Looking for the best music festivals in Japan in 2024!? Well, look no further, because I’ve got you covered! The Japanese are ahead of the rest of us in terms of most things, but it’s probably efficiency and innovation where they really show up the rest of the world.
In putting together this list of the best music festivals in Japan, I realised that they’ve taken those two super skills and combined them to churn out a long list of world class events, year-in and year-out!
On top of the massive number of festivals to choose from, I also noticed that many of these events put a firm focus on raising awareness of causes that really need it.
Be it the environment, the future of our oceans, animals, climate change, world peace or simply supporting their local community, Japan music festivals entertain while giving back.
In terms of tunes…Electronic, pop, rock, punk, metal, indie, alternative. It’s all represented.
With that being said, check out my list of the….
Top 25 Music Festivals in Japan
1) Fuji Rock
Photo via Fuji Rock Facebook
When: July 26-28, 2024
Where: Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Genre: Rock
https://en.fujirockfestival.com
“Fuji Rock is the biggest music festival in the country, with between 100,000 and 150,000 people attending every year. Held in a stunning ski resort about a 90-minute train ride from Tokyo, it has been running since 1997 and the international crowd has been steadily increasing over the years. Held mostly outdoors (with only one indoor stage) you must be well prepared for rain and shine, as you never know which way it will go. Maintaining its Japanese roots, there are hot springs you can soak in and nature walks, with a bit of a Glastonbury vibe (secret woodland gig anyone?), so go explore!”
2) Summer Sonic
When: August 17-18, 2024
Where: Osaka & Tokyo (two concurrent events), Japan
Genre: Various
“Summer Sonic is one of the ‘Big Two’ music festivals in Japan, along with Fuji Rock Festival. As a world-famous music event, Summer Sonic is so massive that it’s held in both Osaka and Tokyo during one weekend in mid-August. It works by having half the artist lineup in Osaka while the other half plays at Tokyo. On day two, the performers swap venues. You need to get two-day tickets in one city to watch them all.
3) Ultra Japan
When: September, 2024
Where: Tokyo, Japan
Genre: Electronic, EDM
“Ultra Japan is the biggest EDM festival in the country and you don’t even need to catch the train to a paddock in the middle of nowhere to enjoy it. Held since 2014 at the outdoor Ultra Park in Odaiba, the festival is part of the Ultra Music Festival global circuit including stops in Bali, Mexico, Miami and Brazil. The festival has three stages to keep you busy: the Main Stage which features the big EDM names, the Resistance Stage which offers more underground techno/deep house performers and the Ultra Park stage which highlights upcoming and local artists.”
4) Rock in Japan
When: August, 2024
Where: Chiba, Japan.
Genre: Rock
“For the biggest J-pop and J-rock festival this summer, look no further than Rock in Japan Fes, which spans across five days over two weeks. This is the best option for fans of J-rock and J-pop. While other festivals of this size typically cater to foreign artists and fans, Rock in Japan features the biggest Japanese acts such as BABYMETAL, Capsule, and Mr. Children. Located in Ibaraki prefecture, the event is spread out over two weekends in August.”
5) Countdown Japan
When: New Year’s Eve, 2024
Where: Tokyo, Japan
Genre: Various
“Why stop at a midnight countdown when you could ‘count down’ for four days straight? That seems to be the thinking behind Countdown Japan – the most over-the-top NYE celebration this year for ambitious NYE revellers, comprising a four-day music festival out in Chiba. The festival features five stages and about 40-50 Japanese music acts – per day. That’s right; a total of almost 200 artists will be hitting the stage as the year closes out, with the party finally wrapping up at 5am on New Year’s Day.”
6) Download Festival Japan
Photo via Download Festival Japan
When: TBC, 2024
Where: Tokyo, Japan
Genre: Rock / Metal
https://www.downloadfestivaljapan.com/en
British rock music festival Download came to Japan for the very first time in March 2019 bringing with it rock legends Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer and Anthrax. Since then, the Tokyo festival has continued to thrill fans of rock and metal each year.
7) Hostess Club Weekender
Image: Tokyo Weekender
When: Various times throughout year, 2024
Where: Tokyo & Osaka, Japan
Genre: Indie / Alternative
“Held multiple times in both Tokyo and Osaka throughout the year, this indoor festival features some of the biggest names in alternative and indie rock. Previous acts include The National, Blonde Redhead, Best Coast, and St. Vincent.”
8) Earth Celebration
When: August, 2024
Where: Sado Island, Japan
Genre: Various
https://www.earthcelebration.jp/en/
“The Earth Celebration is an annual music festival by the internationally acclaimed Kodo taiko group which is based on Sado Island. Each year the festival features different guest artists who perform in collaboration with Kodo. The three day event is held in mid to late August in and around Ogi Town.
