Fuji Rock's biggest lineup surprise? The debut of Tatsuro Yamashita.
The nation's premier summer music festival showcasing international acts in Japan, Fuji Rock will be held from July 25 to 27 at Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture.
Unlike previous years, where only headliners and a trickle of acts were revealed, this year's announcement featured a whopping 60 artists, ranging from overseas bands to domestic singer-songwriters. Other notable acts on the roster include Four Tet, Haim and Barry Can't Swim.
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Japan Times
2 days ago
- Japan Times
Hitsujibungaku's pop-fueled rise to stardom
Moeka Shiotsuka remembers being amped for the 2016 Fuji Rock Festival. That year's three-day summer gathering at Niigata Prefecture's Naeba Ski Resort featured two of her favorite artists — James Blake and Sigur Ros — performing on the Green Stage. The lead singer and guitarist of rock band Hitsujibungaku recalls just one detail stopping her from fully getting into the Fuji Rock spirit. 'I had to prepare for our own performance on the Rookie A Go-Go stage, starting Sunday night at 1 a.m.,' the 29-year-old musician tells The Japan Times from a Sony Music office in central Tokyo. 'So I was nervous for all three days.' Hitsujibungaku's set went smoothly, so much so that 'we didn't want the festival to end at that point.' At the 2025 edition of Fuji Rock, the group — consisting of Shiotsuka, bassist Yurika Kasai (who joined a year after the Rookie A Go-Go performance) and drummer Hiroa Fukuda, who has been on hiatus since May 2024 — finds itself as the penultimate act of Sunday night on the White Stage, ahead of American trio Haim. It's the band's fourth appearance at Fuji Rock and its most prominent spot yet. 'Since it will be at night, we've prepared beautiful lighting and visuals to go with it,' Shiotsuka says, adding that the performance will showcase songs from across the group's career, dating back to its 2012 beginnings. Hitsujibungaku's promotion to a more coveted slot mirrors its evolution from indie-rock darling to an unlikely cornerstone of Japanese music's current global expansion. That's a theme underlining Fuji Rock 2025. The most prominent Japanese acts set to perform this year represent the sonic variety that has defined J-pop in the 2020s. Hitsujibungaku's blur of alternative rock and shoegaze coexists with the frantic rap of Creepy Nuts and the chameleonic pop of Vaundy, among others. Not one act sounds alike — but they all have, somewhat unexpectedly, shaped Japan's musical identity on the global stage. '(Going to the United States) was like diving into a new world,' says Kasai regarding the unfamiliar cultures and behaviors the band encountered during its first U.S. tour held earlier this spring, marking one of the project's bigger international leaps. 'It was freeing. Nobody would care if I was like, skipping down the street. It's not unusual.' Just a week ahead of Fuji Rock, the band traveled to London to play the Hyper Japan festival and announced its first European tour for this October , coinciding with the release of a still-to-be-named album. Hitsujibungaku's slow and steady rise feels like a throwback in the current fast-moving social media age. The band emerged from the Tokyo livehouse ecosystem to something bigger, thanks to feedback-glazed songs. The trio's absorbing concerts coupled with critical acclaim for its 2018 debut full-length 'Wakamonotachi E' ('To The Youth') helped land a deal with Sony Music's F.C.L.S. imprint in 2020. A major label connection didn't just get Hitsujibungaku's hypnotic rock in front of domestic fans but also brought the trio to the world. Its anthemic 2023 song ' more than words ' served as the closing theme for the incredibly popular anime series 'Jujutsu Kaisen,' while the following year the group provided the chugging ' Burning ' for 'Oshi no Ko.' This gave Hitsujibungaku the chance to reach a wider listenership via anime, the chief delivery mechanism of J-pop in the 2020s. Yet it also presented challenges for the band. 'We never really wrote pop songs before. Previously, if 100 people were listening to our music and 30 of them liked it, that was fine. But with a pop song, you have to please all 100,' Shiotsuka says, also noting that deadlines for these bigger projects can be hectic. This reality has sharpened the group's ability to write the hooks that anchor hits, while also teaching them how to use source material to craft a song that stands on its own. 'It's quite challenging, but I enjoy the challenge,' Shiotsuka says. Hitsujibungaku's latest releases ' Feel ' and ' mild days ' put the group to the test. The songs are respectively the opening and closing themes for the anime series 'Secrets of the Silent Witch,' a 'light novel' (a genre of young-adult Japanese fiction) adaptation currently airing on Tokyo MX. Shiotsuka says she followed a familiar path with 'Feel,' reading the original story and finding an angle that could be married with a driving rhythm. 'With 'mild days,' it was difficult because I had to use the same light novel as inspiration,' she says. 