While major Tokyo-area music festivals like Ultra Japan and Summer Sonic take place in the sweltering summer months, one festival is all about bringing the party to the snow. The winter music event Snow Machine will make a return to Nagano’s Hakuba in March 2026, combining mountain sports and live performances in one alpine celebration.
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The multi-day music event, which made an impressive debut in 2020, is set to return in 2026 for a five-day celebration from March 3 to 8. It’s taking place at the ski resorts of Hakuba, famed for its powder snow and consistent snowfall. Festivalgoers can carve through fresh powder and catch live sets at on-mountain stages by day, then head to the main arena at night for high-energy performances and après-ski parties. Hakuba is about three hours from Tokyo: take the Hokuriku shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Nagano (host city of the 1998 Winter Olympics), followed by a one-hour bus ride to the resort area.
Expect a wave of talented artists on the line-up, including several prominent DJs from Australia’s music scene, who’ll be bringing a mix of genres from EDM to hip-hop. The list of performers currently includes Hannah Laing, Cyril, Gorgon City, Bag Raiders, Steve Aoki, Hiroko Yamamura and CYK Tokyo – just to name a few.
There are two ways to experience Snow Machine, depending on how far you want to dive into the slopes, the beats, or your wallet. The first is a four-day festival-only access pass, priced at AUD521 (about ¥51,859). The second is the Festival Package, which bundles the four-day festival passes with ski lift passes, lodging and access to smaller official after-parties. Prices for this plan vary depending on the lodging and length of stay, but all package bookings require a non-refundable deposit of AUD399 (about ¥39,653).
Book your passes directly on the official site, while supplies last.
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