Outdoor Music Festival "hoshioto Camp'23" ~ "The Best Music Under the Best Starry Sky" From Excitement to Regional Revitalization

Interview with Hiroshi Fujii, the representative of 'hoshioto'

We asked about the background of starting 'hoshioto' and his thoughts now, 12 years after the first event, at the venue, Budou Roman-kan.

Can you tell us about the background of starting 'hoshioto'?

Fujii (no honorifics)

There are various reasons, but the trigger was when I went to Fuji Rock in 2001 and was shocked, and thought it would be great if we could do something like that in our hometown.

After going to university outside the prefecture and returning, I was working as a company employee in my hometown of Ibara, but I was thinking about whether I could do something interesting if I continued to live here.

From around 2010, I started looking for a venue, and a friend who had just started managing a campsite in Bisei-cho told me to come up with some kind of project.

I went to check it out with friends and thought, "We could use this as a venue," and various timings and connections came together, leading to the first event in 2012.

I had an image that I could do it, even though I didn't know right from left

The founding members, including Fujii, are not music industry professionals, right?

Fujii

At first, I really didn't know right from left. How do you set up a stage? How do you sell tickets? What about the flow? What about the sound?

I had some familiarity with stages from being in a band, but I had never planned an event from scratch, so I didn't know how to book artists and spent some time researching online.

Even if an ordinary person thinks, "I want to hold an outdoor music festival!" very few actually do it. I'm amazed by your initiative.

Fujii

I didn't have the know-how, but from my experience helping with outdoor concerts held in Ibara City, I had a vague confidence that I could do it.

An artist's manager also told me, "I don't know why, but you had a mysterious confidence back then, Fujii-kun."

Looking back, it's strange, but I somehow had a strong image that I could do it.

What was the result of the first event?

Fujii

At that time, we couldn't systematize ticket sales, so we had a very cumbersome method of communicating with customers via email and asking them to transfer money to our account, and we didn't sell many advance tickets.

On the other hand, we sold about twice the number of tickets on the day of the event than we had anticipated.

Seeing customers lined up in front of the venue, the staff were like, "Whoa!"

In that sense, I think it was a success, although there were various points to reflect on regarding the content.

For the first five years, we have no choice but to do what we can ourselves

What was the response like when you first launched the event?

Fujii

In 2012, the word "festival" had not yet permeated rural areas.

People were skeptical, thinking, "What are these strange people doing, doing rock and music outdoors?"

I felt frustrated, but it was difficult to ask for cooperation from people when we were just an unknown entity with no track record.

For now, we decided to do what we could ourselves for five years.

And you have continued for 12 years now.

Fujii

When I achieved the five-year goal, I briefly thought about really quitting.

In 2017, when we moved the venue to Budou Roman-kan (Aono-cho, Ibara City) and held the sixth event, we ended up in a huge deficit, and I thought, "Oh no, I've done it for five years, maybe I should quit," while watching the live performance.

However, the next day, I received an email from an artist who performed that day saying, "I forgot to mention, but I have been confirmed to perform at Fuji Rock. However, the first festival I performed at was hoshioto. I will do my best."

I was like, "Really...?"

Now, that artist has become incredibly popular.

I realized that there are people who are watching us, and I thought I would try a little harder.

Voices from such artists are encouraging, aren't they?

Fujii

There are many customers who support us.

We have continued on the edge so far, but when I announced that we would be in the red in 2023, I received many encouraging words on the day of the event.

I sometimes receive emails saying, "If there's anything I can do, I want to help."

Encouraged by such voices, I decided to try crowdfunding, and it surprisingly gathered a lot of support.

Although we didn't reach our goal, we were able to hold this year's 'hoshioto Camp'.

I want to give back to customers, artists, and staff

In addition to the quality of the event itself, the website and after-movie are wonderful, and the graphic design of the merchandise is cute, isn't it?

Fujii

All of those are created by staff who originally worked for 'hoshioto'.

The flyer was designed by a child who joined as a photographer, and it was so good that I asked them to do it.

The website was offered by a designer who plans to become independent, saying they really wanted to do it.

There is a child who does illustrations for the T-shirt design, so I let them take charge, and I have been having young, talented people do more and more.

Are there any strengths or advantages of not being a music industry professional since you are a company employee?

Fujii

First, it's surprising and makes for lively conversation.

There are quite a few music industry professionals who come to support us because we are doing our best in a handmade way.

Some artists participate because they like handmade events like this.

Since I'm not someone who is usually unknown, I think I have a certain level of trust.

I always think about how I can give back to customers and artists, and of course to the staff as well.

"Beyond the festival" to excite the local community even more

After 12 years since the first event, can you share your thoughts on 'hoshioto' and your future outlook?

Fujii

I have been doing my best every year, thinking that it would be fine if this year was the last.

It was fun to hold the event, and that alone is certainly good, but now I am thinking about "beyond the festival."

I have started to think about whether 'hoshioto' can bring about any change, what can be changed, and what kind of impact we can have.

After doing it for 10 years, I have heard that 'hoshioto' makes people feel proud of their hometown.

It has become more accepted by the local government, and I feel that we are gradually having some impact on the community.

Before I knew it, various people started saying, "Fujii-san, you are contributing to regional revitalization."

However, I believe that just holding 'hoshioto' once a year is definitely not enough, and my ambition or theme for the future is to excite the local community even more.

While still being a company employee, you established a company in 2023, right?

Fujii

While doing 'hoshioto', I thought it would be easier to have a proper organization in place to look ahead to "beyond the festival" for making my town more interesting.

I don't know what the answer is yet, but I felt that now is the right time to start it.

Thank you for sharing such an uplifting story. Finally, could you give a message to those who are about to take on new challenges or to the younger generation?

Fujii

If you have something you want to do, even if you change while doing it, in the end, it will all connect.

I played baseball until university, loved music, started working part-time at a CD shop, and eventually started my own band and worked as staff for my friends' bands.

I attended many live performances and met various people, and all those experiences have been a plus in organizing events.

In 10 or 20 years, there will definitely be moments when you think, "That thing back then!"

The things you gain by taking action are enormous, and if you have a stance of waiting for others to do something, nothing will happen.

So I think it's important to challenge yourself with what you're interested in when you're young, and it's okay to fail or worry along the way.

Honestly, I still don't know what success is, but I think it's perfectly fine as long as I can believe that the path I chose was not wrong.

To avoid thinking later, "I should have done that back then," I think it's best to fully pursue what you love.

After the interview

Through the wonderful experiences at 'hoshioto', I learned about Fujii-san and have always wanted to meet him.

Although there are already various interview articles about Fujii-san regarding 'hoshioto' in different web media, I believe I was able to introduce him from a slightly different angle.

His rare initiative to go from "I want to hold a music festival like Fuji Rock!" to actually doing it.

He is unconventional, yet has a core and is warm, and I was able to touch a little on his personality.

As autumn deepens, please enjoy the best music under the best starry sky at 'hoshioto Camp'23.

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