Kobe City: [KOBE International Music Festival 2025 Student Participation Performance] The 40th JAPAN

Press Release (August 1, 2025)
(Kobe Civic Cultural Foundation)

The Japan Student Jazz Festival, a big band festival for junior high and high school students, will be held at the Kobe Bunka Hall for three days from August 15 to 17, 2025. This year’s festival will be a student participation performance of the “KOBE International Music Festival 2025,” and will feature performances with heart and soul.

The festival, now in its 40th year, aims to nurture the sound development of middle and high school students through jazz and to create exchanges among student musicians from all over Japan. The 37 junior high and high school student bands selected from all over Japan will compete with the results of their daily practice, and will give a passionate performance on stage, including guest performances by professional musicians.

Outline of the event

• Dates: Friday, August 15 – Sunday, August 17, 2025
• Venue: Kobe Bunka Hall Main Hall
• Organizers: Japan Association for Jazz Education in Schools (JAJE) Kansai Headquarters / Kobe City, Kobe Citizens Cultural Promotion Foundation

Schedule for each day

• August 15 (Fri): 11:30 (Doors open at 11:00) Junior High School Section
• August 16 (Sat): 11:30 (doors open 11:00) High School Students (1st day)
• August 17 (Sun): 11:30 (doors open 11:00) High School Students (2nd day)

Performing groups

• Junior High School 14 groups
• High School 23 groups

Guest Artists

• 15th: Koyo Jazz Course Instructor Band featuring Yuu Fujiyoshi (As) & Mirai Hirose (Tp)
• 16th: Osaka College of Music Select Band, Modern Times Big Band with Yoko Koizumi (Vo)
• 17th: Koyo & Berklee Lecturer Band + Hideaki Nakaji (Tb), Akira Nonomura & The Global Jazz Orchestra

Ticket Information

• General: 1-day ticket 1,500 yen / 3-day ticket 3,000 yen
• Junior high and high school students: 500 yen for 3-day ticket
• Elementary school students and younger: Free of charge
• Sales location: Kobe Bunka Hall Play Guide

Related Information

• City Event Page (Odekake KOBE)
• KOBE International Music Festival 2025 official website
• Event flyer (PDF: 1,910KB)