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Scene Brief

Japan Scene 2026

In-Japan dates from the J-metal watch list

All-female Japanese metal bands (+ BABYMETAL & Rolling Quartz), every confirmed show we have (live from the dashboard data feed), four recommended trip windows, the festival calendar, and the travel intel to navigate buying tickets, riding the Shinkansen, and finding the right metal bar.

17
Bands tracked
15
Active in 2026
43
Upcoming shows
10+
Cities

Band Roster & Confirmed Shows

In-Japan dates only, from the dashboard data feed. Past shows from the last 7 days are dimmed; older entries drop off. Out-of-country dates for these same bands surface on /japan-global.

LOVEBITES
10-Date Tour
Power / Speed Metal · Est. 2016
  • SEP 21
    Niigata Lots — Niigata
    LOVEBITES Outstanding Tour Japan 2026. Niigata Lots, Niigata.
  • SEP 25
    Zepp Haneda Night 1 — Tokyo
    LOVEBITES Outstanding Tour Japan 2026. Zepp Haneda Night 1, Tokyo.
  • SEP 26
    Zepp Haneda Night 2 — Tokyo
    LOVEBITES Outstanding Tour Japan 2026 FINALE. Zepp Haneda Night 2, Tokyo.
  • OCT 4
    Zepp KL — Kuala Lumpur
    LOVEBITES — OUTSTANDING Tour, Kuala Lumpur date at Zepp KL. Part of the Southeast Asia leg following Singapore (Oct 2).
  • OCT 24
    Pia Arena MM — Yokohama
    LOVEBITES — Full Metal Japan 2026 (the Wacken-affiliated festival), Day 1. Pia Arena MM in Yokohama, Japan. Show date: Oct 24 2026.

"OUTSTANDING TOUR JAPAN 2026" · Also confirmed for Wacken Open Air (Germany).

BAND-MAID
Final Tour
Hard Rock / Heavy Metal · Est. 2013
Saiki · Miku · Kanami · MISA · Akane
  • NOV 1
    COMTEC PORTBASE — Nagoya
    BAND-MAID — Japan show after US tour, before Budokan. COMTEC PORTBASE in Nagoya, Japan. Show date: Nov 1 2026.
  • NOV 3
    Namba Hatch — Osaka
    BAND-MAID — Japan show; presale nearly sold out. Namba Hatch in Osaka, Japan. Show date: Nov 3 2026.
  • NOV 13
    Nippon Budokan — Tokyo
    BAND-MAID — World Tour 2026 FINAL night 1 (opener NEK!). Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. Show date: Nov 13 2026.
  • NOV 14
    Nippon Budokan — Tokyo
    BAND-MAID — World Tour 2026 FINAL night 2, last show before hiatus (returns for 15th anniversary 2028). Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. Show date: Nov 14 2026.

First solo world tour · Entering hiatus after Nov Budokan · Returning for 15th anniversary 2028.

BABYMETAL
Major Year
Kawaii Metal · Est. 2010
Su-metal · Moametal · Momometal

No upcoming shows in the feed yet.

METALVERSE
Rising
Kawaii Metal · Est. 2023 · BABYMETAL universe
Miko · Sakia · Kokona · Miki · Yume

No upcoming shows in the feed yet.

New "METALVERSE VAND PROJECT" launching — rotating lineup of next-gen artists.

