Scene Report : Digging deep and finding your way into your local underground music community

Ryon Morrin (Hokkaido, 2019 - present)

From the very first time I stepped foot into a musty, dimly lit venue, I knew such places would become my second home. For 15 years and counting, I’ve seen countless bands and artists in a variety of settings. Arenas, festivals, coffee shops, living rooms, amphitheaters, and my personal favorite: basements. 

Punk, metal, and all subgenres in between belong in a basement. The toilets are barely functioning, stickers and fliers serve as the wallpaper, and nobody there “accidentally” stumbled upon it. It’s dark, loud, and encased in concrete. It is an incubator for alternative music that doesn’t simply aim to appeal to listeners. These artists write and play what they want to, first and foremost. 

When I first arrived in Hokkaido in August 2019, I was thrilled to discover local music through live shows. However, my plans were immediately halted; I wouldn’t see the inside of a concert venue for years. Slowly, unrestricted live music returned to Japan, and nearly four years later, the scene is back to its pre-pandemic self.

This article was published in partnership with AJET’s CONNECT magazine.