STARS ON 26 has announced the first batch of performers for its October festival in Okayama Prefecture. Kanekoayano, YOGEE NEW WAVES, and ZAZEN BOYS will headline the event, with additional artists to be revealed later.

The festival takes place on October 11 at Chūsei Yume ga Hara in Bisei Town, Okayama—a region celebrated for its pristine starry skies. Gates open at 10:30 a.m., with performances beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are already on sale to the general public.

The concept behind STARS ON centers on creating a unique connection between music and nature. Organizers describe the vision as bringing together exceptional artists and an incomparable setting so that attendees can pause, look up at the night sky, and rediscover what it means to witness a blanket of stars. It's the kind of experience increasingly rare in urban Japan, where light pollution has made clear night skies harder to find.

Bisei Town has earned its reputation as "the village of stars" (hoshi no sato) through serious commitment to preserving dark skies—it's even home to Japan's first "Dark Sky Park." STARS ON leverages this natural advantage, positioning the festival as more than just a music event but an opportunity to reconnect with something often overlooked in daily life.

With kanekoayano's indie-pop sensibility, YOGEE NEW WAVES' eclectic energy, and ZAZEN BOYS' experimental approach, the initial lineup already suggests organizers are curating an artistically diverse program. The "and more" notation indicates the full roster will be substantial, likely appealing to fans across multiple genres.

For anyone interested in catching live music under a genuinely starlit sky, STARS ON 26 offers something genuinely different from the typical festival experience. As more artists are announced in the coming weeks, expect this event to draw music fans looking for both great performances and that rare chance to actually see the stars.