The Hakuba International Music Festival returns for its 24th edition, running three evenings from Thursday July 30th to Saturday August 1, 2026.

Since 1995, this event has been fueled entirely by the passion of an all-volunteer team and musicians who generously donate their time. For viewers, this creates a uniquely intimate experience. The event features a rare program blending European chamber music with the koto, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument, all hosted in a cozy concert hall and followed by a post-concert reception where you can chat directly with the performers.

The festival’s core ensemble brings together musicians from Japan, France, Switzerland, and Russia, several with ties to the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande:

• Mieko Miyazaki — koto
• Julia Deit-Ferrand — mezzo-soprano
• Fabrizio Chiovetta — piano
• Leonid Baranov — violin
• Yumi Kubo — violin
• Verena Schweizer — viola
• Olivier Morel — cello
• Hiroyuki Kawamichi — music director

For anyone staying in Hakuba over the last week of July, this is a rare chance to catch international-caliber chamber music in an intimate setting.