2022 Spring Idol Koshien @ Lake Yamanaka Participation Report (Part 2)
Part 1, Part 2, and now the finale.
(3) Day 2
It was clear again this morning. The innkeeper told me to wake up around 6:00 AM at sunrise to see Mt. Fuji, so I set an alarm and saw a beautiful, slightly reddish Mt. Fuji from the inn window (top image). That was a 'glad I came' moment. Many of the idols said, 'We didn't get to see Mt. Fuji,' so I hope they get to see it at least once during their three days at Lake Yamanaka.
I woke up early and had a cup of Yoshida Udon (delicious), but then I remembered there's no alcohol at the venue, so I had to get some in my system. I went to 7-Eleven and finished a 500ml Strong Zero first thing in the morning. I have to make this fuel last all day, after all.
The show started at 10:30, so I drank until the 10:00 checkout time and headed to the venue, only to find a massive line. Huh? Did the otaku population increase? I was caught off guard because I entered after noon yesterday and there was no line. While sitting on the folding chair I brought, I revised my schedule downward by another hour or so, deciding that making it in time for Title Mitei at 11:45 would be fine. Living life by constantly revising downward is the secret to avoiding stress, right...
As expected, I entered an hour late and started my day with the printed timetable in hand. From the Mt. FUJI stage where Title Mitei performed, you can usually see a large view of Mt. Fuji from the idol's perspective on stage, but it was only clear in the morning; by this time, it was full of clouds and Mt. Fuji was nowhere to be seen. Even so, in the refreshing great outdoors and crisp air, it was a very refreshing and impressive stage full of openness. It really has to be Title Mitei. I'm glad I came.
I stayed at Mt. FUJI to see the new lineup of Dorothy Little Happy, and it was incredibly good. I mean, playing 'nerve' followed by 'Koi wa Hashiradashita' at a festival is basically cheating... Between us, 'Koi wa Hashiradashita' was the moment I got most hyped at this festival. I hope this greatness comes across. Well, I'm an otaku who 'died' at Nakano Sunplaza back in 2015... but I still love it. Maybe I'll try visiting them once in a while (I'm so easy).
While watching ByBBiT and Oketo lightly, I headed to Title Mitei's special event (the location was at the very back, so far away...) and spent some time swooning (Yuka Togashi is cute, second time in one day), then went back to Mt. FUJI to watch DeviAnt for a bit. DeviAnt had the biggest crowd of the day, and I really felt their popularity. Well, it's a world I have no connection to (the producer is a comrade-in-arms, but that's another story).
At 13:45, I went to the neighboring VENUS stage for Satellite to Calathea. I was surprised that Momo-chan wasn't there (apparently she got sick the night before), but the four of them gave an amazing performance. Yesterday, Riko-chan asked me, 'Which song do you like?' and I couldn't answer right away, but with Calathea, rather than one specific song, all their songs are consistently good... If I had to choose, maybe Scenario, Daydream, Hello World, or Start Line. They have a collection of cool, serene, yet super hype-able songs, and I feel like they've transcended the 'newcomer' label to become a one-of-a-kind presence among all idols (even if their singing still has room to grow).
After that, there was a bit of a gap, and I caught a glimpse of Awakoii at SMILE, who were quite cute. When I heard the MC mention they had a free cheki for newcomers, I immediately noted the special event venue number on my smartphone lol. I had seen them a little bit back in the Awakoi era, but all the members have changed, so it's a completely new group. Rin Nanase, whose birthday is coming up, had a little-sister vibe and was so cute that I went beyond the newcomer freebie and took another one (hook, line, and sinker).
I also watched the next group, Norarikurari, and decided that today was the day I'd go to their special event. I've seen Norakura dozens of times at joint gigs, and I had passed on them thinking I couldn't add another favorite, but today is Lake Yamanaka, there's a lottery, and chekis are only 1,000 yen (I'm so easy). I finally took a 2-shot cheki with Misa Saionji, and I was like, 'Ah, I'm completely hooked...' (I'm so easy).
