Music Festivals: Issue #2

Festivals in Japan: Summer Festivals: Music Festivals: Issue #2: Loudpark, The Labyrinth and Sukiyaki Meets The World

Previously: Unique Japan Tours: Music Festivals: Issue #1 ...

Whether you want to rock out, rave on or relax on a yoga mat, there is a music festival for you.  These festivals are annual events and it is never too early to plan, but do note that some of the more elusive or yet unscheduled festivals are subject to confirmation each year.

   LOUD PARK FESTIVAL 

The Festival:  One of the biggest music festivals held annually in Japan is one for the metalheads.  This two-day festival has fans returning year after year, making it more predicatable an event than other festivals in the genre such as Knotfest Japan or Ozzfest Japan.  It has therefore rightfully earned the title of Japan’s biggest metal festival!

The Area:  It is held annually in Saitama City or alternatively in Chiba City, Japan.  Both locations are convenient to Tokyo.

Our Recommendations for your Unique Japan Tours Itinerary: 

Saitama - This city is less than 30km from the Tokyo metropolis and can easily be visited as a day or overnight trip.  While in Saitama, music lovers should visit the John Lennon Museum.  In fact, Saitama has more than a fair share of interestingly themed museums which warrant spending a day or two in the vicinity.

↘ How to Book Your Festival-Based Tour:  

Go to http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip and mention ‘Loud Park’ in the comments section.

MINDGAMES PRESENTS: THE LABYRINTH FESTIVAL

The Festival:  Japan’s annual Labyrinth Festival,  is very elusive and a little bit exclusive, but has grown considerably over the last couple of years. Festival-goers from Japan and afar travel for electronic, trance and techno beats in a forested retreat at the end of the Japanese Summer.  It has yet to be confirmed for Septmeber 2016 in Yuzawa Japan, so stay tuned (pun intended)…

The Area:   Yuzawa is a little more than an hour by bullet train from Tokyo, yet it feels like another world entirely.  Some 200km away from the metropolis, Yuzawa is nestled in the fresh air of the verdant Japan Alps.  In the winter, Yuzawa transforms into a ski and snowboard paradise and the home to many intrernational visitors.  All year round, Yuzawa enjoys natural hot springs for bathing.

Our Recommendations for your Unique Japan Tours Itinerary:  

Niigata & Sado Island -  Famous as the source of Japan's purest water, Niigata's rice and sake (rice wine) are widely regarded as the best in the country. Here you will visit a local sake brewery and samurai house bringing you back to Japan's feudal days. Spend a night in Niigata enjoying a more rural city night life at a local izakaya. Just a few hours by ferry will take you to Sado Island - Japan's sixth largest island. Spend three nights here meeting the locals, exploring the sights, and taking part in local workshops like Taiko drumming.

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route - From Sado, you will return to a different port on the mainland and make your way to Tateyama where you will spend your first night along the Kurobe Alpine Route in a mountain lodge. Located in Japan's Northern Alps, between Toyama and Nagano (Omachi Town), this route is traversed by various means of transportation including mountain buses, cable cars, and ropeways. Along this adventure you will see not only Japan's most incredible views of wildlife and landscape, but also the world's highest and most impressive dam, the Kurobe Dam, which stands at 186 meters tall.

↘ How to Book Your Festival-Based Tour: 
Go to http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip and mention ‘Labyrinth Festival’ in the comments section.

♪Self-guided, guided, or semi-guided options available!

SUKIYAKI MEETS THE WORLD FESTIVAL

The Festival:  Japan's biggest World Music festival takes place over 3 days in Nanto, Toyama in late August.  The 'SUKIYAKI Meets The World' Festival was started in 1991 with the aim to introduce music from Asia, Africa, or Central and South America to the area.  Now, the festival welcomes a diverse crowd of performers, exhibiting artists, and music fans.  Workshops, film screenings and a World Food Market go on all weekend and renowned Japanese musicians usually play out on the final night.

The Area:  Nanto in Toyama prefecture is in the centre of Japan on the west coast and is a gateway of the Sea of Japan. Nestled on three sides by steep mountains and on the fourth by the sea, this area is famous for preserving an old way of life through its cultural activities, crafts, architecture and food.  It is easily visited from Kanazawa and Takayama as part of a northern trail itinerary.

