Upcoming© Syced · CC0Japan for Foodies: Markets, Sake & Tasting Events
Graze morning markets, walk a centuries-old sake district, and time your trip around the country's biggest sake festival.
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Upcoming© Syced · CC0
Upcoming© mmry0241 · CC BY-SA 3.0Fukuoka & Kyushu: Yatai, Festivals & Friendly Nights
Fukuoka is Japan's friendliest food city — start at the Nakasu yatai stalls, catch the dawn float race, and meet locals easily.
Upcoming© Shisma · CC BY 4.0Foodie Events: Sake, Street Eats & Markets
Eat your way through Japan: morning sushi at Tsukiji, yatai stalls in Fukuoka, beer halls, and the country's biggest sake festival.
OfficialOn now© Choi2451 · CC BY-SA 3.0Kuromon Ichiba Market
Known as 'Osaka's Kitchen,' this 580-metre covered arcade packs around 150 stalls of fresh seafood, grilled crab, sea urchin, wagyu skewers and street snacks.
Until Thu, Dec 31, 2026 18:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialOn now© Shisma · CC BY 4.0Tokyo Ramen Festa 2026 (Final Komazawa Edition)
Tokyo Ramen Festa 2026 runs for five days, October 30 (Fri) to November 3 (Tue, holiday), at Komazawa Olympic Park's Central Plaza in Tokyo. Entry is free; ramen costs ¥1,100 (tax incl.) per bowl, paid by ticket.
Until Tue, Nov 3, 2026 19:00 JST TokyoFree
OfficialUpcoming© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0Ramen Expo Osaka 2026: Dates (21 Nov–30 Dec), 6 Sessions, Shops & Tickets
Ramen Expo Osaka 2026 runs 21 Nov – 30 Dec at Expo '70 Commemorative Park, Suita: 6 weekend sessions, 11:00–21:00, 10 shops each (60 total). Free entry; park fee ¥450; ramen by ticket. 2026 shop list not yet announced (checked 2026-10-13).
Sat, Nov 21, 2026 11:00 JST OsakaFestival entry free. Park admission required (Natural and Cultural Gardens / Japanese Garden combined ticket): ¥450 for high-school age and above, free for junior-high age and under (revised 1 Apr 2026). Ramen is paid for with tickets; 2026 ticket price not yet announced (checked 2026-10-13).
OfficialUpcoming© Henxter · CC BY-SA 4.0Belgian Beer Weekend Shinjuku 2026
An indoor winter edition of Belgian Beer Weekend in Shinjuku's airy Sankaku Hiroba — 60-plus Belgian beers, cheese-and-chocolate pairings and embassy chef dinners, warm and comfortable.
Wed, Dec 2, 2026 16:00 JST TokyoFree
OfficialUpcoming© 663highland · CC BY-SA 4.0Ito Onsen Mechakucha Market 2027 — 23–24 Jan, bargain dried fish and Izu produce by the Matsukawa river
Ito's once-a-year bargain market: Sat 23 Jan 2027 9:00–16:00 and Sun 24 Jan 9:00–15:00 at Matsukawa Fuji-no-Hiroba, selling Izu seafood, dried fish and farm produce at 'ridiculous' prices. 10 min walk from JR Ito Station.
Sat, Jan 23, 2027 09:00 JST Across JapanFree
OfficialUpcoming© Volfgang · CC BY-SA 3.0Craft Sake Week at Roppongi Hills 2027
Founded by footballer Hidetoshi Nakata, this open-air festival pours around 130 regional breweries' sake in the heart of Roppongi each spring.
Fri, Apr 16, 2027 11:00 JST TokyoPaid: a starter set buys a glass plus tasting tokens; extra tokens sold on site.
OfficialOpen year-round© Jan Schoepe · CC0Daiichi Makishi Public Market
Naha's vibrant 'kitchen': vivid Okinawan reef fish, pork and produce downstairs, then a 'mochiagari' service cooks your picks at the upstairs eateries.
Open year-round OkinawaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© Makoragi · CC BY 4.0Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
Historic sake museum in Kyoto's Fushimi brewing district with exhibits, brewery tours and a tasting corner.
Open year-round KyotoPaid admission including a tasting; open 9:30-16:30 (last entry 16:00). Cashless from July 2026.
OfficialOpen year-round© Makoragi · CC BY 4.0Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum
Free sake museum in Kobe's Nada Gogo district inside a Taisho-era brewhouse, with life-size displays and tastings.
Open year-round OsakaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© Internet Archive Book Images · No restrictionsHarushika Sake Brewery Tasting
In a Naramachi machiya once home to a Kofukuji monk, taste five Harushika sakes and keep the souvenir glass — sake from the very birthplace of Japanese sake.
