Japan’s summer offerings include jazz and classical music festivals

CULTURE / Music

Japan’s summer offerings include jazz and classical music festivals

While Japan is home to many jazz cafes, its summer festivals will let you listen to the music in the open air. | GETTY IMAGES

By Alyssa I. Smith
Staff writer

Jun 9, 2024

If the pop and rock of Japan’s outdoor music festivals aren’t quite your jam, have no fear — various locations across the country will play host to a vibrant mix of jazz and classical events this summer.

Jazz-Fusion Summit: Tokyoites won’t have to go far to get their summer jazz fix; Tokyo Dome City Hall will host on July 20. This one-day event blends rock, funk and city pop, with five stellar groups on the roster. Highlights include performances by the Katsushika Trio, comprising former members of the prolific jazz fusion band Casiopea, and the Blue Note Tokyo All-Star Jazz Orchestra, directed by trumpeter Eric Miyashiro.

Yokohama Asahi Jazz Festival: Jazz enthusiasts should head to the Children’s Natural Park Baseball Field in Yokohama on July 20 for the . Celebrating over 30 years of jazz excellence, this event will feature five amateur bands who were selected through open auditions. Established musicians also fill out the roster, with noteworthy acts such as Ryota Kikuchi, Yasuko Agawa, Eric Alexander and Vincent Herring.

Nango Summer Jazz Festival: The city of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, is set to come alive on July 27 with the sounds of the . This long-standing event, now in its third decade, features both established musicians such as Teiko Saito and Dave Matthews, and younger performers like jazz saxophonist and YouTuber Yucco Miller.

Festa Summer Muza Kawasaki: Running from July 27 to Aug. 12, the in Kanagawa Prefecture offers events that will please budding classical music fans and enthusiasts alike. Hosted at the Kawasaki Symphony Hall, this music festival will showcase a number of orchestras from around the country, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra and the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra. If you have little ones, bring them to the kid-friendly “It’s a Piano World,” where they can listen to piano pieces by classical music masters such as Liszt, Ravel and Chopin.

Blue Note Jazz Festival: Mark your calendars for the Blue Note Jazz Festival, which will return to Japan on Sept. 21 and 22 after an eight-year hiatus. Held at Ariake Arena in Tokyo’s Koto Ward, this is the Japanese sister event to New York’s . Day one will feature hip-hop legend Nas and funk collective Parliament-Funkadelic with George Clinton. Day two promises an equally memorable lineup with rock band Chicago and jazz-fusion ensemble Snarky Puppy.