Fuji Rock 2022 lineup sees return of overseas acts

出演日別第１弾ラインナップ発表！

Apr 02 (Japan Times) - Fuji Rock, Japan’s premier annual summer music festival for showcasing overseas artists, is returning to form after postponing the event in 2020 and pivoting to an all-Japanese lineup in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizer Smash announced the three-day festival’s preliminary lineup Friday night, with American artists Jack White and Halsey set to appear as headliners. The third headlining act is yet to be announced. Other acts scheduled to perform include electronic artists Bonobo and Mura Masa, rock groups Foals and Dinosaur Jr., as well as a selection of domestic acts.

The event will take place at Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture from July 29 to 31. Tickets are now on sale.

First held in 1997, Fuji Rock is one of the longest-running and most anticipated annual music events in the country, and the lineup for its 2022 edition signals that Japan’s live music industry is attempting to return to normal after many events were canceled, scaled down or dramatically altered due to the pandemic. The Summer Sonic festival in Chiba and Osaka will return in August, while Rock In Japan festival is set to take place at a new location in Chiba after being canceled the past two years.

Zao’s Snow Monsters Face Extinction

Zao’s iconic snow monsters, the frost-covered trees known as 'juhyo,' face an existential threat. These towering, snow-laden trees have long been a winter highlight in the region, famously resembling monstrous figures covered in snow. However, their survival is now under severe threat.

Japan Ranks 92nd in English Proficiency, Lowest in History

EF Education First, a global education organization, published this year’s English Proficiency Index on Wednesday, ranking nations worldwide. Japan’s ranking stood at 92nd among 116 countries and regions, continuing a 14-year trend of record lows.

Famed Hot Spring Struggles to Handle Visitor Surge

Ginzan Hot Springs in Yamagata, known for its Taisho-era charm, is now at peak season for autumn foliage. While this secluded onsen town is a well-known destination in the Tohoku region, an influx of foreign tourists has led local officials to implement restrictions on day visitors starting next month.

Convenience Stores to Start Selling Over-the-Counter Drugs

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has announced plans to allow the sale of over-the-counter drugs at convenience stores without on-site pharmacists.

Japan Looks to Limit Continuous Work

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's advisory panel has outlined a proposal for amending the law to prohibit working more than 14 consecutive days. Under the current system, workers can technically work up to 48 days in a row through a system known as 'four-day-off-per-four-weeks,' while labor agreements also allow for holiday work, meaning there are no effective restrictions on consecutive workdays.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Princess Mikasa passes away at 101

Japan's Princess Mikasa, whose given name is Yuriko, passed away at the age of 101. The princess was the widow of Prince Mikasa, a younger brother of the late Emperor Showa. (NHK)

A Day in TOKYO in 1975 | 昭和東京

An hour long documentary looking at the life of the Sugiura family, fish merchants and caterers living in Tokyo. Producer, director, John Nathan Explores the professional and personal lives of a Japanese family, Takes a look at the everyday life of a Japanese family living in Tokyo. (TRNGL)

More Elderly Living Alone in Japan

The number of single-person households in Japan is expected to surpass 40% by 2050, according to recent projections.

Japan's Abandoned Car Issue - Millions in Forgotten Legends

It's no secret that Japan is lined with seemingly forgotten about cars. This is the second video I dedicate to showing you guys what I can sometimes run across in my travels and as much as it is sad to see cars left to crumble away into nothingness, there's always something impossibly visual about seeing grimy decay, especially if on cars we all love so much. (Dino DC)