12 Japanese Music Festivals to Know for October 2026
Japanese festival-info outlet Festival Life (@festivallife_jp) has compiled a list of 12 music festivals taking place across Japan in October 2026, running from Saturday, October 3 through Sunday, October 25. The events span Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Shizuoka, Nagano, Gunma, Fukui, Fukushima, Kanagawa and Okinawa — including a-nation 2026 at Tokyo's Odaiba, the Live House-circuit event FM802 MINAMI WHEEL 2026 spanning 20-plus venues around Osaka's Shinsaibashi district, and MIYAKO ISLAND ROCK FESTIVAL 2026 on Okinawa's Miyako Island.
The full October lineup
October 3 (Sat) – 4 (Sun)
- Maguro Rock & Pop 2026: Shimizu Marine Park, Shizuoka
- EACH STORY -THE CAMP- 2026: Gokou Farm Auto Campsite, Nagano
- a-nation 2026: Special venue, Odaiba, Tokyo
October 10 (Sat) – 12 (Mon, holiday)
- Maxell presents FM802 MINAMI WHEEL 2026: Oct 10-12, 20+ Live Houses around Shinsaibashi, Osaka
- GFEST. 2026: Oct 10-11, G Messe Gunma (Gunma Convention Center)
- TOKYO ISLAND 2026: Oct 10-12, Umi no Mori Park, Tokyo
- Kyoto Music Expo 2026: Oct 10-11, Umekoji Park, Kyoto
- Sabae JAM FESTIVAL 2026: Oct 11-12, special venue at Nishiyama Park, Sabae, Fukui
October 17 (Sat) – 18 (Sun)
- LIVE AZUMA 2026: Oct 17-18, Azuma General Sports Park / Fukushima Azuma Stadium
- MIYAKO ISLAND ROCK FESTIVAL 2026: Oct 17, special headland venue at Hirara Tooriba, Miyako Island coastal resort area, Okinawa
October 24 (Sat) – 25 (Sun)
- OSAKA HAZIKETEMAZARE FESTIVAL 2026: Oct 24-25, Izumiotsu Phoenix, Osaka
- FORCE FESTIVAL 2026: Oct 25, Higashi-Ogishima East Park, Kanagawa
Where and when these cluster
Eight of the 12 events fall into two busy stretches: the October 10-12 three-day weekend (a national holiday falls on the Monday) and the October 17-18 weekend. The Kanto region hosts four events — a-nation, TOKYO ISLAND, GFEST., and FORCE FESTIVAL — while the Kansai region has three: FM802 MINAMI WHEEL, Kyoto Music Expo, and OSAKA HAZIKETEMAZARE FESTIVAL.
Very different kinds of venues
The venue types vary widely: a-nation uses a temporary structure in Odaiba, LIVE AZUMA takes place at a baseball stadium and sports park in Fukushima, EACH STORY -THE CAMP- is set at a campsite on a farm in Nagano, and MIYAKO ISLAND ROCK FESTIVAL occupies a temporary venue within a coastal resort area on Miyako Island. FM802 MINAMI WHEEL runs as a venue-circuit event, linking more than 20 Live Houses around Shinsaibashi.
What we don't know yet
The source roundup does not include lineups, ticket prices, or on-sale dates for any of the 12 festivals — readers planning to attend should check each event's official account and website directly for that information.