Maybe it's the economy, but since 2006 and the final edition of Japansplash, foreign reggae acts have mostly stayed away. New local artists, however, continue to pop up like, er, mushrooms, and there's at least four Japanese reggae festivals of varying sizes and lengths this summer. The largest is the Starlight Reggae Festa. Like Fuji Rock, it's for the truly dedicated — camping is free and recommended. And as the name indicates, it's a night-time festival. Live music starts at 7 p.m. each evening and continues until dawn, though there is always a sound system blowing away somewhere on the grounds and your master of ceremonies is Japan's premier toaster, Rankin Taxi.

Also check out: Bagdad Cafe The Trench Town, DJKentaro, Keyco and 1945, aka Kuranaka. The illustrious Mighty Crown Sound System will seemingly be all over the place.

The setting: The festival features a main stage fronting a field with a bonfire and a shopping area/food court as well as a distant "dance space," and everything is surrounded by dense forest.

Summer festival roundup
Summer festival fever Kegawa no Maries @ Rock in Japan By SIMON BARTZ	Summer festival fever Asian Kung-Fu Generation @ Nano-Mugen Festival By PHILIP BRASOR	Summer festival fever Lily Allen @ Fuji Rock Festival By SIMON BARTZ
Summer festival fever Saori Yano @ Sapporo City Jazz By YUNG-HSIANG KAO	RE:VIEW MUSIC Summer festival fever	Summer festival fever Yellow Magic Orchestra @ World Happiness By PHILIP BRASOR
Summer festival fever Flower Travellin' Band @ Rising Sun Rock By DAVID HICKEY	Summer festival fever Christoph Eschenbach @ Pacific Music Festival By CHIHO IUCHI	Summer festival fever Aphex Twin at Summer Sonic By RICHARD SMART