Last year, I stood shoulder to shoulder with thousands of fans as Okinawan rapper Awich lit up the main stage at Fuji Rock. As a performer she was as dynamic as I’d expected, surprisingly emotional and, of course, the music was amazing. When I think of the summer of ’24, I’ll remember that set.
Japanese summers may be unbelievably hot, but they’re also charged with possibility. For me, it’s the music festivals that make these next few months bearable, even beautiful.
From sultry jazz sets that echo through the city (Blue Note Jazz Festival) to deep-forest raves pulsing under a canopy of stars (rural), Japan’s summer music scene is nothing if not atmospheric. There are mountain-backed stages (Ringo Music Fes.), beachside blowouts (Ocean Peoples’) and sprawling pop spectacles (Summer Sonic), each offering a different kind of relief from the heat’s relentless grip. But spontaneity isn’t always rewarded — tickets go fast, hotels faster — and you’ll definitely want to remember that SPF 50.
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