Checklist of seven: Finest Japanese Music Festivals this Summer season

It has been a irritating couple of years for music followers in Japan with so many occasions being canceled. Happily, issues appear to now be again on monitor. Regardless of the document variety of Covid circumstances, the central authorities says there aren’t any rapid plans to return to restrictions noticed throughout earlier waves of the virus. So long as issues keep that means, there needs to be a lot to stay up for within the coming weeks and months. This is a have a look at a number of the greatest and finest Japanese music festivals this summer time.

1. Fuji Rock

Japan’s most well-known music pageant is situated nowhere close to the enduring mountain it is named after. It was initially, although, again in 1997. Purple Scorching Chili Peppers have been the headliners on the opening night time on the Fuji Tenjinyama Ski Resort in Yamanashi Prefecture. Lead singer Anthony Kiedis had a damaged arm and a storm threatened to place a halt to proceedings. They performed on, although, in a present that has gone down in music historical past. The next night time was cancelled, nonetheless, as a result of excessive climate. The transfer to Tokyo in 1998 proved too humid, so a 12 months later the pageant discovered its house within the cooler mountains of Naeba in Niigata the place it has remained ever since.

Headlining the Inexperienced Stage this 12 months are Vampire Weekend, Jack White and Halsey. Different names to look out for in Naeba embody Mogwai, Foals, Cornelius, Tom Misch, The fin. and Bloodywood.

when: Jul 29–Aug 31

2. Rock in Japan

In distinction to festivals dominated by overseas acts like Fuji Rock, Rockin’On journal founder Yoichi Shibuya needed to create an occasion in Honshu led by Japanese teams. And so, he did, with Rock in Japan debuting in 2000. The primary 12 months, held in Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture, was a two-day occasion that includes simply 16 artists that was lower brief as a result of climate. Organizers, inspired by crowds of greater than 60,000, added a 3rd day the next 12 months. A fourth was added in 2014 and fifth in 2019 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary. Near 340,000 individuals attended three years in the past to see bands equivalent to Sekai no Owari, The Oral Cigarettes and Fragrance.

Amongst these acting on the opening weekend in 2022 are Yoasobi and King Gnu. From the eleventh to the thirteenth followers can see acts like Bump of Rooster, Hyde and One OK Rock.

when: Aug 6–Aug 13

3. Obtain Competition

Conceived as a follow-up to Monsters of Rock, the Obtain Competition was first held on the Donington Park motorsport circuit in Leicestershire in 2003. The big-scale heavy steel occasion ultimately spreads its wings past the UK, to international locations equivalent to France and Australia earlier than debuting in Japan in March 2019. Held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Ozzy Osbourne was introduced as the primary headliner however he pulled out due to pneumonia. Judas Priest then topped the invoice forward of bands equivalent to Sum 41 and Slayer. The 2020 occasion, slated to function the likes of My Chemical Romance, The Offspring and Jimmy Eat World, was canceled as a result of coronavirus pandemic.

This 12 months’s occasion can be headlined by Dream Theater and Bullet for My Valentine. Additionally scheduled to look are Mastodon, Metal Panther, Soulfly, On the Gates, Code Orange and The Halo Impact.

when: Aug 14

4. Rising Solar Competition

For the final twenty years, the Rising Solar Rock Competition has welcomed a number of the greatest names within the Japanese music trade. It kicked off in 1999 with acts equivalent to Ringo Sheena, Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, Dragon Ash and Sunny Day Service enjoying to crowds of round 26,500. Initially simply at some point and night time, it expanded to 2 in 12 months three. Since then, artists and bands like Eikichi Yazawa, Tomoyasu Hotei, Ken Yokoyama, Mr. Kids and LiSA have graced the principle stage. The most important attendance on the massive area in Ishikari, Hokkaido was round 80,000 in 2008. The second night time all the time finishes shortly after 4am, when the solar begins to rise, therefore the identify.

Acting on the Solar Stage on Friday are Asian Kung-Fu Technology, CreepHyp, Tremendous Beaver, Sumika and Yoasobi. Highlights on Saturday embody King Gnu, BiSH and Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra.

when: Aug 12–13

5. Summer season Sonic (and Sonic Mania)

With Fuji Rock having moved removed from Mount Fuji, Creativeman Productions CEO Naoki Shimizu felt there was a possibility to stage one other worldwide pageant close to Japan’s most well-known vacationer web site. He established Summer season Sonic in 2000 with one half of the occasion debuting at Yamanashi Prefecture’s Fuji-Q Highland amusement park and the opposite in Osaka. The opening weekend was headlined by Inexperienced Day and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Different huge names included James Brown and Weezer, whereas decrease down the listing have been up-and-coming bands like Muse, Sigur Rós and Coldplay. The next 12 months, the pageant was moved to Chiba. Sonic Mania, an all-night musical feast on the eve of the principle occasion, debuted in 2011.

Headline acts this 12 months on the Marine Stage in Chiba and the Ocean Stage in Osaka are Put up Malone and The 1975. Primal Scream will carry out the Screamadelica album at Sonic Mania.

when: Aug 20–21 (Sonic Mania takes place on Aug 19)

6. Music Circus

An upbeat pageant that includes a spread of DJs, bands and solo artists, Music Circus launched within the spring of 2014 on the Kobe Worldwide Exhibition Corridor. Greater than 50 acts carried out throughout 5 phases together with the likes of Steve Aoki, Showtek, Cedric Gervais and Deorro. In 2016, the pageant moved to Tarui Southern Seaside in Sennan Metropolis, Osaka, a synthetic white sand seaside with palm bushes throughout the water from Kansai Worldwide Airport. Described as the most important seaside celebration in western Japan, can splash round within the water or get pleasure from a barbecue whereas listening to some high-quality music. After sundown the Senshu Firework Competition illuminates the sky above.

DJs performing this 12 months embody Jeffrey Sutorius, Yellow Claw, Banvox and former Exile member, DJ Makidai. Different names to look out for embody AwichAklo, Electrical Dragon Japan and Cream.

when: Aug 27–28

7. Extremely Japan

Whereas Japan’s summer time season is alleged to be between June and the top of August, it is nonetheless typically highly regarded in mid-September when Extremely Japan takes place, so we’ll embody this one within the listing too. It started in Miami in 1999 earlier than changing into a worldwide occasion when it debuted in São Paulo, Brazil in 2008. The primary Extremely Japan pageant happened in 2014 at Odaiba Extremely Park II in Tokyo. That 12 months was dominated by Dutch DJs equivalent to Martin Garrix, Hardwell, W&W, Fedde Le Grand and Afrojack. Huge names which have featured since embody Underworld, David Guetta, Carl Cox, Steve Aoki, Empire of the Solar and The Chainsmokers.

The lineup for 2022 has but to be introduced.

when: Sep 17–18