HANABIE.
Hot
Nu-Metal / Metalcore · Est. 2015
  • SEP 25
    CLUB RIVERST — Niigata
    HANABIE. — Japan 2MAN Tour 2026. CLUB RIVERST in Niigata, Japan. Show date: Sep 25 2026.
  • OCT 9
    Cave-Be — Hiroshima
    HANABIE. — Japan 2MAN Tour 2026. Cave-Be in Hiroshima, Japan. Show date: Oct 9 2026.
  • OCT 18
    Nagoya ReNY limited — Nagoya
    HANABIE. — Japan 2MAN Tour 2026. Nagoya ReNY limited in Nagoya, Japan. Show date: Oct 18 2026.
  • OCT 30
    BIG CAT — Osaka
    HANABIE. — Japan 2MAN Tour 2026. BIG CAT in Osaka, Japan. Show date: Oct 30 2026.
  • NOV 7
    BESSIE HALL — Sapporo
    HANABIE. — Japan 2MAN Tour 2026. BESSIE HALL in Sapporo, Japan. Show date: Nov 7 2026.
  • NOV 14
    OP's — Fukuoka
    HANABIE. — Japan 2MAN Tour 2026. OP's in Fukuoka, Japan. Show date: Nov 14 2026.
  • NOV 28
    Rensa — Sendai
    HANABIE. — Japan 2MAN Tour 2026. Rensa in Sendai, Japan. Show date: Nov 28 2026.
  • DEC 12
    Zepp Shinjuku — Tokyo
    HANABIE. — Japan 2MAN Tour 2026 finale. Zepp Shinjuku in Tokyo, Japan. Show date: Dec 12 2026.

Confirmed for Bukurock 2026 + Daikaihou Festival. Expect more fall Japan dates.

ZILQY
Sold Out
Heavy Metal · Est. 2025 · Supergroup
Toki (ex-Aldious) · Miho (ex-LOVEBITES) · Anna · Kano
  • OCT 11
    Kashiwa PALOOZA — Kashiwa
    ZILQY — Birth of Riot tour opener. Kashiwa PALOOZA in Kashiwa, Japan. Show date: Oct 11 2026.
  • OCT 12
    Sendai LIVE & CLUB MACANA — Sendai
    ZILQY — Birth of Riot tour. Sendai LIVE & CLUB MACANA in Sendai, Japan. Show date: Oct 12 2026.
  • OCT 24
    Kobe VARIT. — Kobe
    ZILQY — Birth of Riot tour. Kobe VARIT. in Kobe, Japan. Show date: Oct 24 2026.
  • OCT 25
    Nagoya ell.FITS ALL — Nagoya
    ZILQY — Birth of Riot tour. Nagoya ell.FITS ALL in Nagoya, Japan. Show date: Oct 25 2026.
  • NOV 14
    Fukuoka INSA — Fukuoka
    ZILQY — Birth of Riot tour night 1. Fukuoka INSA in Fukuoka, Japan. Show date: Nov 14 2026.
  • NOV 15
    Fukuoka INSA — Fukuoka
    ZILQY — Birth of Riot tour night 2. Fukuoka INSA in Fukuoka, Japan. Show date: Nov 15 2026.
  • NOV 28
    OSAKA MUSE — Osaka
    ZILQY — Birth of Riot tour. OSAKA MUSE in Osaka, Japan. Show date: Nov 28 2026.
  • DEC 16
    Zepp Shinjuku — Tokyo
    ZILQY — Birth of Riot tour finale. Zepp Shinjuku in Tokyo, Japan. Show date: Dec 16 2026.
BROKEN BY THE SCREAM
Touring
Metal-scream idol · Metal Blade · Wacken alumni
  • SEP 21
    Aoyama RizM — Tokyo
    Broken By The Scream on the 獅子音 Vol.37 bill at Aoyama RizM — a multi-act Tokyo night between their Sep 13 Antiknock and Sep 24 Shibuya Cyclone dates.
  • SEP 24
    SHIBUYA CYCLONE — Tokyo
    Broken By The Scream — Japan-domestic show in Shibuya. SHIBUYA CYCLONE in Tokyo, Japan. Show date: Sep 24 2026.
  • OCT 3
    THE GAME — Tokyo
    Broken By The Scream — Japan-domestic show in Shibuya. THE GAME in Tokyo, Japan. Show date: Oct 3 2026.
  • NOV 14
    HOLIDAYNEXT — Nagoya
    Broken By The Scream — tour closer. HOLIDAYNEXT in Nagoya, Japan. Show date: Nov 14 2026.
  • NOV 28
    CLUB CITTA' (MIXED HELL 2026 Second) — Kawasaki
    Broken By The Scream on MIXED HELL 2026 Second at CLUB CITTA' Kawasaki, a week before they fly to Stockholm for Lunar Fest.

