Other Summer Festivals

By Jonti Davies

Earth Celebration

If you want to do something genuinely hippyish with your summer, the annual Earth Celebration on Sado Island, just north of Niigata, is the best trip out there. This year's festival runs from August 14th to 16th and features traditional world musics, crafts, and more "alternative global culture" than you can chain with a field full of daisies. Headlining Earth Celebration 2009 are Japan's world-famous rhythm troupe, Kodo, and Bløf, their occasional collaborators from Zeeland (a string of islands off the coast of The Netherlands). Not exactly Beyoncé, but then, that's not the point of Earth Celebration. This one's for the "peace out, man" crowds who prefer to stay in touch with nature, sit on the grass, and not wash.

There are direct buses running from Osaka and Tokyo to Sado Island's Ogi port, and these include a ferry connection to get you to the island. Tickets for the main events in Shiroyama Park are very reasonably priced, at around ¥5,000 per day (with a three-day pass available at a discounted ¥13,000), though you'll also need to factor in some lodging/camping arrangements. For more details and booking forms, check the relevant areas of Earth Celebration's English website.       

Isla De Salsa

Another alternative festival, the annual Isla De Sala in Fukuoka (at Seaside Momchi, Jigyohama) this year runs on August 8th and 9th and so clashes with Summer Sonic, though again, it's not really catering to the same crowd. This one's all about world music, with a strong Latin influence. There's a samba show from Arte Estrela do Brasil, merengue-influenced pop from Juan Luis Guerra, Cuban pop from Yumuri, and local Japanese acts such as Fried Pride (acoustic guitar and vocals) and Fukuoka's own Ska Rockets.

If you're traveling to Isla De Salsa by subway, head to Toujin-machi Station and leave via Exit 3. The Seaside Momochi venue is a ten-minute walk from there. Tickets are ¥4,500 for the Saturday, ¥4,800 for the Sunday - or you can save ¥500 by picking up a two-day pass for ¥8,800. Check here for more details. 

Rising Sun Rock Festival

Admission to this year's Rising Sun Rock Festival in Ezo (Hokkaido) seems a little steep: there are no single-day tickets available, so your only option is to pay around ¥20,000 for a pass that lets you stay there for both days - August 14th and 15th. From JR Sapporo Station, the Ezo venue is a 40-minute train journey, followed by a shuttle bus connection. It all looks a bit complicated, so you'd better confirm your plans after consulting these pages. 

Most of the acts lined up to play Rising Sun Rock are Japanese artists, but there are some real stars who would almost seem to justify the hefty ticket prices. Phenomenal electronic duo Capsule will be there, so will Technomaster Fumiya Tanaka, J-reggae outfit Little Tempo, and Hokkaido-native herbalists Oki Dub Ainu Band. If you're into Japanese music and want to escape the Heat of Honshu, a trip to Ezo could be just the ticket.

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