Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival 2026 Tickets in Matsumoto

Getting tickets for the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival 2026 is a treat for anyone who loves classical music. This big event happens every summer in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. It started back in 1992 thanks to the conductor Seiji Ozawa. The festival brings together musicians from all over the world to perform in the beautiful city of Matsumoto. The stunning nature of Shinshu makes it a more special place to enjoy the music. The star of the show is the world-renowned Saito Kinen Orchestra. They put on a variety of performances. You can hear everything from symphonies, to smaller chamber pieces. There are also educational events that everyone can enjoy. It’s a chance to soak up some incredible music in a truly beautiful setting.

The festival is a deal in Japans classical performing arts world. It started out as the Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto. Later they changed the name to honor Seiji Ozawa. He was one of the founders and the director for a time. His hard work brought notch orchestral performances to Nagano. The heart of the festival is the Saito Kinen Orchestra. This group brings together some of Japans musicians. They play in orchestras here and abroad. They also perform with artists. The Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Executive Committee puts on the festival. It gets lots of support from the community and music fans all over Japan. The main shows happen in spots, around Matsumoto. You can catch them at the Kissei Bunka Hall and The Harmony Hall.

The 2026 edition showcases orchestral milestones and celebratory programming. The Orchestra Concert series presents two mainstage programs at the Kissei Bunka Hall Main Hall. Program A brings Olivier Messiaens 20th‑century work, the Turangalîla Symphony to life through the Saito Kinen Orchestra conducted by OMF Principal Guest Conductor Nodoka Okisawa with solo performances by Keigo Mukawa on piano and Setsu Harada on Ondes Martenot. Program B introduces conductor François‑Xavier Roth for the time, at the festival François‑Xavier Roth leads the Saito Kinen Orchestra through Anton Bruckners Symphony No. 8 in C minor (Haas edition) offering a mix of historical insight and contemporary interpretation.

Besides the orchestral performances the festival puts on the Friendship Concert series at Matsumoto City The Harmony Hall. The 2026 chamber series marks the anniversary of the passing of famous Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. I love how this festival brings people together.

Friendship Concert I matched pieces by Maurice Ravel with Takemitsu’s “A Way and “Entre‑Temps.” Friendship Concert I was played by a group that had violinists Federico Agostini, Nana Hayashi, Julian Zulman and Tatsuya Yabe violist Koichi Yokomizo cellists Sumire Kudo, Dai Miyata and Hiroyasu Yamamoto oboist Philippe Tondle and pianist Keigo Mukawa.

Friendship Concert II matched Takemitsu’s “Air”. And I Knew It Was the Wind” with pieces, by Claude Debussy. Friendship Concert II featured violinists Jennifer Gilbert and Chisako Naoe, violists Yoshiko Kawamoto and Yasushi Toyoshima cellists Dai Miyata and Nobuko Yamazaki flautist Sebastian Jacot clarinetist Ricardo Morales, pianist Keigo Mukawa and harpist Naoko Yoshino.

The chamber series ends with Fureai Concert III, called “The Collaboration,” where trumpet organ and viola are played in an instrumental setting. Gábor Tarkövi, Atsushi Takahashi, Yoshiko Kawamoto and Mari Oki perform a range of pieces by Handel, J.S. Bach, Telemann, Vivaldi, Heiler and Hindemith. The festival also supports talent by presenting the OMF Chamber Music Study Session Woodwind Ensemble at Agata-no-Mori Cultural Hall. The OMF Chamber Music Study Session Woodwind Ensemble features woodwind players who were chosen through auditions and they show the results of hard training, under master teachers Fumiaki Miyamoto, Masaharu Yamamoto, Sho Yoshida and Masayuki Naoi.

The chamber series ends with Fureai Concert III, called “The Collaboration,” where trumpet organ and viola are played in an instrumental setting. Gábor Tarkövi, Atsushi Takahashi, Yoshiko Kawamoto and Mari Oki perform a range of pieces by Handel, J.S. Bach, Telemann, Vivaldi, Heiler and Hindemith. The festival also supports talent by presenting the OMF Chamber Music Study Session Woodwind Ensemble at Agata-no-Mori Cultural Hall. The OMF Chamber Music Study Session Woodwind Ensemble features woodwind players who were chosen through auditions and they show the results of hard training, under master teachers Fumiaki Miyamoto, Masaharu Yamamoto, Sho Yoshida and Masayuki Naoi.

Dates and venues

Sunday, 16 August 2026 – Matsumoto City Agata-no-Mori Cultural Hall Auditorium, Matsumoto

OMF Chamber Music Study Session – Woodwind Ensemble. All seats unreserved.

Saturday, 22 August 2026 – Kissei Culture Hall Main Hall, Matsumoto

Orchestra Concert Program A: Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony. Conducted by Nodoka Okisawa with the Saito Kinen Orchestra. Reserved seating by tier.

Sunday, 23 August 2026 – Kissei Culture Hall Main Hall, Matsumoto

Orchestra Concert Program A: Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony. Conducted by Nodoka Okisawa with the Saito Kinen Orchestra. Reserved seating by tier.

Tuesday, 25 August 2026 – Matsumoto City The Harmony Hall, Matsumoto

Friendship Concert I: Ravel and Toru Takemitsu. All seats reserved.

Friday, 28 August 2026 – Matsumoto City The Harmony Hall, Matsumoto

Friendship Concert II: Debussy and Toru Takemitsu. All seats reserved.

Saturday, 29 August 2026 – Kissei Culture Hall Main Hall, Matsumoto

Orchestra Concert Program B: Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8. Conducted by François-Xavier Roth with the Saito Kinen Orchestra. Reserved seating by tier.

Sunday, 30 August 2026 – Kissei Culture Hall Main Hall, Matsumoto

Orchestra Concert Program B: Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8. Conducted by François-Xavier Roth with the Saito Kinen Orchestra. Reserved seating by tier.

Wednesday, 2 September 2026 – Matsumoto City The Harmony Hall, Matsumoto

Fureai Concert III: The Collaboration (Trumpet x Organ x Viola). All seats reserved.

The price for each date is confirmed when you ask, because seats and availability change. We give you a real‑time quote when you contact our team. Children who are not yet in school cannot attend these shows. Tickets are sold through a ticketing system.

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Venue & access

• Kissei Culture Hall (Nagano Prefectural Matsumoto Cultural Hall): Located near the Alps Park area in Matsumoto City, accessible via local bus routes from Matsumoto Station.
• Matsumoto City The Harmony Hall: Situated in the southern part of Matsumoto City, accessible via short local train or bus connections from central Matsumoto Station.
• Matsumoto City Agata-no-Mori Cultural Hall: Located adjacent to Agata-no-Mori Park, within walking distance or a short bus ride from Matsumoto Station.