What a writer who covered a 3-day summer festival was glad they brought

The other day, I went to cover my first-ever summer music festival.

Three days, 12 stages, and reporting in real-time. As both a music fan and a writer, I think it was an incredibly valuable experience.

However, this was actually my first time at an outdoor festival, let alone for three whole days. And with the recent extreme heat, I wasabsolutely terrifiedbefore going (laughs).

But once I got there, the heat wasn't scary at all! It was perfectly comfortable.

This is entirely thanks to my friends who are festival experts.

So, I wanted to write down what I was glad I brought to the festival, partly as a reminder for myself for next year and beyond.

Heatstroke prevention

Neck cooling ring

I'm going to give you the best answer right away: this is it. If you have this, you'll stay incredibly cool.

Honestly, I brought a handheld fan too, but this was on a completely different level! Handheld fans sometimes just blow hot air at you. Maybe it's because it cools the neck where the large blood vessels are, but thanks to this, I never felt dizzy.

Gatsby Body Sheets

If I still felt hot, I would tuck these between my undergarments or under my arms. This was another product that made a huge difference in how cool I felt. I chose the red package because the mention of antibacterial properties made me think they could also be used as hand wipes, and because they were fragrance-free, which I thought would mix well with the sprays I'll introduce later.

Salt tablets

Since I was in an environment where I could drink Pocari Sweat endlessly, I didn't eat that many, but if I were going as a regular attendee, I think these are essential because they are less bulky than drinks and allow you to recharge your salt levels more effectively.

Shirt Cool

I'm sorry, I underestimated this! Who knew that just splashing it on my staff T-shirt in the morning could make things so comfortable! Is having a cool back really this blissful? And despite thinking it was aimed at office workers, it was so thoughtful of them to offer a floral soap scent. This is another item that's great to have along with a neck ring. I liked this better than the sprays you apply directly to your skin.

Sunscreen and other measures

Anessa Gel Type

When I asked festival experts, 'What sunscreen do you recommend?', everyone unanimously replied, 'Anessa!', so I bought it. Actually, I had a bad skin reaction to Anessa in the past and hadn't used it since, but it seems the gel type is recommended for people with sensitive, dry skin like mine. I was happy to be able to use it without any itching!

Mequmore Daytime Beauty Serum

As a fan of Rainbow, you might think I'm just a shill, but it is seriously excellent! I use it every day, and I mean it—it's truly, truly excellent! I didn't even wear foundation; I just used this. It provides great sun protection, and on days when I just put powder over the beige version, people tell me, 'Your skin looks so beautiful!' Thank you, Ikeda-san!

Hello Kitty insect repellent

I was looking for something I could use even with my sensitive skin, and when I saw my sweet angel Kitty-sama looking at me, I chose this. I forgot to spray it once and got bitten, so it really is a necessity. I splashed it all over my body for all three days.

Raincoat

It starts raining suddenly, right? And you can't always use an umbrella, right? So, I bought this on impulse, and I was so glad I brought it because on the third day, it rained so hard that the taxi turned into Splash Mountain. It kept my clothes dry and was easy to move in. However, there were surprisingly many areas where you could use an umbrella, so it would have been even better to have a folding umbrella too.

Photochromic sunglasses

Of course, regular sunglasses are fine too. I use these all the time, so I brought them along. The real thrill of a summer festival is that it can be pouring rain one minute and blazing hot the next. Don't forget to protect your eyes. It makes a huge difference in how tired you feel at the end of the day.

Writer-like things

MacBook Air (the new one)

A while ago, things were looking a bit shaky. The fan was making a loud noise. So I decided to replace it, and even though I used it for about 8 hours each day for three days, the battery didn't run out! It's too good! Thank you!

Casetify laptop cover

Actually, I haven't told anyone this, but I fell hard while holding my laptop in both hands against my chest. I tripped over a tent rope. And this was right after the first act on the first day. I really thought it was over. I fell with my whole body weight on top of it. I even slid a little. But this cover protected it, and only the illustration on the cover got a little scuffed. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Earplugs for live music

This week, besides the festival, I went to see two other concerts privately. Well, my ears were being overworked. For the past year or so, I haven't been able to part with these. I was able to write while slightly dampening the volume of the music other artists were playing, so I recommend these to anyone who can't work when it gets noisy around them.

Tagged (washable notepad)

I used this a lot too! It's easy to grip and it's fine even if it gets wet. It was my best partner in an environment where I had to take notes while standing. I will continue to use it in environments where I can't type directly on my PC!

Things I regret

I should have brought an A4-sized tote bag

I brought an eco-bag, but there were many times when I had to move around with my PC, so it was hard to take things in and out when I had my change of clothes and everything else in my backpack like I did. I ended up with much more luggage than anyone else and took up too much space in the green room.

I didn't need the cooling towel that gets cold when wet or the handy fan

The neck ring cooled down faster than I expected, so it was enough on its own. The handheld fan was a bit bulky, and since the sea breeze in Hitachinaka felt nice, I don't think I really needed it.

That's all! I'll add more if I remember anything else!