If you want to get a sense of the sprawling possibilities at Fuji Rock, just look at Rafven's schedule. The former street band from Gothenburg, Sweden, managed to play no less than nine times during the festival, bringing their exuberant brand of gypsy-style revelry to a string of different stages both in and outside the main arena. They were still going strong at 3 a.m. on the final night, which made all the big-name headliners seem a bit wimpy in comparison.

Fuji hasn't added a large-scale stage to its site since 2003, and its expansion since then has been more a case of filling in all the available gaps.

Stages have sprung up in forest groves, food courts and at the end of a 5-km gondola ride.