A taste of what you can expect off the beaten path

With the basic stage line-up for Fuji Rock 2017 laid out, punters can begin plotting out their days at Naeba. For the most part, the gathering is laid out in a line — one that curves and can reach out to the further edges of the ski resort, but a line nonetheless. Hitting up every stage is relatively easy and doesn’t require major detours.

Well, except for one.

The Day Dreaming and Silent Breeze stage rests far away from any other part of Fuji Rock, requiring a 20-minute gondola ride to get to the hill where it is located. Fest newbies might not be able to locate it on a map…and even veterans of the event might be hard-pressed to remember heading up there. With so much to take in, making time in your schedule to head off into the wilderness for the fest’s most far-flung spot might seem unnecessary.

Yet it is totally worth it. Here are the main reasons we believe making the trek out is completely worth it.

The gondola ride up there is gorgeous

The ultimate hurdle to most people mulling a trip to Day Dreaming and Silent Breeze is the gondola ride, which takes 20 minutes total (and that’s just one way, so factor in a return voyage too). It’s the most justified concern, but one mitigated by just how darn pretty the ride up there is. You get to see lakes, trees and streams galore, with nary a human in view. It’s a peaceful 20 minutes, and one that will help you relax for a bit during an at-times frantic music event. Speaking of….

Day Dreaming and Silent Breeze is a great spot to recharge

No stage at Fuji Rock comes close to matching the general chill as this one. Part of that is due to their being less people clogging up the area than below, offering more room to stretch out, but also the literal wide-openness of the area. Grab a beer, sit down in the grass, stare at the sky and get your energy back.

You never know what you’ll find up here

I try to get out to Day Dreaming and Silent Breeze at least once every year, and every time something catches me off guard. Maybe you’ll arrive just as a pack of folks wearing animal-shaped mascot suits wander the area, taking photos with curious punters. Maybe you’ll stumble across an acoustic performance away from the primary stage. Perhaps you’ll find someone displaying a non-musical skill. Up here, you never know what’s going to happen.

Shorter lines for food and drinks

Load up while you can!

The music is really good

The musical vibe up at Day Dreaming and Silent Breeze leans towards something more easy-going and slow-burning than what you will find below. It leans towards dance music, but a more laid-back corner of the genre built for early-afternoon shuffling rather than late-night insanity. This year, highlights include the house-leaning tunes of Tokyo DJ/producer Licaxxx, the dub-glazed sounds of Juzu a.k.a. Moochy, and the rumbling creations of Wata Igarashi.