Thousands of people come from all over Japan and the world to enjoy the festival’s many events. The main event are three outdoor concerts held in the evenings of each festival day in the Harbour Market at Ogi Harbor. The Harbor Market also features dozens of small shops and food stands that are open from morning to evening. Some fringe events are held there, as well, during daytime. A couple of smaller concerts are also held at the Shukunegi Community Hall.”
9) Greenroom Festival
When: May 25-26, 2024
Where: Yokohama, Japan
Genre: Various
“The concept behind the Greenroom Festival down at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse is ‘Save the Beach, Save the Ocean’. The outdoor party celebrates beach and surf culture, but with an emphasis on protecting the ever-shrinking number of usable domestic beaches in Japan. Performances span the gamut from live music to art gallery exhibitions to video screenings and more. You can even join a yoga class out on the lawn. And of course, there will be plenty of food and drink.”
10) Rising Sun Rock Festival
When: August, 2024
Where: Hokkaido, Japan
Genre: Rock
“The Rising Sun Rock Festival was launched in 1999 as Japan’s first full-scale, all-night outdoor rock festival. Concerts are simultaneously held on several stages—large and small—over two days on spacious grounds. The music continues all night on day two, finishing up shortly after 4 AM as the sun begins to rise. Visitors can enjoy the music any way they please: lying down on a picnic sheet, while enjoying a barbecue, or perched on top of a rolled sheet of grass.
The fresh air and Hokkaido setting, along with the many food stalls, make the festival popular with the performing artists themselves. Music fans, including families, flock from all over the country, some pitching tents near the stage to spend the night at the venue.”
11) Miyako Island Rock Festival
When: October, 2024
Where: Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan
Genre: Rock
“This time slogan is “SAVE THE SEA, SAVE THE SKY”! This year it is also hot! Hot summer fest starts from Miyakojima!”
12) Oga Namahage Rock Festival
When: July, 2024
Where: Akita, Japan
Genre: Rock
“Head north to the home of one of Japan’s most feared demon-like deities, the Namahage. Inspired by these fierce creatures, and perhaps to appease them, the Oga Namahage Rock Festival features some of the heaviest bands Japan has to offer. “
13) Sukiyaki Meets the World
When: August 23-25, 2024
Where: Nanto, Japan
Genre: World music
“The Sukiyaki Meets The World festival is the oldest World Music festival in Japan to be entirely dedicated to the modern music from the World, since 1991.”
14) MetRock
When: May 11-12, 2024 (Osaka) and May 18-19, 2024 (Tokyo)
Where: Tokyo & Osaka, Japan
Genre: Rock
“Like the Rock in Japan festival, MetRock features only Japanese rock bands such as BABYMETAL, The Oral Cigarettes, and Alexandros. It isn’t as large as Rock in Japan, but has the benefit of being held in both Tokyo and Osaka.”
15) Viva La Rock
Photo via Viva La Rock Festival Facebook
When: May 3-6, 2024
Where: Tokyo, Japan
Genre: Rock
“Offering a packed but somewhat directionless lineup of domestic bands, this three-day rock extravaganza again tries to make room for itself on the crowded Golden Week calendar with a variety of extra events taking place inside and around Saitama’s Super Arena over the weekend. The highlight among these is the ‘market’ where aspiring musicians can network and promote their activities”
16) Art Mix Japan
When: April, 2024
Where: Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Genre: Cultural / Traditional Japanese Music
thank you! 10th anniversary festival!
A new chapter begins in a touching story born in Niigata!
“ART MIX JAPAN will be held for the 10th time since it was first held in 2013. It is also a time when I have been moved by encounters with many fascinating traditional arts, and have reflected on the preciousness of peace. AMJ2024 will celebrate this memorable anniversary year with a special program that only AMJ can offer. Top-notch artists from all over the country will gather in Niigata, including Japan’s most representative Daihonzan temple, young performers who have become a hot topic on popular TV shows, and the only living national treasure in the rakugo world. Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy the many stages that Japan is proud of.”
17) Monster Bash
Photo via Monster Bash
When: August 24-25, 2024
Where: Shikoku, Japan
Genre: Rock / Pop
“MONSTER baSH is the largest music festival in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions in western Japan, and has attracted over 500,000 guests in past years. It is located in the natural environment of Sanuki Mannou National Government Park, and like many other music festivals, the grounds are often covered in umbrellas to protect from the heat (first come first serve). Performances are split between multiple stages. This event, held the first in 2000, is known for hosting some of the best J-pop and J-rock artists.”
18) Sky Jamboree
When: August, 2024
Where: Nagasaki, Japan
Genre: Various
“Sky Jamboree came about after a chance meeting between producer Katsuro Arimoto and Kemuri frontman and vocalist Fumio Ito. Their belief is that music brings everyone together — not a revolutionary concept per se, but they built on it: when everyone enjoys music together in one place, they create peace in the world. That’s where the festival’s annual theme, “one pray in Nagasaki” comes in. By rocking out alongside friends and enemies, it’s a modern (and very rock’n’roll) way of creating world peace, even if it’s just one corner of Japan for one day of the year.”