'I decided to take a break and have dinner with friends. It was really fun. In 'Silent Witch,' there's a bit about friendship, so I was able to apply my own experiences to the song.' Shiotsuka says that during the past two years, she often felt overwhelmed by everything happening to the band, from Fukuda's break and a series of critical shows across Asia to all those deadlines for prominent anime. 'Yurika was very supportive, and we talked a lot,' she says. 'I was able to gradually see that maybe this isn't so bad, maybe I can have fun with this.' The price of becoming one of the world's biggest Japanese rock bands means trading the sweaty intimacy of Shibuya clubs for a nonstop schedule. Yet it makes other moments sweeter — like being able to perform during a prominent slot at Fuji Rock. 'With other festivals, if we are playing on the second day of it, we wouldn't go on the first day,' Shiotsuka says. 'We'd just get ready in the hotel room. But all of us love Fuji Rock. For all three days, we are there. We enjoy being in the audience, watching bands from all over the world and being inspired by what we see.' Kasai notes that she goes to the same pizza stand outside of the Red Marquee stage year after year as a kind of tradition. Whereas other festivals find the band trying to please every punter in attendance, the Hitsujibungaku members see Fuji Rock as something closer to a solo show where they can dig into their older catalog and 'be a little more picky.' 'We can create the world of Hitsujibungaku, that's the most important thing,' Shiotsuka says. It's this ability for Japanese artists to simply be who they are and express the sounds they are drawn to that has helped the country's music stand out in recent years. Despite industry realities, the members of Hitsujibungaku still find rock magic in the Niigata festival, a reminder of what brought them to this point in the first place. 'Step by step, we just do what's in front of us. And once we reach a big stage — like playing Yokohama Arena, or touring abroad, or Fuji Rock — we realize we've come this far,' Kasai says. Fuji Rock Festival takes place at Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Prefecture, July 25 to 27. Follow our coverage on our dedicated liveblog and on Instagram . For more information about the festival, visit . To learn more about Hitsujibungaku, visit
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Japan Times
Behind the scenes: Inside Fuji Rock's strategy for staying on top
The failure of Coachella, one of the biggest ongoing music festivals in the United States, to sell out for the second year in a row shook the concert industry recently. Previously, tickets would sell out the day they were made available. One theory for the decline is ticket prices, which range from $549 to $599 for each of the two festival weekends — about a $100 increase from just four years ago. Another reason is that Coachella keeps increasing audience capacity, meaning it must sell more tickets. But Coachella also indicates a trend — at least in the U.S. — away from festivals. They're not only expensive, but fewer people want to pay for this particular experience. When the summer festival craze was at its peak, about 10 years ago, promoters were often competing for the same big-name acts. Though the base appeal of a music festival is the expansive musical buffet, many fans bought tickets based on the artists they were interested in seeing. The reality, however, was that most would prefer to see their favorite acts in standalone concerts. In contrast, the 2025 edition of the Fuji Rock Festival, one of Asia's premier summer music festivals, is enjoying its best sales in years. Two weeks before the festival's opening on July 25, three-day passes and tickets for Saturday were sold out. "It's the most tickets we've sold since the COVID-19 pandemic," Yuji Toki says via email. Toki is in charge of ticket sales for Smash Corporation, the concert promoter who organizes Fuji Rock. "Sales actually started later than they usually do, but they've been very strong." The festival's organizers say that the theme of Fuji Rock is coexistence between nature and music. | MARK THOMPSON Even more encouraging for Fuji Rock's future is the customer demographic, which has shifted younger. "We found that many newcomers bought tickets this year," Toki says. "The 25-34 age group was the largest, which is a change from the past." And yet, half of all ticket sales still go to "repeat customers," he adds, including a significant portion of Fuji Rock regulars who return regardless of the lineup. Another notable trend is an increase of foreign visitors. "Inbound customers account for about 10% of all ticket sales," Toki says, "though the actual number could be higher since Japanese friends of some visitors may be buying their tickets for them." Toki reveals that tickets for Fuji Rock this year were purchased in 60 countries, though the overwhelming majority of foreign festivalgoers are from Taiwan, South Korea and China. Fuji Rock benefits from a larger trend: Music festivals featuring international acts have grown more popular in Asia over the past decade and attract an increasing number of domestic fans. It indicates not only a surge in appreciation for global pop styles but also more disposable income in the hands of more people. Many of these new festivals face problems due to inexperience in planning and insufficient