We went to the “Bshop Music Festival” again this year, held at Meriken Park in Kobe—the birthplace of the Kobe-based boutique “Bshop.” Since we also attended the very first festival there the year before last, we’re absolutely thrilled to be back here again.
And actually, in Tokyo, precipitation had been recorded for 37 consecutive days up until the day before—breaking the longest streak on record since statistics began—so I was absolutely thrilled to finally see some sunshine after so long. Or rather, it was way too sunny. Despite that, the reporting team—who had forgotten their hats—rushed over to the fashion market booths and bought bandanas for sun protection at *KIJIMA TAKAYUKI*.
Well, now that we’re all set, let’s take a stroll through Meriken Park, which is surrounded by the ocean on 270 degrees. It’s a fantastic location—look up and you’ll see Kobe’s landmarks: the red Port Tower and the Maritime Museum with its white roof. With the ocean right before your eyes, you can see the Kobe Bridge to the east, Harborland to the west, and Port Island and Kobe Airport to the south.
And since the festival is set in an urban yet lush green space, you can relax on the grass while listening to music, take a nap in the shade of the trees, or enjoy the event however you like—that’s the biggest appeal of this festival. Since the “TOWER STAGE” and “SEA STAGE” aren’t too far apart, it’s also great that you can always be immersed in a sea of sound no matter where you are in the park.
Reiya Terakubo *Official Photo*
Just as we finished our stroll through the park, trumpeter and singer-songwriter Reiya Terakubo appeared on the SEA STAGE as the opening act. He performed as part of a trio this time, treating us to a pleasant, rich sound under the clear blue sky.
YONA YONA WEEKENDERS ※Official Photo
After lunch, YONA YONA WEEKENDERS took the stage. Their signature “mellow music that makes beer taste even better” was as good as ever. With the area in front of the stage packed to the brim, they led the crowd in their customary toast! They delivered a performance full of camaraderie in a cozy, homey atmosphere that felt just like a drinking party.
Night Tempo *Official Photo*
Next, the crowd moved to the TOWER STAGE, which overlooks the Port Tower, for Night Tempo’s set, where they fired off one classic after another—songs that reimagined 1980s Japanese city pop and idol pop with a four-on-the-floor beat. We were treated to a lethal dose of Showa-era nostalgia, including Hiromi Go’s signature song “Oyome Samba,” Yuma Nakamura’s “Dang Dang Kiniaru”—best known as the theme song for the gourmet anime *Oishinbo*—and Anri’s “Kanashimi ga Tomaranai.”
cero *Official Photo*
Next up was another set by cero at the SEA STAGE. This time, I enjoyed the show at a leisurely pace from the “SPECIAL CHILL AREA,” a special viewing area designed for a relaxed and comfortable experience. Since their music is a personal favorite for road trips that I listen to every day, their soothing beats and live vocals really tugged at my heartstrings.
SIRUP *Official Photo*
SIRUP took the stage, showcasing a lustrous, sultry voice and a laid-back, chill sound. The set featured a lineup of classic tracks, including their signature mellow tune “LOOP,” the live favorite “SWIM,” and the closing number “Do Well.”
When it comes to festivals, delicious food is one of the highlights. In the food area, which brought together 22 vendors from all over the country, even we—who usually make up our minds instantly—couldn’t help but be spoiled for choice.
After much deliberation, I decided on a hot dog made with curry from “THE SPICE Co.”—a specialty spice curry shop located in Kumihama-cho, Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture—and homemade sausages from “METZGEREI KUSUDA,” stone-oven pizza from “Fujiwara Fish Market uRashiMa,” chicken rice from “New Oriental,” and chicken mandi (Middle Eastern spiced rice) from “Shihō Shokuten.”
Other vendors included “Aisen,” famous for its Nagoya specialty Taiwan Ramen; “Harlow ICE CREAM,” a craft ice cream shop originally from Kobe; and the specialty coffee brand “BLUE BOTTLE COFFEE.” Additionally, thanks to a connection with a friend of the “Bishop” staff, “chez moe” made a special appearance from France to serve natural wines. Since festival-goers could enjoy authentic wines at the event, this booth was a huge hit, selling out before nightfall.
I’ve been to countless festivals over the years, but there’s no doubt this one had the highest-quality lineup of food vendors I’ve ever seen. Not only was the lineup of performing artists stellar, but I even found myself thinking, “You definitely won’t regret going just for the meticulously curated food area!”
