Japanese music is heading to Europe. matsuri ’26: Japanese Music Experience LONDON, the overseas showcase from the organizers of MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, will hold its first European show on Monday, December 14, 2026 at Outernet Live near London’s Tottenham Court Road station, with Hitsujibungaku, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Otoboke Beaver on the bill. Tickets are on sale now through Live Nation.
What is matsuri?
matsuri is run by MUSIC WAY PROJECT, a joint initiative between the Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA), which organizes MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, and TOYOTA GROUP. The project aims to give Japanese artists with international appeal new stages abroad. Its first edition took place in Los Angeles in March 2025 with Ado, ATARASHII GAKKO! and YOASOBI. According to CEIPA’s official media outlet OTOMO, a Bangkok show, the series’ first in Asia, is planned for February 2027. A JETRO co-hosted industry networking event called “tsudoi” is also set for the day of the London show.
The lineup
Hitsujibungaku, the duo of Moeka Shiotsuka and Yurika Kasai, broke through worldwide with “more than words,” the ending theme of Jujutsu Kaisen’s Shibuya Incident Arc, which Anime Corner reports has passed 200 million streams. The band has also performed themes for The Heike Story, Oshi no Ko Season 2 and Secrets of the Silent Witch, and is attached to the upcoming anime Inherit the Winds.
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, the Harajuku pop icon who debuted in 2011, has completed five world tours and played Coachella in 2022. In a statement, she said she was excited to return to London “for the first time in a year” and to share the stage with “such a wonderfully diverse group of Japanese female artists.”
Otoboke Beaver, the Kyoto punk band formed in 2009, has played Glastonbury, Coachella and Lollapalooza and toured the US with Red Hot Chili Peppers. This year the band welcomed new drummer Leo (Emi), formerly of Shonen Knife. The band signed off its announcement with a promise to fans: “See you under the mirror ball!”
For anime fans in the UK, it is a rare chance to hear the voice behind a Jujutsu Kaisen ending live, alongside two of Japan’s most distinctive live acts.
Source: Anime Corner