19) Sweet Love Shower
Photo by Yosuke KAMIYAMA
When: August 30-September 1, 2024
Where: Yamanashi, Japan
Genre: Various
https://www.sweetloveshower.com
“Starting out in Hibiya Park in 1996, Space Shower TV’s summer festival moved to Yamanakako in 2007, and the move was nothing short of a total upgrade. This pop-rock mega fest not has not only featured some of Japan’s finest bands in previous years — Maximum the Hormone, One Ok Rock, Man With a Mission, and Sakanaction to name just a few — it also offers an unrivaled view of Mount Fuji while you rock out.”
20) Corona Sunsets Festival
When: July, 2024
Where: Okinawa, Japan
Genre: Various
“Boasting possibly the best location out of all the events listed, the Corona Sunsets Festival has all the modern festival must-haves: beaches, beer, and great music. There’s no need to imagine the beauty of the ocean and the sand-strewn beaches here!”
21) Kesen Rock
When: TBC, 2024
Where: Iwate, Japan
Genre: Rock
“Kesen Rock Festival was canceled in 2011 because of the devastation caused to the area by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. The festival came back with a vengeance the following year, in part because local entrepreneurs and musicians wanted the world to see a different side of the region, as well as give the local economy a boost to help it recover. Years in, the event boasts a line-up of some of Japan’s best rock acts.”
22) Muro Festival
When: July, 2024
Where: Tokyo, Japan
Genre: Various
“Muro Festival is a Tokyo-based music event headed by Shibuya live house O-Crest.”
23) Eat the Rock
When: August, 2024
Where: Shiga, Japan
Genre: Rock / Alternative / Ska
“While Eat the Rock sounds like it was made to match Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s catchphrase “Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?”, its true nature is quite different. This rock music festival is one-of-a-kind as there is no entry free whatsoever. It’s completely free! Not only that, but the event offers ¥1,500 return shuttle bus tickets to get visitors to and from the venue with ease. While some might consider this a desperate attempt to get visitors to come out so far, looking at the line-up at past incarnations, there’s no need as some of Japan’s best ska acts will be there.”
24) Kyoto Daisakusen
When: July, 2024
Where: Kyoto, Japan
Genre: Punk, Rock, Ska
https://kyoto-daisakusen.kyoto/23/
“Kyoto Daisakusen is a music event in Uji, outside of Kyoto, that features Japanese punk, rock, and ska bands. Typically, the event runs for three days. Tickets are available for a day or a whole day, depending on which bands you want to see. Travelers can access the venue, Yamashiro General Sports Park, in around 50 minutes from Kyoto station via train, bus and foot. Tickets can be bought in advance, so if you don’t want to stay for the entire length of the festival, you can fit it in between sightseeing.”
25) Snow Machine Festival
When: February 26-March 2, 2024
Where: Hakuba, Japan
Genre: Electronic
“Four days of music, pow and après adventure in one of the most sought after holiday destinations in the world – Japan! Explore the Hakuba Valley by day, Après dancing to your favourite DJs at our mountain stages, before continuing the party at our main arena by night. Snow Machine is your ultimate ski trip and music festival in one!”
Am I missing any epic music festivals in Japan?
Before I started writing this post, I had no idea that there were so many epic Japanese music festivals! Did you? Japan really is one of the leading destinations for unique festivals and events in all of Asia, and I’d love to hear about any awesome parties I’m missing from my list of top Japan music festivals!
Looking for more music festivals around the world?
My website is filled with awesome articles just like this that discuss the best international events, parties, and awesome music festivals. Check out a few of my favorites below, and start planning your next global adventure!
- Top 50 Music Festivals in the U.S.A | Ultimate US Festival Bucket List
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- The 25 Best Music Festivals in Asia to Experience Before You Die
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Some helpful Japan festival preparation blogs…
I’ve written a few articles that discuss fun ideas for clothing, camping essentials and more that are worth a read to help you make the most of your music festival experience.
- 44 Festival Accessories, Gear, and Must-Haves | Festival Packing List
- The Ultimate Music Festival Camping Packing List
- The 7 Best Music Festival Hydration Packs & Camelbaks
- The 10 Best Festival Shoes for Men + Women
- The 12 Best Festival Gadgets To Enhance Your Festival Experience
Thanks for reading about these Japan music festivals!
Share this article with your Japan festival squad!
Nice list but…
You’re missing out on one of the best indie and rock festivals. Arabaki in sendai in May.
There’s also Million Rock Festival. Not as big as most of these but has pretty impressive J-rock lineup ;)