RockCorps Celebrates 5 Years in Japan! A Look Back at the Social Contribution Movement Joined by 20,000 People

Volunteerism and music. “RockCorps” is a global movement that connects these two entirely different concepts. In this blog, we bring you the journey of this “fun buzz” as it celebrates its 5th anniversary in Japan.

■ The encounter with RockCorps began with a single email from Hidetoshi Nakata
RockCorps is a music event centered on the slogan “Give, Get Given.” Its simple mechanism—”complete 4 hours of volunteer work to earn a ticket to a 4-hour music live event called a ‘Celebration'”—has gained immense popularity, particularly among young people. Since its first event in the United States in 2005, it has become a major international movement for social contribution.

ⓒRockCorps supported by JT

SUNNY SIDE UP’s involvement with RockCorps began with a single email sent from Hidetoshi Nakata to our President, Etsuko Tsugihara. “There is a music festival that is a huge topic overseas. Tickets aren’t sold anywhere; only those who complete four hours of volunteering can get one. Even the artists performing on stage all complete four hours of volunteering by that day.”
On the website, there were images of superstar artists like Lady Gaga working hard as volunteers. Driven by the desire to bring such an event to Japan, the project to launch this global “fun buzz” in Japan was set in motion.

■ 2014: The first venue in Japan was a “gymnasium in Fukushima Prefecture”
Following discussions with the US headquarters team, preparations for the first RockCorps in Japan progressed. During this time, RockCorps CEO Stephen Greene mentioned an event that became a major catalyst for aiming to hold the event in Japan: the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in March 2011.

Three years later, in September 2014, the first “fun buzz” in Japan was held at the Azuma Gymnasium in Fukushima Prefecture, thanks to the support of Fukushima Prefecture and sponsoring companies like JT, which is actively involved in social contribution activities. We heard that Fukushima Prefecture stepped forward as a special supporter, stating, “The significance lies not just in doing it for Fukushima, but in this initiative serving as a catalyst for as many people as possible to participate in social contribution activities.”

ⓒRockCorps supported by JT

I was present at the venue as a staff member, and I can still never forget the heat and excitement of the gymnasium packed with over 4,000 people. Participants, artists, and staff—everyone there had shared the same experience of “volunteering.” I remember feeling an indescribable sense of unity with my entire body.

■ This year’s Celebration, filled with 5 years of history
Since then, RockCorps has become more widely known with each successive event, and many renowned artists from Japan and abroad have participated.
On Saturday, September 1, 2018, the Celebration marking the 5th anniversary in Japan was held at Makuhari Messe. The number of participants at the live event was 3,719. The common thread? Everyone there had completed “4 hours of volunteering”!

Members looking at the venue before the show starts. Many people will soon fill this space.

The doors are finally open! Inside the venue, there was a booth where participants could write comments on photos of their volunteer work.

Photos from each year were displayed alongside past T-shirts.

And then the “Celebration” began! The venue was filled with excitement.
ⓒRockCorps supported by JT

Even behind the scenes of the Celebration, we were busy handling press inquiries!

The finale was a huge success! The four hours flew by in an instant!
ⓒRockCorps supported by JT

■ After finishing the 5th RockCorps
The area of beaches cleaned was equivalent to 92 Makuhari Messes. The number of photos cleaned after being soiled by tsunamis or rainwater reached 42,200. These figures represent just a small fraction of the volunteer achievements accomplished through RockCorps activities over the past five years.

The reality is that many people find it difficult to take that first step toward volunteering, often feeling that they want to help but lack the opportunity or don’t know how to participate. However, it is also a fact that through RockCorps activities, a total of 20,000 people have taken their own “first step” over the last five years.

The SUNNY SIDE UP PR team! The younger members managed the site perfectly.

A commemorative photo with a member who has participated for five consecutive years (center)! A perfect attendance award for RockCorps.

A “fun buzz” that started from just a single email. It was a day that made me realize that even if each person’s step is small, when they come together, they become a movement large enough to move society. To everyone who participated in the Celebration, we look forward to the day we can meet again!