London are you ready for something special?! Takanaka will return to the UK following two O2 Academy Brixton shows (sold out in minutes), to perform an extended 2 hour show. the City Pop Festival will take place at the historic open-air venue Crystal Palace Bowl in South London. This marks the first time a major outdoor festival dedicated to Japanese music will be staged in the United Kingdom.
The line up recently announced the addition of Junko Yagami, a regular in the Japanese charts in the 70s and 80s, with a career spanning 25 albums to date. As well as Himiko Kikuchi, who will present a full recreation of her 1987 album ‘FLYING BEAGLE’, widely regarded as one of the defining records of Japan’s 1980s jazz fusion scene. And Ginger Root, a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter fronts a sound, self-proclaimed as: Aggressive elevator soul.
The festival forms part of Live Nation’s City Pop Waves series and sits within Palace Bowl Presents, a new summer programme at Crystal Palace Bowl running from July 31st to August 16th 2026. Established in 1961, Crystal Palace Bowl is a renowned outdoor venue with a rich musical legacy. Its former “Garden Party” concerts featured legendary artists such as Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys, Lou Reed, Curtis Mayfield, and Gil Scott-Heron. It is also known as the site of Bob Marley’s final London performance.
When: 7th August 2026
Where: Crystal Palace Bowl (London, UK)
Last Updated: 03/03/2026
