Fuji Rock Festival

Fuji Rock Festival is Japan's largest outdoor music festival and one of the most unique festival experiences in the world. Set in the mountains at Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture, it combines world-class music with stunning natural beauty — forests, streams, and mountain air. Since 1997, Fuji Rock has been the gold standard of Japanese music culture. The lineup mixes international headliners with Japanese artists across 10+ stages. Past headliners include Radiohead, Björk, The Cure, and Kendrick Lamar. What sets Fuji Rock apart is the Japanese attention to detail. The site is immaculately clean (attendees carry their trash out), food stalls serve incredible Japanese cuisine (yakisoba, takoyaki, curry rice), and the crowd is the most polite festival audience you will ever experience. Getting there: Take the Jōetsu Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo Station to Echigo-Yuzawa (80 minutes), then shuttle bus to the festival (40 minutes). A Japan Rail Pass covers the bullet train. Pro tip: The walk through the forest to the Green Stage, crossing wooden bridges over streams, is meditative. Bring rain gear — mountain weather changes fast. The late-night Palace of Wonder area is magical.