infrastructure. Fuji Rock, which was launched in 1997, is seen as a reliable bet for music lovers in Asia who can afford the trip. It's not just the festival that makes an impression. Japan has been inviting major artists since the 1960s, and for decades, it was the only Asian country where it was possible to see these top international acts. "We are actively trying to attract music fans from other Asian countries," says Noriyuki Yamamoto, who has been working for the festival since its inception and is in charge of booking, stage production and promotion. "In four places — Taiwan, China, Singapore, South Korea — you can purchase tickets directly from local vendors." Another development working in Fuji Rock's favor is the greater availability of and interest in music from this hemisphere. "Japanese and Asian music in general is attracting a lot of attention worldwide," Yamamoto says. "We consider ourselves the pioneering Asian music festival, and actively seek Asian acts and other elements that will attract people from other countries." In addition, Fuji Rock collaborates with other Asian festivals to bring international acts to the region — not just to cut costs, but because a multi-stop tour across Asia is more appealing to artists than a single show. "There are other festivals held around the same time as Fuji," Yamamoto said. "Some during the same week. So we work closely with them when booking artists." New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde performed at Fuji Rock Festival in 2017. | MARK THOMPSON Nevertheless, it's the lineup that most people notice first about a festival, and even in that regard, Fuji Rock has changed. This year, none of the headliners are what would be considered blockbuster acts, meaning the kind that, in the past, would guarantee a large turnout. Yamamoto says two of the main stage headliners this year — British dance music upstart Fred Again.. and American funk-rock collective Vulfpeck — have never performed in Japan before. 'I think they lend the festival a slightly different feeling — in a good way,' he says. 'It's not that their appearances alter anything, but up until now, headliners have mostly been acts who have visited Japan before, either at Fuji Rock or at concerts, so I think these two artists give the audience a fresh impression of the festival." In recent years, Fuji Rock has also showcased more top-selling Japanese acts, better reflecting the home audience's preferences. Many of the Japanese artists at this year's festival, including Vaundy, Radwimps, Creepy Nuts and Hitsujibungaku, have garnered substantial followings overseas, especially in Asia. "We've also added more Asian acts," Yamamoto says. "The purpose is to present a lineup that shows a wide variety, which is the point of a festival." The one aspect of Fuji Rock that has not changed over the years is its setting. The creator of the festival, Smash founder Masahiro Hidaka, envisioned it as a place where you can hear music surrounded by abundant nature. "It's something we think is hard to really experience," Yamamoto says, "not only in Japan, but elsewhere as well." Plenty of other festivals are held outdoors: Glastonbury, the inspiration for Fuji Rock, and Woodstock, the granddaddy of all rock festivals, are and were held on farms, while Coachella takes place in a desert basin. In fact, Fuji Rock's original location was also on farmland near Mount Fuji. For various reasons, it had to be relocated, and Hidaka chose the Naeba Ski Resort in the mountains of Niigata Prefecture. Nature is more or less a distraction at other outdoor festivals; at Fuji Rock, which offers dense forests and a big cooling river, it's all-enveloping. "The theme of Fuji Rock is coexistence between nature and music," Yamamoto says. "It's an experience that can be appreciated by people of all ages." And all nationalities. Fuji Rock Festival takes place at Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Prefecture, July 25 to 27. Follow our coverage on our dedicated liveblog and on Instagram . For more information, visit
Japan Times
5 days ago
- Japan Times
JT picks: What not to miss at Fuji Rock 2025
Summer festival season is here — and The Japan Times team is heading to the mountains of Niigata Prefecture for a weekend of blistering riffs, hypnotic grooves and unforgettable moments at Fuji Rock Festival. From high-octane punk to Mercury Prize-winning rap and viral TikTok hits, here are some of the acts we're most excited to catch. Philip Brasor, contributing writer Mdou Moctar (Friday, 3:50 p.m., White Stage): There's an abundance of skilled guitarists this year, but if you're mainly into shredding, then this Niger singer-songwriter is the act to see. As a master of so-called desert blues he leans psychedelic, with a clear, dense tone that cuts through metal. His singing and politically charged Tuareg poetry are just as heavy. Little Simz (Sunday, 5 p.m., Green Stage): Of the three Mercury Prize-winners at Fuji '25, this London rapper is the biggest sales-wise, not to mention the most personal. Her beats scan rock as much as they do Afrobeat or R&B, but it's the melodic nature of her flow that pulls you in. If she's in the right mood, she could be the festival highlight because that's what personal's all about. The