--Soon come, but Get well ready!--

 

On Saturday 13th, and Sunday 14th, 2 weeks prior to the Fuji Rock Festival '02, myself, Taisho and a couple of other staff went to the campsite at Naeba. It had been raining like cats and dogs until Sunday 2 am, but then suddenly, heaps of stars appeared in the sky. I had never seen such a beautiful starry sky before. I guess it was the most beautiful starry sky that I had ever seen.

The first day at Naeba was raining all day. Mikuni Tunnel was closed due to the storm the day before, so we had to go the long way round by taking a detour off the highway at Yuzawa inter, which is 35 km away from Yukinoya inter. It was already raining when we got off the Yuzawa inter. Driving down a dark mountain track in the rain was really creepy and scary. As I looked at the darkness outside our car, I thought it would be terrible if the weather was going to be like this weather at Fuji Rock. We arrived at Naeba, taking much more time than we planned. It was still 4 pm, but we were surrounded by darkness, and the dark clouds were hanging over the dark sky.

The temperature was very low, as low as 21 degrees Celsius - 12 degrees lower than Tokyo.

There is something I want all Fuji Rocker beginners to pay attention to. This was my first Naeba camp in the rain, and now I realize the temperature difference between daytime and night time, as well as how quirky the mountain weather is. PLEASE be careful of the rain at Naeba, If you think you might catch a little cold when it rains during festival, that could be a terrible mistake. It could get much worse. So everyone who is going to Fuji Rock, please be prepared for the rain and the cold. If you don't reserve a motel or something, please bring your tent and sleeping bag with you.

I know some of you who have already prepared for the rain and cold think that's common sense, but do you all remember the festival in 1997?

It has been 6 years since Fuji Rock at Mt. Tenjin in 1997. Some of you were still in junior high, and this year might be your first time at Fuji Rock. Some of you have never camped outside and think of this festival as just another open air live. Let's gather information and inform Fuji Rock beginners of the dangers of the rain and cold through fujirockers.org BBS. Especially those who went to the 1997 festival, some of those people might have helped each other to escape the cold.

Fuji Rock has been stating DIY (Do It Yourself). And I think beginners asking questions at fujirockers.org is all part of the DIY spirit. One of the themes at fujirockers.org and the title of the prior BBS was "Let's Get Together". I want all of you who are reading this report to have this spirit.

As I experienced the rain at Naeba, now I'm regretting that I should've informed this earlier. I'll be at Naeba on Tuesday 23rd, so as soon as I get my computer connected, I'll be reporting the weather and temperature from Naeba. Fuji Rock is almost here, so please be ready for the festival!

reported by ORG-yohei and translated by ORG-akiko and ORG-damon (July 24, 2002)