List of Rock Festivals Nationwide [2026]

Mihoudai, the large circuit festival held every year across multiple live venues around Osaka’s Amerikamura, will be back this year. The lineup is carefully selected by the Mihoudai staff from bands they’ve seen live over the past year, so you can catch a slew of artists who are really on the rise. Looks like we can expect plenty of wonderful bands again this year, don’t you think?

A flagship Japanese music festival that has been held since 2000. It features many renowned artists from both Japan and overseas and is an event that draws attention from around the world. A distinctive feature of Summer Sonic is that it’s an urban, touring-style festival. In addition to easy access, the lineups for the Tokyo and Osaka venues swap over the two days. So whichever venue you attend, if you go both days, you can see all the headliners.

Koyabu Sonic is hosted by Chihiro Koyabu, a hugely popular TV personality known for Yoshimoto Shinkigeki. The event will take place over three days using Halls 2 and 5 at Intex Osaka. In addition to performances by the Yoshimoto Shinkigekis band—formed by Yoshimoto comedians who are expanding their activities across the country—many comedian stages are also planned.

The outdoor rock festival HAZIKETEMAZARE, hosted by Osaka rock band HEY-SMITH, will be held again this year. It originally started as an event at live music venues, but later moved outdoors. It has finally become a staple of summer outdoor festivals. HAZIMAZA is an event full of playful spirit that only HEY-SMITH can deliver.

The Maizuru Playback Fest is held in the port town of Maizuru on the Sea of Japan in Kyoto. The event aims to revitalize the city, inspire hope, and give people a reason to fall in love with Maizuru by framing it as “a place to begin again” through music. We’ve all had those moments when, feeling down or low on energy, we’re moved by a comforting melody, a voice, or lyrics that deliver a message and give us a push forward. In this perfect seaside setting where you can feel the refreshing ocean breeze, the music you enjoy might help you discover a new version of yourself.

Rainbow’s End is an outdoor acoustic festival that used to take place at the Maruyama Park Outdoor Music Hall, right next to Gion, where you can savor the essence of Kyoto. In 2026, it will move to Nantan City and be held as a camping festival. It will likely be a rare opportunity to hear acoustic performances by artists who usually play live with full band setups.