The 24th Hakuba International Music Festival Returns This July

The Hakuba International Music Festival returns for its 24th edition, running three evenings from July 30 to August 1, 2026. Founded in 1995, the festival is organized by the Hakuba International Music Association and co-hosted by Hakuba Village. It is run on a volunteer basis, with most performers covering their own expenses in support of the festival’s founding aim: creating a space where people who love music and nature can gather in Hakuba.

What to Expect

The program blends European chamber music with the koto (a 13-string instrument belonging to the zither family) which is featured alongside string quartets, violin, and voice across all three evenings, including a koto concerto on the final night.

The festival runs three evenings, each with its own program. Thursday, July 30 features Bach, Schumann, and Schubert, along with a piece for koto and string quartet by Mieko Miyazaki, plus Brahms and Mozart. Friday, July 31 brings music by Michio Miyagi, Schubert, and Schumann, followed by Borodin, Mahler, and a set of Spanish composers. The festival closes on Saturday, August 1 with Ravel, a koto concerto by Daron Hagen, and music by Bizet and Liszt, ending with Rózsa and Brahms.

Lineup

The festival’s core ensemble brings together musicians from Japan, France, Switzerland, and Russia.

• Mieko Miyazaki — koto
• Julia Deit-Ferrand — mezzo-soprano
• Fabrizio Chiovetta — piano
• Leonid Baranov — violin
• Yumi Kubo — violin
• Verena Schweizer — viola
• Olivier Morel — cello
• Hiroyuki Kawamichi — music director

Tickets & Access

• 3-day pass: ¥5,000
• 1-day (adult): ¥3,000
• 1-day (age 15 and under): ¥2,000
• Doors open at 18:00, concerts begin at 19:00, with a chance to meet the performers after each show.

Venue: Kyowa Wing Hakuba (Wing 21), Kitajo 2066, Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture (about a 10-minute walk from Hakuba Station).

View Facebook