The Fuji Rock Festival was named after Mount Fuji because the inaugural event was held at Tenjinyama Ski Resort located near Japan’s highest mountain in 1997. The first festival hosted world-class performers, including Green Day, Beck, Foo Fighters, Rage Against the Machine, The Prodigy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more.
Frankly speaking, the first Fuji Rock Festival wasn’t a great success. It was scheduled as a two-day event, but was cut short when a typhoon occurred on the first day of the festival. The festival-goers weren’t prepared for the strong winds and heavy rain, and many even needed to be treated for hypothermia. However, the Red Hot Chili Peppers didn’t cancel their performance and played through a storm despite Anthony Kiedis having broken his arm.
The next year, the festival was relocated to the area of Toyosu in Tokyo. Although the second edition of the festival was more successful than the first one, the searing heat of mid-summer Tokyo marred the experience for many festival-goers. That’s why in 1999 the Fuji Rock Festival moved back to the mountains and has since been held at Naeba Ski Resort. Although Naeba isn’t anywhere close to Fuji, it was decided to keep the festival’s original name.
The Fuji Rock Festival features about 200 Japanese and international acts, and attracts over 100,000 attendees every year. It is the largest outdoor music event in Japan and one of the world’s best known summertime festivals.
The festival has seven big stages and a handful of minor stages scattered throughout the festival site. The main stage that hosts headlining acts is called the Green Stage, it has a capacity of almost 50,000. Other major stages include the White Stage, the Red Marquee, Field of Heaven, and Orange Court. The Fuji Rock Festival is preceded by a free opening party featuring traditional Japanese dances, food stalls, prize draws, and a fireworks display.
Photo: fujirockfestival.com