Open year-round NaraFive-sake tasting approx. ¥500 with souvenir glass
OfficialOpen year-round© BradBeattie · CC BY-SA 3.0Kawabata Shopping Arcade
Hakata's oldest 400 m covered arcade with 130+ shops, eateries and the famous Kawabata zenzai red-bean sweet.
Open year-round FukuokaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© Ssemmanda will · CC BY-SA 4.0Nakatanidou High-Speed Mochi Pounding
Nara's famous mochi shop where two artisans pound steaming mugwort rice at blinding speed, then hand you a warm, soft yomogi mochi filled with red bean.
Open year-round NaraFree
OfficialOpen year-round© pelican from Tokyo, Japan · CC BY-SA 2.0Nijo Market
Sapporo's 125-year-old fish market in the heart of downtown: crab legs, sea-urchin, salmon roe and steaming kaisen-don bowls from morning to early evening.
Open year-round SapporoFree
OfficialOpen year-round© EllieBellie25 · CC BY-SA 4.0Okonomimura Okonomiyaki Village
A whole building stacked with 23 okonomiyaki stalls: watch chefs layer cabbage, noodles and egg on sizzling teppan in Hiroshima's soul-food theme park.
Open year-round HiroshimaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© AUSH baowHAO 260088 · CC0Omicho Market
Kanazawa's 300-year-old kitchen: ~170 stalls of Sea of Japan crab, sweet shrimp and just-sliced sashimi rice bowls under one covered arcade.
Open year-round KanazawaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© Asturio Cantabrio · CC BY-SA 4.0Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
The world's first ramen theme park: slurp regional ramen styles in a recreated 1958 Tokyo backstreet, with gluten-free and vegetarian bowls too.
Open year-round YokohamaAdmission: adults ¥450, children ¥100, under 6 free (ramen extra)
OfficialOpen year-round© Manish Prabhune · CC BY 2.0Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho
Atmospheric postwar alley by Shinjuku's west exit packed with ~60 yakitori, motsu-yaki and gyoza eateries.
Open year-round TokyoFree
OfficialOpen year-round© Angelo DeSantis from Berkeley, US · CC BY 2.0Toyosu Market
Tokyo's vast wholesale fish market with tuna auctions, viewing decks and fresh-sushi restaurants open to visitors.
Open year-round TokyoFree
OfficialOpen year-round© PattayaPatrol · CC BY-SA 4.0Yanagibashi Rengo Market
Dubbed 'Hakata's Kitchen,' this century-old covered alley packs 40-plus stalls of glistening Genkai-sea fish, fugu, and pickles that pro chefs swear by.
Open year-round FukuokaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© Stephen Kelly from San Francisco, CA, USA · CC BY 2.0Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street
Retro Shitamachi shopping street near Ueno lined with food stalls, wagashi sweets, croquettes and old-Tokyo charm.
Open year-round TokyoFree
OfficialOpen year-round© Wpcpey · CC BY-SA 4.0Yebisu Brewery Tokyo
Yebisu beer's birthplace at Yebisu Garden Place, with a museum, guided tours and a tasting taproom.
Open year-round TokyoFree
OfficialPast event© Syced · CC0Tsukiji Outer Market & Toyosu Food Walk
Tokyo's food paradise: graze on fresh sushi, tamagoyaki and seafood at the historic Tsukiji Outer Market.
Thu, Jun 25, 2026 08:00 JST TokyoFree
OfficialPast event© Syced · CC0Yokohama Chinatown Street Food
Wander Japan's largest Chinatown for steaming nikuman, xiaolongbao and panda sweets among ornate gates and red lanterns.
Thu, Jun 25, 2026 11:00 JST YokohamaFree
OfficialPast event© Sakai Yayoi · CC0Shinsekai Kushikatsu Food Crawl
Dive into retro Shinsekai beneath Tsutenkaku Tower for Osaka's famous deep-fried kushikatsu skewers and neon old-Osaka charm.
Sat, Jun 27, 2026 17:00 JST OsakaSkewers from around 130 yen each
OfficialPast event© 663highland · CC BY 2.5Fushimi Sake District Brewery Walk
Stroll Kyoto's historic Fushimi sake quarter, where soft spring water and centuries-old breweries make some of Japan's finest sake.
Sun, Jun 28, 2026 11:00 JST KyotoTastings and museum entry from a few hundred yen
LumaPast event© iiyon!! · via Lumaiiyon!! Half-Year BBQ Beer Garden Party
A rooftop BBQ and beer-garden party under Tokyo Tower — grill, drinks and skyline views.
