REPORT

Upwards of 3,000 people attended Hakuba Iwatake’s YOO-HOO! Festival on 5/25 (Sat.) and 5/26 (Sun.). Seven groups performed live music each day, with et -and-, GAKU-MC, Minami Kizuki, Takaya Kawasaki, wacci, Gospellers, and DEEN performing on 5/25 (Sat.), and TodaiAka, HY, YAMORI, Hitomi Yaida, ISEKI, Frederic, and Sukima Switch taking the stage on 5/26 (Sun.). By all accounts, the festiva was a great success. (*Performers are listed here in order of appearance.)
[Hakuba Iwatake・IWATAKE GREEN PARK]

The performances speak for themselves, so this year we’d like to change things up and report on what was happening off-stage. Food trucks (pictured) lined the path on the way to the Yoo-Hoo! Swing, selling jerk chicken sandwiches, shaved ice, hamburgers (TRACKS BAR), curry (Miyama Genghis Khan, etc.), crepes, and more. Northern Alps Brewery, Soup Stock Tokyo, and Hakuba Yamatoya had booths in front of the live venue.
[Hakuba Iwatake・IWATAKE GREEN PARK]

Chill Life, a relaxation salon patronized by professional athletes, had a tent near the summit where visitors were able to receive massages under the canopy of a beautiful beech forest with spectacular views. Nearby, JA Azumi was selling grilled frankfurters with soy sauce, juice, and apparel. After the concert, 16o original roasted marshmallows were given away by THE CITY BAKERY on the Glacier Deck.
[Hakuba Iwatake・IWATAKE GREEN PARK]

I stuffed myself with the grilled chicken, herb-marinated pork shoulder, shrimp, potato & parsley ajillo, and bagna cauda being served under the shade trees to the left of the stage in the VIP seating (BBQ seating) area. I spoke with a group of five people from Aichi, Tokyo, Chiba, Osaka, and Nagano who told me, “The Yoo-hoo! Swing is worth doing multiple times, it is so much fun. We’re fans of GAKU-MC and are looking forward to his performance at 11:00.” Another family from Yamanashi Prefecture commented to me, “This is our first visit to Iwatake in summer. My son likes Takaya Kawasaki, so we came to see the show. We hope to come back next year, too.”
[Hakuba Iwatake・IWATAKE GREEN PARK]

[Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort Information]
* Season … Apr. 19 (Fri)－Nov.17 (Sun), 2024
* Hours … 8:30 a.m.－5:00 p.m.
* Price … Entrance Fee (Gondola and 5th line south fee included) / Adult: JPY2,400, Child: JPY1,300, Pet: JPY700

*Hakuba Iwatake will be reported 2－3times a week
*To Visitors Requesting Original Data of Our Photographs

reported by Snownavi