Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1 Tokyo

Tue 24th July 2012: Arrive Tokyo Narita Airport and transfer by express train to the amazing Shinjuku district of the city. This is Tokyo's most buzzing district; to the west of the railway tracks the towering hotels and office buildings soar skyward; elevated roads keep the traffic moving, whilst travelators ferry thousands of businessmen and government officials from the station to their offices and back again. To the east of the tracks you'll be met by a sea of neon lights, flashing and whirling to entice you into the thousands of bars, restaurants, karaoke boxes and pachinko parlours that make up Tokyo's number one entertainments district. With mega department stores and top boutiques aplenty to choose from, you won't want for chances to stock up on the latest Japanese fashions! This is a truly intense introduction to modern life Tokyo style.

Day 2 Tokyo

Wed 25th July 2012: Today you will have a full day to check out the sights of the city. Tokyo is made up of several districts each with their own character and charms. Shibuya is the fashion capital of Japan, packed with ultra-trendy clothes shops and anime stores; Asakusa is a glimpse of pre-war Japan with the bustling Sensoji temple at its centre and an array of street stalls and local foods to choose from; in the Ginza you can visit the Sony building for a view of technology yet to arrive in the west; Odaiba offers an artificial beach (sand imported from Hawaii!), great shops, the Toyota exhibition hall and an enormous Ferris wheel. There is something for everyone in what is one of the greatest capital cities of the world. In the evening be sure to head out for some local cuisine whether it be ramen or yakitori under the railway tracks or tempura on the 40th floor of a Shinjuku skyscraper. If you fancy a dance tonight the clubs in Shibuya stage pre-festival party nights which often feature unannounced appearances from festival bands. Well worth checking out.

Day 3 Naeba

Thu 26th July 2012: Japan is known around the world for its ultra-efficient, ultra-fast 'Bullet' Trains and today you will ride the Shinkansen north to Echigo Yuzawa, a journey of just over 1 hour. Here you will join the queues for the free shuttle bus to the Naeba ski resort, home to the Fuji Rock Festival. Located deep in the mountains, the festival site is like no other on earth; soaring peaks tower up on either side of the valley whilst a crystal clear mountain stream runs the length of the site. Camping is on the fairways of the resort's golf course so be sure to arrive early as the flat ground gets taken quickly!

Day 4 to Day 6 Naeba

Fri 27th July 2012 to Sun 29th July 2012: Fuji Rock is like no other festival; great music is performed side-by-side with the likes of eating contests and some bizarre stand up comedy (Japanese is not required!). Helicopter rides over the festival site are available for just 3000 yen (around £20) and the Dragondola cable car will take you over the mountains to a high-up plateau for some stunning views and festival games! 6 stages provide an eclectic mix of rock, indie, pop, dance and jazz. You'll also have a chance to sample some great food with no fried chicken or burger van selling over priced fried carboard in sight! Festival food Japanese style is a great mix of noodles, curry, kebabs, Thai, Indian, grilled meats and rice dishes all at extremely reasonable prices - pretty much everything is 500 yen (approximately £3). That goes for the beer too and Fuji Rock sells quality beers with not a Budweiser to be seen (thank God!). Be sure to check out the late night stages after the main festival shuts down for the night at around midnight. This is also the best time to visit the natural hotspring bath house for a good scrub and a soak!

Day 7 Tokyo

Mon 30th July 2012: Sadly the festival is all over and it is time to return to Tokyo. The shuttle buses leave every 30 minutes or so, transporting the festival hoards back to Echigo Yuzawa station where you will board the Shinkansen back to Tokyo. You'll have a final night back in Shinjuku to sample the delights of the capital before heading back to the airport the following morning. For those of you with enough energy be sure to head down to Shibuya clubs for the post festival party nights; the prefect way to end your Fuji Rock Festival adventures in Japan.

Day 8 Depart

Tue 31st July 2012: Your Japan experiences are at an end as you return to Narita Airport for your flight home. We hope you had a great time at what we think is the world's greatest festival and that you will be back for more next year!