Japan-domestic run this fall, plus a European leg. Caught live at The Dome, London.

NEMOPHILA
Active
Heavy Metal / Hard Rock · Est. 2019
  • OCT 12
    EX THEATER ROPPONGI (Ten-Fes) — Tokyo
    Ten Fes — 天上無窮激音道中 / Tenjō Mugyū Gekion Dōchū. NEMOPHILA's hosted all-women "split concert" event, the yin/yang counterpart to last year's Jigoku Fes ("Hell Fest").

Also at NAON's BUNTAI 2026 + Sound Planet Fest (Korea).

TRiDENT
Active
Hard Rock / Metal · Est. 2018
  • SEP 22
    Daikanyama SPACE ODD — Tokyo
    TRiDENT at おじ祭り2026 (Oji Matsuri), Daikanyama SPACE ODD.
  • OCT 3
    UNIT — Tokyo
    TRiDENT — TRiDENT x NEK! KYOZON show in Shibuya. UNIT in Tokyo, Japan. Show date: Oct 3 2026.
  • OCT 12
    EX THEATER ROPPONGI (Ten-Fes) — Tokyo
    Ten Fes — 天上無窮激音道中 / Tenjō Mugyū Gekion Dōchū. NEMOPHILA's hosted all-women "split concert" event, the yin/yang counterpart to last year's Jigoku Fes ("Hell Fest").
  • JAN 9
    Nagoya Jammin' — Nagoya
    TRiDENT — Yeeet! TOUR 2027, Aichi date. Nagoya Jammin' in Nagoya, Japan. Show date: Jan 9 2027.
  • JAN 16
    Muse Box — Osaka
    TRiDENT — Yeeet! TOUR 2027, Osaka date. Muse Box in Osaka, Japan. Show date: Jan 16 2027.
  • FEB 13
    LIQUIDROOM — Tokyo
    TRiDENT — Yeeet! TOUR 2027, Tokyo date (Shibuya). LIQUIDROOM in Tokyo, Japan. Show date: Feb 13 2027.

"King of the Sea Tour 2026" — more dates likely.

BRIDEAR
Limited
Melodic Metal / Power Metal · Est. 2012
  • SEP 25
    Shinjuku ANTIKNOCK (Made in Heaven vol.36) — Tokyo
    BRIDEAR play Shinjuku ANTIKNOCK on Friday, September 25 as part of Made in Heaven vol.36 — stage time 19:05. General tickets on sale via LivePocket. One night before their Zirco Tokyo date on Sep 26.
  • SEP 26
    Zirco Tokyo — Tokyo
    BRIDEAR at Zirco Tokyo (Shinjuku). Saturday, September 26, 2026. Listing: https://www.bandsintown.com/Bridear
  • OCT 3
    In The Family FEST 2026 — Shibuya
    BRIDEAR on the In The Family FEST 2026 bill in Shibuya. Tickets: https://livepocket.jp/e/itff2026
  • OCT 11
    Kichijoji Shuwawa — Tokyo
    BRIDEAR play "MOE Birthday Party 2026" at Kichijoji Shuwawa — a one-off celebration show for drummer MOE.
JILUKA
Active
Visual Kei / Metalcore · Est. 2012

No upcoming shows in the feed yet.

Touring North America summer 2026.

LADYBABY
Limited
Idol Metal / J-Pop Metal · Est. 2015

4th generation lineup · Japan dates not yet confirmed for 2026.

ROLLING QUARTZ
NA / EU Tour
Rock / Metal · Est. 2019 · Korean

No upcoming shows in the feed yet.

"MY TURN" tour. No Japan dates — possible Seoul side-trip.

ASAMI
Solo Run
Solo / J-metal vocalist (Lovebites)

No upcoming shows in the feed yet.

Asami Birthday Party 2026 — Jul 11 & 12, Tokyo. Livestream via Zaiko.

