Hokkaido & Tohoku Summer Festivals [2026]: The Complete Guide to Outdoor Music Events

Kuroishi Yosare Rock Fes is a rock festival held by the Kuroishi Yosare Executive Committee, for which the Kuroishi Tourism Association serves as the secretariat, as a related event to Kuroishi Yosare, a traditional event in Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture. The venue is the plaza in front of the station within walking distance from Konan Railway Kuroishi Station, and the festival is positioned alongside programs centered on Bon Odori, such as nagashi-odori (processional dance), kumi-odori (group dance), and mawari-odori (round dance). In 2026, it will be held on Friday, August 14, from 11:00 to 17:30.

This is a one-day music festival that grew out of gatherings where the poet Okachimachi Kaito sang and read poetry with friends in Hidaka at summer’s end. The venue is the Hangandate Forest Park Campground, which spreads across a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, making use of a stage that remains at a site connected to the legend of Yoshitsune and the Ainu hero Shakushain. Welcoming artists such as Eito, Sonoko Inoue, and Shohei Yamaki, the event offers a taste of Hidaka’s charms with food, music, a campfire, and soap bubbles. Scheduled for August 2026.