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.

From 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, 3:00 p.m., Green Stage): 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, 6:00 p.m., Red Marquee): 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, 7:00 p.m., Green Stage): 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, 7:00 p.m., Green Stage): 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, 2:00 p.m., White Stage): 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, 8:10 p.m., White Stage): 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, 12:25 p.m., Orange Echo): 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, 11:30 a.m., Field of Heaven): 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, 1 a.m., Rookie-A-Go-Go): 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.