Mito International Music Festival

About

Concept

In October 2025, a new music festival will debut in Mito, with the goal of blending music and tourism. We’ll offer a variety of programs, so everyone can enjoy captivating artistic performances while also experiencing Mito’s rich tourism offerings. Between concerts, we encourage you to explore historic sites like Kairaku-en Garden and Kodokan, and savor Mito’s local cuisine for a truly fulfilling experience.

Kairaku-en, one of the three great gardens of Japan, and the scenic Senba Lake below offer beautiful, seasonal landscapes, providing visitors with a peaceful retreat. At Kodokan, you can immerse yourself in the culture of the Edo period with a leisurely stroll through history. And, of course, don’t miss the chance to indulge in Mito’s famous specialties, like ‘natto,’ ‘unagi(eel)’ and ‘Hitachi beef,’ so you can fully embrace the region’s unique charm alongside the music.

We hope you will join us for this special event, enjoying the perfect harmony of music and tourism in Mito.

Message from Keiko Tomita, General Producer

Europe, with its rich history and vibrant musical culture, hosts a variety of music festivals throughout the year in different regions. Music of all genres fills the air from street corners, offering people the chance to enjoy live performances in unique styles and fully experience the excitement they bring. Music lovers from around the world come together to savor the joy of music and travel, connecting with local communities (or people) along the way.

Could an uplifting music festival like this come to life in our hometown of Mito? With a desire to contribute to the growth of a city that enriches people’s lives, the idea for the Mito International Music Festival has taken shape. Mito is a city with a rich history and deep traditions. It has long been dedicated to city development with a focus on the arts. Regular artistic events take place at venues like the Mito Art Tower and Mito Civic Hall. At the same time, historical landmarks such as Kairaku-en Garden and Kodokan are preserved, alongside traditional performing arts like mikoshi (portable shrines), Mito taiko (traditional drums), and kagura (sacred Shinto music and dance). Moreover, nearby tourist spots like Oarai and Kasama offer visitors a variety of experiences. No other city holds as much potential as Mito to become a hub for international artistic exchange.

At the Mito International Music Festival, our goal is to invite prominent artists performing both in Japan and overseas, encourage interaction with local artists, and host workshops that give citizens the chance to engage with music. We especially want to provide children and young people, who represent the future, with plenty of opportunities to experience authentic art. By offering a diverse range of music programs across genres and organizing various events, both indoors and outdoors, in collaboration with local partners, we aim to create a festival that everyone, regardless of age, can enjoy.

We also hope to welcome visitors from both Japan and overseas, including inbound tourists, while showcasing Mito's charm as a cultural city on the global stage. By boosting inbound tourism, we aim to actively share the unique appeal of Mito with the world.

We believe the power of music will bring new life to the city, transforming Mito into a hub for international artistic exchange that captures the world’s attention. With your support and collaboration, we are excited to embark on this journey together. Stay tuned for what’s to come!

Message from Kaito Nakahori, General Director

In recent years, the fusion of arts, culture, and tourism in regional cities has thrived, thanks to strong collaboration with local communities. For example, the Toyooka Theatre Festival and Setouchi Triennale each showcase the region’s uniqueness through theatre and visual arts, offering visitors rich artistic experiences. The ability to enjoy both arts and tourism at the same time adds to the region’s appeal and has the potential to create synergistic effects. Similarly, the Mito International Music Festival seeks to expand cultural horizons by blending Mito’s diverse music scene with its rich tourism resources.

Japan is facing numerous social challenges, including population decline and shifts in international affairs. In these times, cultural and artistic exchange will play an increasingly important role in strengthening international bonds beyond politics and history. It should never be a closed entity; instead, it should remain open to the world and continue to evolve. To preserve Japan’s traditional arts, like Gagaku and Noh—some of the oldest art forms in the world—as well as European classical music, while also embracing innovation, it is essential to foster deep mutual understanding and exchange.

This year, as a pre-launch event, we will carry out the project over a short period, with the main event being the Theatre Opera “The Star Has No Sound – Clockwork Universe”— a co-production with the Toyooka Theatre Festival and Setouchi Triennale. In addition, we are planning a program that includes various types of music. Our goal is to create a diverse music festival that appeals to a wide range of genres, from traditional to avant- garde, while also incorporating elements of theatre and visual arts to add depth and variety. As the director, I sincerely hope this festival will become an important platform for fostering expression and exchange among artists of all kinds.

I have participated in various music festivals around the world as an artist, but nothing is more special than the moment when local people, visitors from both domestic and international backgrounds, and artists come together to share in a sense of celebration. Moreover, Mito is an incredibly attractive city with great potential, where arts and tourism thrive. I am truly looking forward to spending a wonderful time with all of you in Mito this autumn.