. You sometimes hear about music festivals held at amusement parks, but a unique feature of JOIN ALIVE is that you can actually enjoy the rides there as well. This means families can attend without younger children getting bored. Admission is also free for junior high school students and younger, so this event may inspire many children to fall in love with music.

Schedule	Saturday–Sunday, July 18–19, 2026
place	Iwamizawa Park, Iwamizawa City, Hokkaido
Website	https://joinalive.jp/
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