I went to ROCK IN JAPAN!

I attended the first day of the ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL held at Soga Sports Park with my friends from work! This time, I’d like to share a report focusing on heat prevention measures at the venue☆

It had been about five years since I last attended a summer festival. Since my two friends were attending their first summer festival, we made sure to be fully prepared for the heat. We referenced the blog of a senior who regularly attends summer festivals and some YouTube videos from people knowledgeable about festivals.
You can check out our senior’s blog here…!

⇒ Summer Festival Packing List 2024: Urban Festival Edition

Heat Prevention
Measure ①Packing List

I packed my belongings into a backpack and a larger tote bag, but I noticed that many participants at the station had very few items… I started to worry that I might have brought too much due to my fear of the heat. However, it's better to be over prepared than to suffer the consequences of being unprepared! That said, there were some items I didn’t end up using, so I’ve compiled a list of what I actually brought and what turned out to be unnecessary. I hope this can serve as a helpful reference!

■ Items I Was Glad I Brought

• Hat
• Hand fan
• Sunshade (using it in line for goods was allowed at ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL)
• Sunscreen
• Towel
• Frozen water bottle
• Drink holder: One with insulation is great. In the blazing sun, water turns hot quickly…
• Tissues
• Electrolyte tablets
• Bags/Garbage bags (for carrying back dirty clothes if you change, or for keeping goods clean)
• Wet wipes
• Insulated bag

■ Items I Envied Others For

• Bath towel: A bath towel is versatile as it covers your neck and arms, but be careful as it can be bulky.
• Sunglasses: The evening sun can be harsh. so having them makes it much more comfortable.

I recommend packing most of your items into a larger insulated bag and using that instead of a backpack or tote! My friends came with an insulated bag and a smaller crossbody bag, and I thought that was a smart choice! If you use an insulated bag inside a backpack or tote, it tends to get bulky.

■ Items I Brought But Didn’t Use

• Mobile battery
  I had just upgraded my phone this year, so the battery lasted well. There were also charging spots and mobile battery rental services at the venue!
• Snacks
  The electrolyte tablets and the food available at the venue were sufficient.
• Extra towel

Note: It’s recommended to make a reservation for cloak services in advance!

Heat Prevention
Measure ②Take Breaks!

For staying cool at the venue, the first step is to find some shade! This year at Rockin', the seating area of the Fukuda Electronic Arena was open, which ensured we had a shaded place to sit. Even at noon, about a third of the seats were in the shade. The main stage visuals were displayed on a screen, and we could still hear the music to some extent. We were able to take breaks without losing that festival vibe!

12：30 →

→ 17：00

When you’ve been in the sun, make sure to find some shade and cool down with items like cooling towels! After watching just one band's performance, I felt like I was on the verge of a headache. The disposable cooling towel I had got warm from being in the sun, so I used this ice stamp to regain its coolness.

Logos / LOGOS Instant Ice Stamp

Note: Cooling sprays are allowed to be brought in.

@soundhouse_jp @enjoy_outing 瞬間アイススタンプ実際に夏フェスで使ってきました！めっちゃひんやりするのでアウトドアにおすすめです！#サウンドハウス #LOGOS #アイススタンプ #暑さ対策 #夏フェス #アウトドア ♬ オリジナル楽曲 - サウンドハウス

Once I sat down, it was hard to get back up and ended up resting there for quite a while.

Heat Prevention
Measure ③Hydration, Electrolyte Intake, and Meals!

Make sure to always have drinks on hand! It might seem like a small thing, but it’s also important to regularly take electrolyte tablets! Both fluids and electrolytes are lost through sweating!

This year’s ROCK IN JAPAN featured 80 different food stalls! The official J-Fes app was really handy, allowing us to view menus from each stall and even save our favorites, so be sure to make use of it. I definitely wanted to eat even more!

☆ Festival Food

How was that? I hope this information was helpful to everyone! The temperatures seem to be rising each year, but there are also more and more heat prevention products available. Let’s make sure to stay safe from heatstroke and enjoy the festival to the fullest!

By the way, I was really looking forward to FRUITS ZIPPER! They were so cute.
I had almost given up on attending the summer festival because of the heat, but I’m so glad I went!!