This has to be my ultimate party chase, half way across the world from East London to a festival in the land of the rising sun. Fuiji Rock is Asia’s biggest festival set in a ski resort a couple of hours west of Tokyo, Japan.
 

First thing first I had to do was dress like a tourist at a festival. I got that down.

Fuiji 09 had a nicely varied line up and with Japan’s organisational spirit on our side I watched more bands than I normally manage to at a festival back home. The Melvins, Holy Fuck, Dinosaur Jr., Weezer, Bright Eyes, Animal Collective and more were amazing and all benefited from the amazing sound at all the stages. If you didn’t know already the Japanese are good with technology.
 

Weezer headlined the last night and by far were my favourite live band. The crowd really appreciated Rivers Cuomo speaking Japanese and got the crowd chanting Nippon (Japan) and singing the national anthem. Rivers has a Japanese wife and supposedly has been said to have an affinity for Asian women. Being half Japanese myself I did appreciate his song ‘El Scorcho’ with lyrics ‘Goddamn you half-Japanese girls, Do it to me every time’. Interestingly Rivers has catogarised Weezers songs about women in to different races. Check it out here.

I also enjoyed watching twinkling stars projecting on hundreds of trees while  passing out by the side of a river while Animal Collective played their wonderful noise from The White Stage.



However the ‘tick a box’ Fuiji experience was dancing on the main stage to the closing song of the whole festival ‘Where’s Your Head At?’ by Basement Jaxx dressed in a gorilla suit with my younger sister, Ryuko. With any festival the music is vital but for me this experience was really all about the Japanese culture/people at a festival.



At first look on the Fuiji Rocks’ website FAQ/rules you might think it’s too organized for a festival, for example no smoking while walking or in the mosh pit area and umbrellas are completely banned. As well as the total lack of any obvious drugs usage and nobody seemed to be smuggling in of Santory Whisky bottles in American Apparel leggings. Santory Time!


Orgainsed fun may not sound like the moto of a British festival but within hours of being there you completely become involved and respect the way it just simply put works. Staff hand out rubbish bags and are at regular recycling points separating out your chopsticks from your bottles.



Everyone carries their own seats and even picnic tables as well as being more prepared for the rain than, well a weather man.


One way walking systems through latern lit forest, tasty cheap food, amazing projections of stars and rain, beautiful rivers to wash mud off wellies, onsens (hot spring baths) to clean in and all this with friendly, shiney happy people.


Don’t get me wrong I’m no hippy, although I did buy a wooden mushroom with a peace sign on a bit of string.  The Japanese party hard considering the lack of illegal stimulants compared to a british festival. It’s just the respect they have for others and the surroundings. Leaving the campsite this morning all you could see were the squares where tents had been and no rubbish, even that was pretty. It was a pleasure to spend the weekend surrounded by the cutest people. Thank you Fuiji. Matane.