2026 Roundup of Popular Winter Festivals: Music Festivals for the Cold Season

Last updated:2026/3/13

2026 Roundup of Popular Winter Festivals: Music Festivals for the Cold Season

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.

Until now, when people talked about music festivals, the standard was summer festivals held outdoors.

But lately, winter festivals held during the colder months have also become the norm.

Most winter festivals are indoor events held in large halls or exhibition centers, and even in the cold of winter, the venues are filled with excitement.

In this article, we’ll introduce a whole lineup of these hot winter music festivals!

From Christmas events and countdown events to those held right after the New Year, there’s a full schedule.

Past events

BONIN ISLAND JAZZThu, Nov 27 – Tue, Dec 2, Tokyo Metropolis

http://www.boninislandjazz.com

Schedule	Thursday, November 27, 2025 – Tuesday, December 2, 2025
place	Chichijima, Ogasawara Village, Tokyo
Website	https://www.boninislandjazz.com/
SNS

Hakodate Christmas FantasySat 11/29 – Thu 12/25 Hokkaido

http://www.hakodatexmas.com

This is a Christmas event held in Hakodate, Hokkaido. While the event itself runs from December 1 to 25, “Fantastic Eve” takes place on the 23rd and 24th, and a “Christmas Night Ceremony” is held on the evening of the 25th. Since it’s Hokkaido, there’s a high chance of a white Christmas, making this one of the Christmas events you’ll definitely want to check out.

Schedule	Saturday, November 29, 2025 – Thursday, December 25, 2025
place	Around the Red Brick Warehouse District, Suehiro-cho, Hokkaido
Website	http://www.hakodatexmas.com

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Good evening, konya-nyachiha!Fri, Dec 5 – Sat, Dec 6, Tokyo

http://www.fujio-90fes.jp

Schedule	Fri, Dec 5–Sat, Dec 6, 2025
place	Tokyo Metropolis, Shibuya Ward, LINE CUBE SHIBUYA
Website	https://www.fujio-90fes.jp/music.html

MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL JAPANDec 5 (Fri) – 7 (Sun), Kanagawa Prefecture

http://www.montreuxjazz.jp

One of the world’s three major jazz festivals, the Montreux Jazz Festival, is set to be held in Tokyo this October as Montreux Jazz Festival Japan 2016! In addition to live performances by top artists from Japan and abroad, a variety of events such as workshops will also take place.

Schedule	Fri–Sun, Dec 5–7, 2025
place	Pia Arena MM, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Website	http://www.montreuxjazz.jp
SNS

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TOHOKU MUSIC JOURNEYSat 12/6 – Sun 12/7, Miyagi Prefecture

tohokumusicjourney.com

Schedule	Sat–Sun, Dec 6–7, 2025
place	Miyagi Prefecture, Sendai City, Yume Messe Miyagi, Exhibition Halls A, B, and C
Website	https://tohokumusicjourney.com/
SNS

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