Sun, Jun 28, 2026 16:00 JST Tokyo¥7,500
OfficialPast event© Chris 73 · CC BY-SA 3.0Nagoya Meshi Food Tour
Taste Nagoya's bold local specialties — miso katsu, hitsumabushi eel, tebasaki wings and curry udon — across the city center.
Tue, Jun 30, 2026 17:00 JST NagoyaPay per dish; meals from around 800 yen
OfficialPast event© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0Osaka Japanese Whisky Bar Night
Settle into Osaka's intimate whisky bars to sample award-winning Japanese single malts poured by passionate bartenders.
Wed, Jul 1, 2026 19:00 JST OsakaPours from around 1,000 yen; some bars add a seat charge
OfficialPast event© Guilhem Vellut · CC BY 2.0Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Events
Yokohama's historic waterfront warehouses host seasonal festivals — Oktoberfest, flower garden, ice rink and food fairs.
Mon, Jul 6, 2026 11:00 JST YokohamaFree
OfficialPast event© Nesnad · CC BY 4.0Oktoberfest in Japan
German beer festivals tour Japan's cities each year with imported brews, sausages and live oompah bands.
Wed, Jul 8, 2026 12:00 JST Across JapanFree
OfficialPast event© Globetrotter19 · CC BY-SA 3.0Toji Temple Kobo-ichi Market
On the 21st of every month, nearly 1,000 stalls fill the grounds of UNESCO-listed Toji Temple with street food, antiques, pickles and crafts beneath its great pagoda.
Tue, Jul 21, 2026 08:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© 禁樹なずな · Public domainSapporo Odori Beer Garden
Japan's largest outdoor beer garden takes over Odori Park each summer, with rival breweries pouring ice-cold draft under the open sky.
Tue, Jul 21, 2026 12:00 JST SapporoFree
OfficialPast event© Volfgang · CC BY-SA 3.0Meguro Sanma Festival 2026
A quirky Tokyo street festival born from a comic rakugo tale, where charcoal-grilled Pacific saury is served with sudachi citrus to long, happy queues.
Sun, Sep 6, 2026 10:00 JST TokyoFree
OfficialPast event© Qiuqizhenghong · CC BY-SA 3.0Sapporo Autumn Fest 2026 Has Ended (Sep 11–Oct 3, Odori Park)
Sapporo Autumn Fest 2026 ran Sep 11–Oct 3 in Odori Park and has ended. Check the official site for the 2027 dates.
Fri, Sep 11, 2026 10:00 JST SapporoFree
OfficialPast event© Volfgang · CC BY-SA 3.0Oktoberfest 2026 in Shiba Park (Autumn)
Japan's Munich-recognised Oktoberfest brings genuine German breweries, Bavarian food and oompah bands to Shiba Park beneath Tokyo Tower.
Fri, Sep 11, 2026 11:00 JST TokyoPaid: entry plus a refundable glass deposit; food and beer charged on site.
OfficialPast event© Henxter · CC BY-SA 4.0Belgian Beer Weekend Kyoto 2026
UNESCO-listed Belgian beer culture lands in front of Kyoto's Higashi-Honganji temple — dozens of imported brews, frites, waffles and live music in an open-air city festival.
Thu, Oct 8, 2026 12:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© OS6 · CC BY-SA 3.0Saijo Sake Festival 2026: Dates, Tickets & Access
Saijo Sake Festival 2026 runs October 10–11 in Hiroshima's sake capital — Japan's largest sake-tasting event. Confirmed dates, 2025 reference ticket price, and access below.
Sat, Oct 10, 2026 10:00 JST HiroshimaFestival free to enter; the 'Sake Plaza' tasting pass is paid
OfficialPast event© EllieBellie25 · CC BY-SA 4.0Hiroshima Food Festival
Hiroshima's biggest autumn food fair fills the grounds of Hiroshima Castle with okonomiyaki, oysters, lemons and gourmet stalls from every corner of the prefecture.
Sat, Oct 24, 2026 10:00 JST HiroshimaFree
OfficialPast event© Volfgang · CC BY-SA 3.0Kanda Curry Grand Prix 2026: Oct 31–Nov 1 at Ogawa Hiroba — Hours, Voting Deadline, Free Entry
Kanda Curry Grand Prix 2026 (the 14th final) runs Saturday Oct 31 and Sunday Nov 1, 2026 at Ogawa Hiroba, Kanda, Tokyo. The organizer's official site now lists the venue, curry hours (Oct 31 11:00–19:00, Nov 1 11:00–17:00) and the voting deadline (Nov 1, 16:00), still marked 開催予定 (planned) — checked 13 September 2026. Free entry; curry sold per dish. Shop list not yet announced.
Sat, Oct 31, 2026 10:00 JST TokyoFree