How rock lovers spend their holidays - ROCK FESTIVALS IN JAPAN

Hi, it's Chippy from Hiroshima Hana Hostel.

Ever since I went to one of the biggest rock festivals in Japan called "SUMMER SONIC" in 2011, I've been into LIVE MUSIC.
Yes, I've loved listening to rock music since I was a kid, but LIVE shows are a lot more fun and give you lots of energy!!

Music festivals don't always have to be in summer but we have many fun festivals in winter as well.
I took some days off from work and went to two rock festivals around Christmas time this year! The first one is called "Merry Rock Parade" in Nagoya. It was going on for three days from the 22nd to 24th and we went on the first day.

🎄MERRY ROCK PARADE🎄

 

Unlike usual shows with two-three bands just for a night, venues for festivals are very huge! Merry Rock Parade is conducted in Port Messe Nagoya which has a few significant halls that can be used even for sport events. There are three stages in the fest and different musicians play on each stage. We just check the time schedule and go to the stage where the band we want to see is going to play.

Stages are soooooooooo big and packed with hundreds of rock lovers!!!!!

All kinds of bands play in this fest - punk, pop, hard core, screamo, metal - so you will meet many people in different band shirts.

My favourite band "coldrain" played at last on the biggest stage!

Food is another thing I like about fests. In Merry Rock there were many Nagoya localized food and drinks. Goheimochi was also there! I was super happy!!

Goheimochi - rice cake on a stick with sweet sauce, local food in Nagoya

X'mas champagne

 

X'mas tastes everywhere! Exciting!

The other fest we went to on the following day is called "Porno Ultra Express." It was happening for two days on the 22nd and 23rd in Kyoto Pulse Plaza. As this fest located in Kyoto, it had a lot of Japanese tastes which I really loved. The two stages were actually named after two famous castles in Kyoto, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji.

🏯Porno Ultra Express🏯

Kinkaku Stage

Ginkaku Stage

So coldrain (again, my fabourite band) was going to play as the first band on the bigger stage, Kinkaku. 

Waiting for coldrain's performance...

I was in the second row and it got very crazy with a crazy number of "divers" and "mosh pits" once the show started!! My neck was twisted, feet stepped on but I didn't care! It was one of the best shows...!!

If you are a rock lover, you should definitely check out rock festivals in Japan! There are more to come throughout spring to summer! And new band suggestions are always welcome!! I love to hear people's favourite music/bands! I would also love to make new festival mates haha

 

Just can't wait for the next show...

Have a happy new year everyone!