At the “SPECIAL CHILL AREA” mentioned earlier, there’s a great service where you can order whatever you want to eat at the counter, and someone—commonly known as a “rider”—will deliver it all to you, so you’d be crazy not to take advantage of it. I was able to fully enjoy feeling like a “festival celebrity” for a little while, without having to feel frustrated thinking, “But my favorite artist’s concert is coming up next!”
As you’d expect from an event organized by “Bishop,” the fashion market booths are impressive. This year, a total of 12 brands—including 〈THE NORTH FACE〉, 〈ORCIVAL〉, 〈NEAT〉, 〈Oblada〉, and 〈KIJIMA TAKAYUKI〉—a total of 12 brands. Each brand showcased popular items, including commemorative merchandise for the Bishop Music Festival 2026.
〈Oblada〉 〈Takayuki Kijima〉
“Under the concept ”Post Heritage – Creating the Vintage of the Future –,” Oblada offers caps and T-shirts featuring eye-catching prints, and at the KIJIMA TAKAYUKI offered items such as the original bandana commemorating the Bishop Music Festival 2026 pictured here, as well as items exclusive to their Tokyo flagship store and headwear from their archive collection.
〈ORCIVAL〉 〈THE NORTH FACE〉
In addition to merchandise sales, there were plenty of workshop areas where visitors could enjoy themselves between live performances. At 〈ORCIVAL〉, they held a silkscreen workshop where participants could have illustrations by artist MORIHARU printed on the spot, and many visitors were creating their own unique pieces.
At *The North Face*, there’s a challenge station where you have to pack your gear properly into a backpack within a set time limit! Our reporting team unfortunately failed the challenge, but events like this where you can learn by doing are really great, aren’t they?
*Official Photo*
The official shop “Bishop Store,” stocked with festival essentials like caps, towels, and bandanas, also had a huge line! This time, the shop was lined with a wide array of merchandise designed by two creators: Tadashi Nishiwaki and Kai Funayama.
〈NEAT〉
At the 〈NEAT〉 booth—which was back for its second consecutive year—Daishi Nishino was on hand. The booth mainly featured the “NEAT HOUSE” regional caps—the “Kobe Tower Version 2” and the “Ganbarou KOBE” caps—which had also been sold at the previous event. Mr. Nishino, wearing one of the caps himself, was hard at work as a salesperson.
When I learned about this heartwarming initiative—where all proceeds from the sale of “Ganbarou KOBE” caps are donated to the NPO “Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake 1.17 Light of Hope”—I vowed to myself that no matter how much time passes, we must never let the memory of the earthquake fade.
Here are our usual snapshots of festival-goers from the “Bishop Music Festival.” As a special treat this time, we also asked the five members of YONA YONA WEEKENDERS, Reiya Terakubo, and Movy-kun—the official mascot of Vissel Kobe (along with his partner, the older sister)—to join us. Thank you so much for agreeing to be in the photos!
UA *Official Photo*
Before I knew it, the sun had set, and we were plunged into the nightlife of the port city of Kobe. As I glanced around, I noticed a stream of people heading toward the SEA STAGE. And there she was: UA, who celebrated the 30th anniversary of her debut last year. With a setlist that really tugged at my heartstrings—including “Milk Tea,” “Sand on My Skirt,” and the closing number “Sweet Destiny”—I was captivated by her powerful vocals from start to finish.
never young beach ※Official Photo
And the grand finale was the long-awaited Never Young Beach. They kicked things off with “Larirariran,” which had been making waves thanks to their collaborative music video with Puppet Sunsun! With songs like “Chotto Matte yo,” “Natsu no Dokidoki,” and “Dou mo Ii kedo”—happy tunes that really hit home for us as we’re still clinging to summer—and heartfelt tracks like “Hasu wa Saku” and “Da yo,” we were overjoyed! During the final song, “Da yo,” the entire audience joined in a massive sing-along to the line “Daisuki da yo.” Then, with the encore song “Farewell Song,” it was truly time to say goodbye. Combined with the beauty of Kobe’s night view, it really tugged at my heartstrings.
*Official Photo*
Although 2026 was a year when the summery atmosphere was somewhat overshadowed by bad weather, the “Bishop Music Festival 2026” came to a resounding close under clear skies—with not a hint of worry about rain. Kobe is a city I fall more in love with every time I visit. I’m sure the next one will be here too!
Photo_Tatsuki Nakata
Edit & Text_Akiko Maeda