LONESOME_BLUE
Emerging
Heavy Metal · Emerging
  • SEP 27
    LIVEHOUSE enn 3rd — Sendai
    Lonesome_Blue — FOURTH DIMENSION release tour, Sendai leg.
  • OCT 4
    OSAKA MUSE — Osaka
    Lonesome_Blue — FOURTH DIMENSION release tour, Osaka leg.

J-metal newcomer on the watch list. First show — "Ready for Takeoff" — Jul 25 at Tokyo GRIT, Shibuya, with vocalist Sally.

ALDIOUS
Hiatus
Heavy / Power Metal · Est. 2008

Indefinite hiatus since May 2025. Toki departed to form ZILQY.

MARY'S BLOOD
Inactive
Heavy Metal · Est. 2009

Indefinite hiatus since April 2022. No return announced.

2026 Show Timeline

Shows physically in Japan only, in chronological order, dynamic from concerts.json. For Japanese bands touring abroad, see /japan-global.

September 2026
Sep 21 Broken By The Scream Aoyama RizM Tokyo
Sep 21 LOVEBITES Niigata Lots Niigata
Sep 22 TRiDENT Daikanyama SPACE ODD Tokyo
Sep 24 Broken By The Scream SHIBUYA CYCLONE Tokyo
Sep 25 BRIDEAR Shinjuku ANTIKNOCK (Made in Heaven vol.36) Tokyo
Sep 25 LOVEBITES Zepp Haneda Night 1 Tokyo
Sep 25 HANABIE. CLUB RIVERST Niigata
Sep 26 BRIDEAR Zirco Tokyo Tokyo
Sep 26 LOVEBITES Zepp Haneda Night 2 Tokyo
Sep 27 Lonesome_Blue LIVEHOUSE enn 3rd Sendai
October 2026
Oct 3 BRIDEAR In The Family FEST 2026 Shibuya
Oct 3 Broken By The Scream THE GAME Tokyo
Oct 3 TRiDENT UNIT Tokyo
Oct 4 LOVEBITES Zepp KL Kuala Lumpur
Oct 4 Lonesome_Blue OSAKA MUSE Osaka
Oct 9 HANABIE. Cave-Be Hiroshima
Oct 11 BRIDEAR Kichijoji Shuwawa Tokyo
Oct 11 ZILQY Kashiwa PALOOZA Kashiwa
Oct 12 NEMOPHILA / TRiDENT / East Of Eden / NEK! EX THEATER ROPPONGI (Ten-Fes) Tokyo
Oct 12 ZILQY Sendai LIVE & CLUB MACANA Sendai
Oct 18 HANABIE. Nagoya ReNY limited Nagoya
Oct 24 ZILQY Kobe VARIT. Kobe
Oct 24 LOVEBITES Pia Arena MM Yokohama
Oct 25 ZILQY Nagoya ell.FITS ALL Nagoya
Oct 30 HANABIE. BIG CAT Osaka
November 2026
Nov 1 BAND-MAID COMTEC PORTBASE Nagoya
Nov 3 BAND-MAID Namba Hatch Osaka
Nov 7 HANABIE. BESSIE HALL Sapporo
Nov 13 BAND-MAID Nippon Budokan Tokyo
Nov 14 Broken By The Scream HOLIDAYNEXT Nagoya
Nov 14 ZILQY Fukuoka INSA Fukuoka
Nov 14 HANABIE. OP's Fukuoka
Nov 14 BAND-MAID Nippon Budokan Tokyo
Nov 15 ZILQY Fukuoka INSA Fukuoka
Nov 28 Broken By The Scream CLUB CITTA' (MIXED HELL 2026 Second) Kawasaki
Nov 28 ZILQY OSAKA MUSE Osaka
Nov 28 HANABIE. Rensa Sendai
December 2026
Dec 12 HANABIE. Zepp Shinjuku Tokyo
Dec 16 ZILQY Zepp Shinjuku Tokyo
January 2027
Jan 9 TRiDENT Nagoya Jammin' Nagoya
Jan 16 TRiDENT Muse Box Osaka
February 2027
Feb 13 TRiDENT LIQUIDROOM Tokyo

Recommended Trip Windows

Optimized multi-band itineraries based on the band roster's known dates.

