Behind the scenes: Inside Fuji Rock's strategy for staying on top

Japan Times

2 days ago

The failure of Coachella, one of the biggest ongoing music festivals in the United States, to sell out for the second year in a row shook the concert industry recently. Previously, tickets would sell out the day they were made available.
One theory for the decline is ticket prices, which range from $549 to $599 for each of the two festival weekends — about a $100 increase from just four years ago. Another reason is that Coachella keeps increasing audience capacity, meaning it must sell more tickets.
But Coachella also indicates a trend — at least in the U.S. — away from festivals. They're not only expensive, but fewer people want to pay for this particular experience. When the summer festival craze was at its peak, about 10 years ago, promoters were often competing for the same big-name acts. Though the base appeal of a music festival is the expansive musical buffet, many fans bought tickets based on the artists they were interested in seeing. The reality, however, was that most would prefer to see their favorite acts in standalone concerts.
In contrast, the 2025 edition of the Fuji Rock Festival, one of Asia's premier summer music festivals, is enjoying its best sales in years. Two weeks before the festival's opening on July 25, three-day passes and tickets for Saturday were sold out.
"It's the most tickets we've sold since the COVID-19 pandemic," Yuji Toki says via email. Toki is in charge of ticket sales for Smash Corporation, the concert promoter who organizes Fuji Rock. "Sales actually started later than they usually do, but they've been very strong."
The festival's organizers say that the theme of Fuji Rock is coexistence between nature and music. |
MARK THOMPSON
Even more encouraging for Fuji Rock's future is the customer demographic, which has shifted younger. "We found that many newcomers bought tickets this year," Toki says. "The 25-34 age group was the largest, which is a change from the past." And yet, half of all ticket sales still go to "repeat customers," he adds, including a significant portion of Fuji Rock regulars who return regardless of the lineup.
Another notable trend is an increase of foreign visitors. "Inbound customers account for about 10% of all ticket sales," Toki says, "though the actual number could be higher since Japanese friends of some visitors may be buying their tickets for them."
Toki reveals that tickets for Fuji Rock this year were purchased in 60 countries, though the overwhelming majority of foreign festivalgoers are from Taiwan, South Korea and China.
Fuji Rock benefits from a larger trend: Music festivals featuring international acts have grown more popular in Asia over the past decade and attract an increasing number of domestic fans. It indicates not only a surge in appreciation for global pop styles but also more disposable income in the hands of more people. Many of these new festivals face problems due to inexperience in planning and insufficient infrastructure. Fuji Rock, which was launched in 1997, is seen as a reliable bet for music lovers in Asia who can afford the trip.
It's not just the festival that makes an impression. Japan has been inviting major artists since the 1960s, and for decades, it was the only Asian country where it was possible to see these top international acts.
"We are actively trying to attract music fans from other Asian countries," says Noriyuki Yamamoto, who has been working for the festival since its inception and is in charge of booking, stage production and promotion. "In four places — Taiwan, China, Singapore, South Korea — you can purchase tickets directly from local vendors."
Another development working in Fuji Rock's favor is the greater availability of and interest in music from this hemisphere. "Japanese and Asian music in general is attracting a lot of attention worldwide," Yamamoto says. "We consider ourselves the pioneering Asian music festival, and actively seek Asian acts and other elements that will attract people from other countries."
In addition, Fuji Rock collaborates with other Asian festivals to bring international acts to the region — not just to cut costs, but because a multi-stop tour across Asia is more appealing to artists than a single show.
"There are other festivals held around the same time as Fuji," Yamamoto said. "Some during the same week. So we work closely with them when booking artists."
New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde performed at Fuji Rock Festival in 2017. |
MARK THOMPSON
Nevertheless, it's the lineup that most people notice first about a festival, and even in that regard, Fuji Rock has changed. This year, none of the headliners are what would be considered blockbuster acts, meaning the kind that, in the past, would guarantee a large turnout.
Yamamoto says two of the main stage headliners this year — British dance music upstart Fred Again.. and American funk-rock collective Vulfpeck — have never performed in Japan before.
'I think they lend the festival a slightly different feeling — in a good way,' he says. 'It's not that their appearances alter anything, but up until now, headliners have mostly been acts who have visited Japan before, either at Fuji Rock or at concerts, so I think these two artists give the audience a fresh impression of the festival."
In recent years, Fuji Rock has also showcased more top-selling Japanese acts, better reflecting the home audience's preferences. Many of the Japanese artists at this year's festival, including Vaundy, Radwimps, Creepy Nuts and Hitsujibungaku, have garnered substantial followings overseas, especially in Asia.
"We've also added more Asian acts," Yamamoto says. "The purpose is to present a lineup that shows a wide variety, which is the point of a festival."
The one aspect of Fuji Rock that has not changed over the years is its setting. The creator of the festival, Smash founder Masahiro Hidaka, envisioned it as a place where you can hear music surrounded by abundant nature. "It's something we think is hard to really experience," Yamamoto says, "not only in Japan, but elsewhere as well."
Plenty of other festivals are held outdoors: Glastonbury, the inspiration for Fuji Rock, and Woodstock, the granddaddy of all rock festivals, are and were held on farms, while Coachella takes place in a desert basin. In fact, Fuji Rock's original location was also on farmland near Mount Fuji. For various reasons, it had to be relocated, and Hidaka chose the Naeba Ski Resort in the mountains of Niigata Prefecture. Nature is more or less a distraction at other outdoor festivals; at Fuji Rock, which offers dense forests and a big cooling river, it's all-enveloping.
"The theme of Fuji Rock is coexistence between nature and music," Yamamoto says. "It's an experience that can be appreciated by people of all ages." And all nationalities.
Fuji Rock Festival takes place at Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Prefecture, July 25 to 27. Follow our coverage on our dedicated liveblog and on Instagram . For more information, visit en.fujirockfestival.com