Hives (Sunday, 8:10 p.m., Red Marquee): Howlin' Pelle Almqvist and his Swedish garage rockers first appeared at Fuji when they were neophytes and now qualify as this year's legacy act. They haven't changed their rock 'n' roll burlesque shtick over the decades, while miraculously maintaining a raw capability for crunchy, tuneful riffs. Too bad they're playing at the same time as the excellent Hitsujibungaku, so if you have to choose, remember: The Hives are much funnier. Johan Brooks, contributing photographer Creepy Nuts (Sunday, Green Stage, 3:00 p.m.): Still riding high on their viral, chart-smashing hit 'Bling-Bang-Bang-Born,' hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts are set to unleash an eccentric rampage on the festival's main stage. kanekoayano (Sunday, Red Marquee, 6:00 p.m.): Now appearing as kanekoayano, singer-songwriter Ayano Kaneko shifts from being a soloist backed by a band to fronting a unified project that gives her longtime collaborators room to shine as they perform their rich, emotional sound. Radwimps (Sunday, Green Stage, 7:00 p.m.): From this longtime album charts fixture, you can expect a set that'll feel like a scene out of a Makoto Shinkai anime film. Alyssa I. Smith, staff writer Vaundy (Friday, Green Stage, 7:00 p.m.): One of Japan's biggest hitmakers of the 2020s, Vaundy brings his genre-blurring pop to Fuji Rock's main stage ahead of headliner Fred Again.. With 17 songs topping 100 million streams, the Gen Z singer-songwriter's gift for addictive melodies promises emotional highs and a soundtrack for your summer memories. Balming Tiger (Saturday, White Stage, 2:00 p.m.): Landing right in the middle of the Fuji Rock weekend, Balming Tiger delivers a burst of pure infectious fun that will have you dancing in no time. This 11-member South Korean collective defies K-pop conventions with a chaotic, genre-hopping blend of hip-hop, pop, rock and electronica. Bolstered by wacky choreography and creative visuals, their live shows are gleefully unpredictable. Hitsujibungaku (Sunday, White Stage, 8:10 p.m.): This year marks the fourth time alt-rock trio Hitsujibungaku has played Fuji Rock, having first appeared on the Rookie A Go-Go stage back in 2016. Known for their slow-burning rock, the band has shifted from the indie circuit to become a rising international name with tours in the U.S. and U.K. this year. Expect a stirring nighttime set made all the more cinematic thanks to the surrounding forests of Naeba. Patrick St. Michel, contributing writer Summer Eye (Friday, Orange Echo, 12:25 p.m.): Former Siamese Cats vocalist Tomoyuki Natsume's solo project brings a tropical breeze and dance-ready pulse to rock. Live, he's unpredictable and always eager to head into the crowd to bring the coastal vibes closer to listeners, making this a great set to enter the first day's afternoon. mei ehara (Saturday, Field of Heaven, 11:30 a.m.): Singer-songwriter mei ehara crafts hypnotic grooves that can be laid-back and enveloping in equal measures. Ahead of a new album this fall, this set at the Field of Heaven offers a chance to see what she's been cooking up. If it's too early, though, catch American artist Faye Webster's performance later in the day at the White Stage, as the two have collaborated and ehara is bound to make an appearance. TV Tairiku Ondo (Monday, Rookie-A-Go-Go, 1 a.m.): Close out your Fuji Rock with a reminder that the kids are alright. The Sapporo group went viral while still in high school thanks to the fidgety rock onslaught of 'Ore ni Shinjitsu o Oshiete Kure!!' ('Tell Me the Truth!!'), the most unlikely TikTok hit of the decade. Save a little energy for the group's whirlwind live show late Sunday night. Mark Thompson, staff writer Otoboke Beaver (Friday, 12:10 p.m., White Stage): Skip the cappuccino. Get the adrenaline shot you need to start the day with this riot grrrl-inspired hardcore quartet, who rarely play songs over two minutes. Stomping in the footsteps of Shonen Knife and Afrirampo, their high-energy thrash mixes the raw power of garage and punk with generous dollops of Kansai humor. Be prepared to laugh and mosh. Hyukoh & Sunset Rollercoaster (Friday, 5 p.m., Green Stage): Torrents of creativity cascade out of this recently formed Taiwan-South Korea collaboration. Little is predictable about this 10-piece conglomeration, who blend city pop, yacht rock and psychedelia, projecting a vibe that is smooth and sometimes goofy but rarely self-indulgent. Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso (Saturday, 11 a.m., Green Stage): Ever since their Tiny Desk Concert went viral, the star of this Argentine duo has been skyrocketing. Having zipped around the international festival circuit this spring and summer, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso will open for Kendrick Lamar on the Latin America leg of his Grand National tour this fall. Their genre — trap, hip-hop, funk — isn't important; the groove's the thing, and it's extremely well honed and bolstered by a large yet tight band. With their Python-esque stage productions, Ca7riel & Paco are bound to make their Japan debut a memorable one. Fuji Rock Festival takes place at Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Prefecture, from July 25-27. For more information, visit