Most bands in one trip
Summer Sonic Week — Osaka + Tokyo
August 14–23, 2026 · 7 watch-list bands

Aug 14: Summer Sonic — Osaka (Expo '70 Park). BABYMETAL curates the SONIC METAL STAGE.

Aug 16: Summer Sonic — Chiba/Tokyo (Makuhari Messe). BABYMETAL, BAND-MAID and ZILQY all on the bill the same day.

Aug 22: Tokyo club night — ZILQY @ Spotify O-EAST + Broken By The Scream @ CLUB SEATA (TRiDENT plays Osaka the same night).

Aug 23: SiM at Wild Bunch Fest (Yamaguchi) or Unlucky Morpheus @ Ebisu Garden Hall (Tokyo) — pick your side.

Why this one: one festival weekend hands you three marquee bands at once, then the Tokyo club circuit fills the rest of the week. Base in Tokyo; the Osaka Summer Sonic day is a 2.5-hour shinkansen day-trip.

BABYMETALBAND-MAIDZILQYTRiDENTBroken By The ScreamSiMUnlucky Morpheus
Autumn convergence
LOVEBITES Finale + Rock in Japan Week
September 21–28, 2026 · 5 watch-list bands

Sep 21: SiM at Rock in Japan Festival (Chiba); LOVEBITES @ Niigata Lots the same night.

Sep 24: Broken By The Scream @ Shibuya Cyclone — Tokyo.

Sep 25: LOVEBITES @ Zepp Haneda (Tokyo) + HANABIE @ CLUB RIVERST (Niigata) + SiM (Nagoya).

Sep 26: LOVEBITES Outstanding Tour FINALE @ Zepp Haneda — Tokyo.

Why this one: the LOVEBITES tour finale anchors a Tokyo week where HANABIE, SiM and BBTS are all within reach, and Rock in Japan opens it with a festival day.

LOVEBITESSiMHANABIE.Broken By The ScreamTRiDENT
Festival-dense weekend
Ten-Fes Weekend — Tokyo hub
October 3–12, 2026 · 6 watch-list bands

Oct 3: TRiDENT + Broken By The Scream both play Tokyo (Shibuya).

Oct 9–10: HANABIE 2-Man Tour — Hiroshima, then Kochi.

Oct 11: ZILQY @ Kashiwa PALOOZA (Chiba).

Oct 12 (the payoff): NEMOPHILA's Ten-Fes @ EX Theater Roppongi with TRiDENT — plus FATE GEAR at Tachikawa and ZILQY in Sendai the same day.

Why this one: NEMOPHILA's all-women Ten-Fes is a multi-band bill by itself; cluster the days around it and you sweep six bands without leaving the Tokyo orbit.

NEMOPHILATRiDENTHANABIE.ZILQYFATE GEARBroken By The Scream
Once-in-a-lifetime
BAND-MAID Budokan Farewell
November 13–15, 2026 · the last-ever shows + 3 more bands

Nov 13: BAND-MAID @ Nippon Budokan Night 1 (opener NEK!); HANABIE @ Kagoshima the same night.

Nov 14: BAND-MAID @ Nippon Budokan Night 2 — their FINAL show before hiatus (they return in 2028). ZILQY @ Fukuoka, HANABIE @ Fukuoka and Broken By The Scream @ Nagoya are all this night too.

Nov 15: ZILQY @ Fukuoka Night 2.

Why this one: the Budokan finale is the anchor — if BAND-MAID matters to you, this is the trip, and everything else clusters into the same 48 hours.

BAND-MAID (FINAL)ZILQYHANABIE.Broken By The Scream

2026 Festivals

Major events featuring bands from the watch list.

Summer Sonic 2026 (25th Anniversary)

Aug 14 · Osaka (Expo '70 Park) + Aug 16 · Chiba/Tokyo (Makuhari Messe / ZOZO Marine)

BABYMETAL curates the SONIC METAL STAGE at both cities (their 15th anniversary). BAND-MAID and ZILQY are also on the bill. The two-city format runs Osaka and Tokyo on alternating days, so touring acts play both. Overall headliners: The Strokes, L'Arc-en-Ciel, Jamiroquai. The single densest day for the watch list all year.