The special events were packed that day (?), and before these two groups, I also visited the special events for Hisui Kiseki and Satellite to Calathea, just like yesterday. The two from Hisui Kiseki seem to be doing three days of round trips, so I felt a bit of sympathy for how tough that must be. For Calathea, since they were on the same 2-day, 1-night course as me, this was the last time. Thank you all for the fun stage and conversation (I won't mention that I missed Riko Otsuki's Talkport time because I got the time wrong).
By this time, the rain had become quite heavy, and it was pouring by around 4:30 PM. The temperature was below 5°C that day, and it was just freezing. Did it feel like sub-zero? My fingertips and feet were starting to go numb. Honestly, I felt like I wanted to go home if I could, but I had no way to leave (the first shuttle bus to Otsuki was at 18:15). This was the toughest time of the day.
Even in such adversity, I pulled myself together, clutching disposable hand warmers (I was using a total of 6 on my body and feet), and watched Kasumiso to Stella and then Hisui Kiseki at the SMILE Koshien. Kasutera performed in the hail yesterday, and today they were on stage in heavy rain (this moment was the peak). Honestly, I wasn't in the condition to properly listen to the music, but the last song they played was very powerful and moving.
Hisui Kiseki had a sudden 2-member lineup without Mirei Nakatani, but they gave a truly powerful performance full of smiles. It was honestly the best Hisui stage I've ever seen, without exaggeration (sorry, Mirei-chan lol). Yuzuki-chan coming out in a beret was also really cute.
And finally, of course, Title Mitei. The reason I am here at this freezing Lake Yamanaka. 5:30 PM, the rain let up just a little, the sun was starting to set, and the sky was hazy blue over the orange stage. The color of Title Mitei.
A moment of silence after the SE. The noisy atmosphere of the festival, the murmurs, stop for an instant. And then, 'Hakumei Kousen' began. A personal, novel-like song that digs into the inner self, which could be called synonymous with Title Mitei. This is the color of Title Mitei.
From there, the heart-bouncing debut song 'Fumikiri', and the masterpiece that also headlined Idolize's nest, a song that seems made for festivals, a song that shakes everyone's hearts, my favorite, 'Kodo'. And finally, 'Tomoshibi'. On the shore of this lake, far away from both Sapporo and Tokyo, with the cold air and rain, freezing hands and feet, the loneliness of twilight, a world falling apart, and the feeling of wanting to go home. Beyond all that anxiety, a small light I watched with a prayerful heart.
This was my Lake Yamanaka.
3. In conclusion
I get the feeling that nobody is reading such a long report, but for me, it's not that I want everyone to read it right now, but rather that when there is an idol festival at Lake Yamanaka again next year, the year after, or further in the future, I hope that fans or idols who wonder 'What's Lake Yamanaka like?' will search for it and use it as a reference. Also, I want to read it back myself when that time comes.
So, here are a few final thoughts.
The location isn't bad. Even though it's far from Tokyo, you can get there by public transport. It houses eight stages, including a huge main stage, and 40 special event booths within a single facility, and you don't have to worry about sound leakage (or so I'd like to believe). There are no shops around, but if they set up a food court, it would be manageable. However, the cold, rain, and wind were truly brutal, and I think the impression would have been different if the management had considered the fans' perspective a bit more, including issues with restrooms and flow (it's a shame).
I was worried because there were so few fans. Recently, I've felt the enthusiasm of fans returning through events like Idol Rise, so I was let down by how sparse it was. Well, it's no use comparing it to festivals with super-major acts, but the fact that the management didn't release information properly until the end must have also been a factor. Since you've gathered this many idols, it's the management's responsibility to promote it properly and attract as many fans as possible. I really wanted them to do that properly (I'm a little angry).
A good stage cancels out all the negatives; this is truly the case. No matter how much you're dying from the cold or your legs feel like lead, once you see a wonderful stage, you can only think, 'I'm glad I came' and 'I'm happy to be supported.' To all the idols mentioned in this article, the idols who livened up Lake Yamanaka, and the idols who worked hard at special events and calling out to fans in the cold wind—whether I was able to meet you or not—thank you so much, and great work (I'm crying).
The end