Ultra Japan

Ultra Japan is the biggest EDM festival in the country and you don’t even need to catch the train to a paddock in the middle of nowhere to enjoy it. Held since 2014 at the outdoor Ultra Park in Odaiba, the festival is part of the Ultra Music Festival global circuit including stops in Bali, Mexico, Miami and Brazil.

The festival has three stages to keep you busy: the Main Stage which features the big EDM names, the Resistance Stage which offers more underground techno/deep house performers and the Ultra Park stage which highlights upcoming and local artists.

Unlike most 3-day music festivals, this one doesn’t start on a Friday – it begins on Saturday and continues through to Monday as it’s a public Holiday in Japan (what better way to express your respect for the aged?). Saturday’s highlights include Galantis, Axwell & Ingrosso , Popof and DJ Yagi. On Sunday you can see Sven Vath on the Resistance stage or head to the main stage for DJ Snake, Armin van Buuren and Nicky Romero. The final night rounds things off nicely with Afrojack and Cash Cash on the Main stage while Nina Kraviz and Carl Craig take over the Resistance Stage. As well as music you can enjoy performance artistry from the CyberJapan Dancers and Ultra Angels as well the usual incredible visuals from V Squared Labs.

General Admission (GA) tickets are still available and can be purchased for the full three days, two days consecutive or non-consecutive days or a single day. There are also options for VIP single-day tickets which include access to VIP bars, social lounge areas and elevated viewing areas as well as nicer bathrooms (we assume).

Prices aren’t so cheap now the earlybird options are finished, but at least the cost of your transport will be negligible if you live in Tokyo.

Gates open one hour before the scheduled start time of 11am and it finishes at 9pm each night, so it’s no problem if you have work the next day. There is no camping option for this event and you must be 20 or older to enter.

(Greg Lane)