Rock in Japan Festival 2026

September 21 · Soga Sports Park, Chiba

SiM confirmed. One of Japan's largest rock festivals, on the Tokyo side in Chiba — a clean anchor for a late-September Tokyo trip.

NEMOPHILA "Ten-Fes"

October 12 · EX Theater Roppongi, Tokyo

NEMOPHILA-hosted all-women "split concert" — the counterpart to last year's Jigoku Fes ("Hell Fest"). Confirmed with NEMOPHILA: TRiDENT, East Of Eden and NEK!. A multi-band watch-list bill in one Roppongi room.

Wild Bunch Fest + Rush Ball

Aug 23 · Yamaguchi / Aug 30 · Osaka

SiM confirmed at both. Two of the big late-summer Japanese rock festivals — useful if you extend the Summer Sonic week westward.

Full Metal Japan 2026 (Wacken family)

October 24 · Pia Arena MM, Yokohama

LOVEBITES confirmed, Day 1. The Japanese edition of the Wacken festival family, in Yokohama just outside Tokyo.

Heavy Kawaii Fes 2026

July 31 – August 2 · Meijiza, Tokyo

3-day idol-metal festival. Day 3 (Aug 2): METALVERSE x KOIAI. Lands right before Summer Sonic — stack them if you fly in early.

Travel Intel

Everything you need to navigate Japan as a metalhead.

Buying Tickets

Japan's three major platforms all require a Japanese phone number for SMS verification:

  • e+ (eplus) — "e+ International" portal for select events (no JP phone needed), ~5% coverage
  • Ticket Pia — partners with 7-Eleven / FamilyMart for in-store pickup
  • Lawson Ticket — use Loppi machines at any Lawson

Strategy: Get a Japanese SIM card at the airport, register accounts, buy during general sale at convenience store machines.

Japan Rail Pass

  • 7-day: ¥50,000 (~$345)
  • 14-day: ¥80,000
  • 21-day: ¥100,000

The 21-day pass is ideal for chasing the full LOVEBITES September tour across 8 cities. A 7-day pass covers the Nagoya→Osaka→Tokyo corridor for shorter trips.

Where to Stay

  • Shibuya (Tokyo) — #1 pick. Walk to WWW, WWW X, Star Lounge, O-EAST, Club Quattro
  • Shinjuku (Tokyo) — Near ANTIKNOCK, Loft. Major transport hub
  • Shinsaibashi/Namba (Osaka) — Near OSAKA MUSE, Zepp Osaka, Hokage metal bar

For Zepp Haneda shows: stay near Haneda Airport or Kamata station (10 min walk).

Metal Spots

  • GODZ (Shinjuku) — Best metal bar in Japan
  • Hokage (Osaka) — Metalhead pub, touring bands hang out here
  • Disk Union (Shibuya/Shinjuku) — Multi-floor record shops, massive metal sections
  • Tower Records Shibuya — 9 floors. The metal floor is a pilgrimage

September Weather

  • Temp: 23–30°C (73–86°F), hotter early month
  • Humidity: High. Feels like 35°C. Muggy indoor venues
  • Typhoons: 1–2 per month. Can disrupt Shinkansen for half a day
  • Pack: Light clothes, rain jacket, portable fan, waterproof phone case

Key Links to Monitor

  • lovebites.jp/shows — LOVEBITES schedule
  • bandmaid.tokyo — BAND-MAID official
  • babymetal.com — BABYMETAL tour page
  • metalverse-world.com — METALVERSE
  • zilqy.com/tour — ZILQY
  • nemophila.tokyo/en/live — NEMOPHILA
  • hanabietour.com — HANABIE
  • japanconcerttickets.com — Aggregator (English)

Dates pull live from concerts.json on each build. Past shows trim to last 7 days. Stay heavy.