METROCK (Tokyo Metropolitan Rock Festival)

Launched in 2013, this open-air urban rock festival is held every May, with a Tokyo leg on the waterfront at Umi-no-Mori Park and a companion event in Osaka. Its lineup mixes independent Japanese rock, mainstream J-pop and a handful of international acts across several stages. Its urban, waterside setting offers a more accessible alternative to Japan's rural, campsite-based rock festivals.