that foreign music blog🌎

Hey guys! As I develop this blog, I realized that it might be good to share some tips when going to Japanese concerts if you ever get the chance. I’m not an expert on these things, but as someone who’s gone to about ten shows so far, here’s what I’ve learned:

1. No pictures.Yes, you read that correctly. Now, depending on how big the artist is and where it is, you may be able to take photos of the venue or very distant photos of the artist, but breaking this rule may result in getting kicked out of the venue. When I went to my first Japanese concert, I stupidly hadn’t looked into this and was approached by security. I was asked to delete the pictures I’d taken and put my camera away. They usually have signs posted, but because taking pictures in the West is so widely accepted, I hadn’t even really thought about it. The only thing I was careful of was not to bring my smartphone because, while pictures are okay in the West, taking video isn’t as accepted. This is why for my rock festival posts, all my pictures are of the venue only, and even then it’s only ever a few.
2. Drink tickets. I’m not sure about every concert, but every rock concert I’ve been to—with the exception of festivals— there’s been a drink fee. No, I don’t mean when you BUY the drink, I mean when you’re at the door of the venue. What will happen is that the people taking your ticket will ask for five hundred yen. If your Japanese is iffy, this five hundred yen is for the drink. It doesn’t matter if you plan to drink or not, you will be charged—likely on behalf of the venue. You’ll then be given some sort of coin or ticket that you can use at the bar for an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage.
3. Stay clean. At the festivals I’ve been to, there are always trash booths where staff will help you separate your trash. You’ll find that Japanese rock festivals are suspiciously clean as a result. At venues, usually there are normal trashcans somewhere, but if not, keep your trash until you get home. It may seem like a bother, but it’s probably one of the most important rules to follow.
4. Bags and other bulky luggage. It’s ideal if you can either put your bag in a coin locker, which is sometimes available at venues, or hold your bag towards the front of you. This is to be considerate of the people behind you. I got a small bag specifically to bring to concerts to avoid the problem of trying to dance with a heavy bag on my shoulders. In other words, if you plan on letting loose, try to bring a bag that’s easy to shift from back to front.
5. If there’s choreography, learn it.This might seem a bit nerdy, but Japanese audiences love to dance. At almost every concert I’ve been to, there’s been some sort of dance, whether it be an elaborate step from a music video, or two-tone skanking. Skanking is super popular, by the way. Even if it’s not ska.However, on that same note, mosh pits are….rare. They seem to be more common at small punk shows because the energy is so raw, but even then Japanese mosh pits are extremely tame compared to those in the West.
6. Band goods グッズ. If you find a strange slew of people waiting outside the gates, they’re likely waiting to buy merchandise. You’ll usually see this phenomenon at FESTIVALS, but several venues open a few hours early specifically for merchandise. The merchandise is one of the most important parts of a Japanese concert. A popular form of support that fans show is by waving their band towels in the air. The reason why fans wait for goods is that they can sell out fast, although I’ve never been left with nothing to buy—-with the exception of Summer Sonic, which is a HUGE music festival. Famous Western artists also attend, so I suppose it’s understandable that everything sells out quickly.
7. Sitting and standing. So…Japan, as a culture….generally stands…almost everywhere, all the time. There aren’t so many benches, so people usually squat should their feet get tired. This may not sound so serious, but it can be problematic if you’re not accustomed to standing for hours on end. At Metrock, for instance, there were designated picnic areas where you were permitted to sit, but those areas were often packed and most useful for people—I assume—who had a friend to keep their place should someone want to go to a different stage. If you sit outside of those areas, eventually, you’ll be asked to stand. In the case of Metrock, I think this was usually timed when artists were finishing their set, which makes complete sense; you don’t want to get trampled, after all. Even so, it was a bit of a shock when I was first asked to stand up. And frustrating. But if you find yourself in the same situation, just know that Metrock is really just looking out for you.
8. Fan interactions. There are always events and chances to meet your favorite artists, but one thing I’ve noticed is the lack of pictures celebrities and bands take with fans. There’s a problem in Japan among idol groups where fans will get jealous—like deathly jealous—and may do something extreme if their favorite idol is even hinted at being close to someone of the opposite sex. In fact, an idol from the group C-ute graduated from the company after a fan took a picture with her and claimed to be dating. Granted, that was almost a decade ago, but…crazy shit has happened. I’m not sure if this bleeds into rock culture, though. I mean, for all I know, it could be totally okay but everyone might be too shy to ask!

To end, Japanese rock concerts aren’t so different from your standard show in the West. Perhaps this list wasn’t so necessary, but these are just some of the things I’ve noticed in my experience and thought could be useful for first-timers. Personally, I feel live concerts offer a lot of insight into the culture, just with simple things like how fans react to certain songs and how the event itself is managed. So if there’s an artist you’ve been itching to see in Japan, I hope this list will help you feel more confident about going to see them live. It’s definitely an experience you shouldn’t miss!