Our Recommendations for your Unique Japan Tours Itinerary: 

Gokayama - Nestled away in the deep gorge of the Sho River Valley, thirty-three gassho zukuri (thatched farm houses) are protected as national treasures in the historic village of Gokayama. Lush in summer, vibrant in autumn, blanketed in snow during winter and beautifully coloured by cherry blossom trees in spring, these villages have maintained all of their four hundred year old charm. WIth our local guide to accompany you, you will go on a cultural journey like no other. Spend the morning making soba noodles - a local specialty - to be tried and tested over lunch. Stop off at a local washi paper making factory and try your hand at this ancient craft. All of this, plus a traditional dance by a local Toyama farmer, whilst you drink hot tea and listen to takes of a time gone by.

↘ How to Book Your Festival-Based Tour: 
Go to http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip and mention ‘Sukiyaki Meets The World Festival’ in the comments section.

♪Self-guided, guided, or semi-guided options available!

Issue #3 coming soon…

[Photo Credits: Official Event Websites & JNTO]

Towns of Japan: Kawayu Onsen

The Kumano Kodo is a religious experience in itself, a multi-day mountain hike (though you can also go by bus), following in the footsteps of royalty, visiting some of the most magnificent temples and shrines on the islands of Japan. Towards the end of the hike, along the Oto River, is a unique onsen town. We love sending people there, to soak in the most unique of onsen. What makes it so special? Read on, to learn more about Kawayu Onsen.

Gardens of Japan - Kenrokuen Garden

Kenrokuen Garden is a magnificent garden located in Kanazawa. Renowned throughout Japan as one of the country’s Three Great Gardens, Kenrokuen means “Garden Combining Six Features”, referring to the spaciousness, seclusion, artificiality, antiquity, broad views and abundant water throughout the garden.

Autumn in Japan

After the heat of the summer months, autumn offers a welcome respite to the Japanese. There are a few popular axioms, shokuyoku no aki, dokusho no aki and finally supotsu no aki. They basically mean autumn is for eating, reading and exercise respectively.

Autumn leaves at Nanzen-ji Kyoto.
Source: https://flic.kr/p/dyVJ1W

Why would you go to Japan in autumn? There’s a laundry list of reasons, and like spring and its cherry blossoms, one of the main reasons involves trees, beautiful nature and stunning colours.

Tropical Japan: Amami Islands

We mentioned in our honeymoon story that our friend, Mary, wanted a beach holiday as part of her honeymoon. For many people, thinking of tropical islands and beach holidays is not something that associates with Japan. But nothing could be further from the truth. Today, we’re going to introduce one of the tropical islands that we frequently include on honeymoon tours: Amami Island.

View from a hotel on Amami Oshima.

Where are the Amami Islands?

The Amami Islands are a chain of islands located south of Japan, but north of Okinawa. Officially, they are administered by Kagoshima, the prefecture on the southern tip of Kyushu. When we talk about and organise trips and tours to Amami, we usually mean Amami Oshima, the largest island within the chain.

To get to Amami, most people would go from Tokyo by plane, though you can also fly there from Osaka, Kagoshima, or Naha in Okinawa. For those of you with better sea legs, you can also get a ferry from Kagoshima or Naha.

Rocking it Fuji style

Summer is in full swing in Japan and that means one thing for music fans: Fuji Rock Festival. This year the festival will take place between July 27 and 29.

Although other popular music festivals do exist in Japan, nothing quite compares to Fuji Rock. After the festival moved in 1999 to its current location in Naeba, Niigata prefecture, approximately 150 miles northwest of Tokyo, the number of acts playing there has steadily increased. This year’s big-name acts will be the British band, Radiohead, who will be the headline act for the last day of the festival.

If you are a Liam Gallagher fan, then you will just have to go. The former Oasis singer will be playing with his new band, Beady Eye. British rock fans will also drool at the prospect of the recently reformed Stone Roses playing on the first day as the anchor act.

Liam’s brother, Noel will be on the main Green Stage on the middle day with his band, High Flying Birds.

Other “hot” acts to check out include the former White Stripes member, Jack White. His solo debut album “Blunderbuss” gave him his first no. 1 spot on the US Billboard charts.

Smaller though no less attractive stages include the likes of Sakanaction, Gossip, At The Drive-In and Purity Ring.

Unique Japan Tours is happy to announce that we are selling packages that include tickets to Fuji Rock and accommodation, so please be sure to contact us today!

Follow @toursofjapan