Before the headliners arrive, before Green Stage fills with tens of thousands of fans, and before the mountain paths become packed with festivalgoers, Fuji Rock quietly begins in one of its most magical corners.

Hidden among the trees at Avalon Field, Upendra and Friends once again welcomed the festival to life Friday morning, continuing a tradition that stretches back decades to the earliest Fuji Rock festivals held at the base of Mount Fuji.

With a gentle breeze drifting through the forest, overcast skies keeping temperatures comfortable, and dragonflies and grasshoppers hovering over the grassy field, the setting could hardly have been more peaceful. As the Nepalese musicians walked onto a stage decorated with bright sunflowers, they greeted the crowd with a warm “Namaste,” inviting everyone to begin the weekend in peace.

Around 100 early risers gathered on the grass as frontman Upendra Subba, joined by longtime collaborator Sunil, welcomed the audience with a promise.”We are from Nepal, and we will take you to the mountains,” he said before launching into “Hills to Himalayas.”

Within moments, Avalon Field felt a world away from a rock festival.The band’s sound blends traditional Nepalese folk music with contemporary world music, weaving together bamboo flute, hand percussion, Korg synthesizer and soaring vocals into melodies inspired by the Himalayas. The result is meditative without ever becoming sleepy—music equally suited for quiet reflection or dancing barefoot on the grass.

Their appearance has become one of Fuji Rock’s most cherished traditions.Festival founder Masa Hidaka first encountered the musicians while traveling in Nepal and was so captivated by their music that he invited them to perform at Fuji Rock. They have returned year after year, becoming unofficial ambassadors of Avalon Field and helping define its laid-back, community atmosphere.

The relationship between Fuji Rock and Nepal extends beyond music. After Nepal’s devastating 2015 earthquake, Fuji Rock and its community organized fundraising efforts to support relief and rebuilding in the Himalayan nation, strengthening the bond between the festival and the musicians who have become part of its identity.

Midway through the set, the band introduced a new composition titled “Village Fair.”
Upendra explained that July is festival season across Nepal, when villages celebrate with music, dancing and community gatherings. The song was dedicated to the young women who dance at those celebrations every summer, its joyful rhythm evoking colorful mountain festivals thousands of kilometers from Japan.

The audience responded in kind, swaying gently as more festivalgoers wandered into Avalon Field, drawn by the hypnotic percussion and warm melodies drifting through the forest.
For the finale, the group performed “Festival of Nepal,” a piece written especially for Fuji Rock. Driven by ringing cymbals, layered percussion and uplifting vocals, the song celebrates the arrival of festival season and the spirit of bringing people together through music.
As the final notes faded, Sunil remained on stage alone with his flute.

His solo performance slowed the pace even further, the delicate melodies floating through the trees like birdsong. He told the audience his music was inspired by Nepal’s mountains and hoped to carry listeners into the skies alongside hawks and eagles soaring above the Himalayan peaks.

It was a fitting conclusion to one of Fuji Rock’s most beloved opening rituals.
While the weekend is filled with electric guitars, pounding bass lines and massive crowds, Avalon Field offers something entirely different—a reminder that Fuji Rock has always been about discovery as much as spectacle. For thousands of returning festivalgoers, there is no better way to begin three days of music than by spending a quiet morning in the company of Upendra and Friends, letting the sounds of Nepal ease them into another unforgettable weekend in the mountains.