List of Rock Festivals in Eastern Japan [2026]

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.

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.

NEXWAVE-RUSUTSU ROCK×FOOD FES- is an outdoor festival set to be held for the first time in June 2026 in Rusutsu Village, one of Hokkaido’s premier resort destinations that welcomes about 1.3 million visitors annually. Organized by the Rusutsu Chamber of Commerce, it launches as the village’s first-ever full-scale outdoor music festival with the concept of revitalizing the local community. Centered around loud rock, electronic sounds, mixture styles, hyper metal, and Japanese rock DJs, the event will deliver a day where music and food come together amid the great outdoors with views of Mount Yotei.