Winter Music Festival in Eastern Japan [2026]

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.

Have you ever been to a winter music festival?

Festivals are often associated with summer, but there are plenty of exciting ones held in winter too.

Here’s a roundup of winter festivals in eastern Japan that you won’t want to miss—even in the colder months.

Past events

rockin’on sonicSun, 1/4 (Chiba Prefecture)

Schedule	Sunday, January 4, 2026
place	Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture
Website	https://rockinonsonic.com/
SNS

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Happy New Year! Idol First Dream LiveFri 1/2 – Sat 1/3, Tokyo

atjam.jp

Schedule	Fri–Sat, Jan 2–3, 2026
place	Tokyo, Koto City, Zepp DiverCity / DiverCity Tokyo Plaza Festival Square
Website	https://atjam.jp/

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Ichariba Festival Countdown Fest in AtsugiWed, 12/31 Kanagawa Prefecture

Schedule	Wednesday, December 31, 2025
place	Kanagawa Prefecture, Atsugi City, Rembrandt Hotel Atsugi

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New Year Rock FestivalWed, 12/31 Tokyo, Japan

newyearrockfestival.com

The New Year Rock Festival, a historic New Year’s Eve rock fest that began in 1973, has long been popular. With the slogan “Kōhaku isn’t the only show in town,” it has been cherished as a coveted event for rock bands. After organizer Yuya Uchida passed away, HIRØ from Kaiki Gesshoku took over as producer and the festival will be newly held. And in 2020, it will take the form of its first-ever audience-free, live-streamed New Year’s Eve concert—an unprecedented format that’s shaping up to be an event no one could have predicted.