Culinary Journey: Food and Drink at Japan’s October 2025 Festivals

October festivals across Japan offer a rich tapestry of food and drink experiences, ranging from expansive culinary showcases to specialized events focusing on specific beverages or regional delicacies. These festivals are often characterized by a lively atmosphere, with numerous stalls providing diverse options for attendees, celebrating the autumn harvest and unique local flavors.

Diverse Food Offerings

Many October festivals feature a wide array of food stalls presenting local specialties and seasonal ingredients, providing a delightful culinary exploration.

Regional Specialties:

The Sapporo Autumn Fest, held in Ōdōri Park (stretching across multiple blocks from 4-chōme to 8-chōme, 10-chōme, and 11-chōme), is a prominent event focusing on Hokkaido’s distinct cuisines. For 2025, the festival is scheduled from September 12 (Friday) to October 4 (Saturday). In 2024, it ran from September 6 (Friday) to September 29 (Sunday). Festival hours are generally from 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM (last orders at 8:00 PM), with free admission, and food and drink purchases are separate. Stalls offer seasonal ingredients, local ramen, jingisukan (grilled mutton or lamb), fried chicken, soup curry, and soba (buckwheat noodles), all made with fresh, locally grown produce.

The Itoshima Citizen’s Festival in Fukuoka offers fresh seafood and organic produce, often accompanied by a farmers’ market. The 2024 festival took place on October 5th and 6th, primarily at Itoshima Koryu Plaza and Shima Central Park. A fireworks display was held on the evening of October 5th, 2024, at Kafuri Port.

While not primarily an October festival, the Hita Tenryo Festival in Oita Prefecture, which typically takes place on the second Saturday and Sunday of November, is known for its local food stalls. This festival, held in the Mameda District, Kuma District, and along the Kagetsu River, offers outdoor dining with foods like oden, fried sweet potato, and yaki-soba, alongside local delicacies such as Takana Roll and various eel dishes. Ayu (sweetfish) is also a valued local fish during its season. Sapporo Beer’s Kyushu Hita Factory is in the area, suggesting the availability of Sapporo Black Label and Yebisu Beer, with the Hita Mori Beer Garden offering on-premises beer.

The Munakata Taisha’s Autumn Grand Festival in Fukuoka is held annually from October 1st to 3rd (including 2024 and 2025) at Munakata Taisha Shrine (Hetsu-Miya). The “Miare Festival” (maritime ritual) begins at 9:30 AM from Oshima Port, arriving at Konominato Port around 10:40 AM on October 1st. These festivals allow visitors to savor regional flavors.

Tokyo’s Food Festivals:

The Taste of Tokyo 2024 event, held from October 25th to 27th, took place in Marunouchi (Gyoko-dori, Marunouchi Naka-dori), Hibiya (Hibiya Nakadori, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya), Yurakucho (Tokyo International Forum Ground Plaza), and Toyosu (seaside of Gas Science Museum). It showcases the city’s agricultural bounty and culinary delights, with stalls offering dishes made from locally sourced Tokyo produce, gourmet treats, and special menu items from nearby restaurants. This festival also includes hands-on experience corners and workshops.
For ramen enthusiasts, the Tokyo Ramen Festa (formerly Tokyo Ramen Show), running from October 24th to November 4th, 2024, at Komazawa Olympic Park, Central Plaza in Setagaya Ward, is a must-visit. The event is divided into three acts, each lasting four days. It features 36 unique ramen vendors across various acts, inviting attendees to immerse themselves in Japan’s iconic noodle dish. Admission is free, but ramen tickets are purchased separately. Operating hours are generally 10:30 AM to 8:30 PM (last orders 8:10 PM), with earlier closing (6:00 PM) on October 27th, 31st, and November 4th.

Seasonal Autumn Foods:

Autumn in Japan spans from mid-September to early December, making October a prime harvest season, bringing an abundance of delicious ingredients. Festivals frequently highlight seasonal autumn foods such as:

• Seafood: Pacific saury (sanma), mackerel (saba), autumn salmon (akijake), young sardines (shirasu), sardines (iwashi), bonito (katsuo, the autumn catch “modori-katsuo”), surf clam (hokkigai), channel rockfish (kinki), blackthroat seaperch (akamutsu/nodoguro), shishamo, and red snow crab (beni-zuwaigani). While generally a September event, the Meguro Pacific Saury Festival in Tokyo is an annual event where thousands of free charcoal-grilled Pacific sauries are distributed, often around 5,000 to 7,000 sourced from prefectures like Miyagi and Iwate. Sauries are grilled over charcoal and served with garnishes like kabosu/sudachi and grated daikon radish.
• Vegetables: Sweet potatoes (satsumaimo), chestnuts (kuri), Japanese pumpkin/winter squash (kabocha), matsutake mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, taro root (satoimo), Japanese turnips (kabu), bok choy (chingensai), burdock root (gobo), and Japanese radish (daikon).
• Fruits: Persimmons (kaki), Japanese pears (nashi/Asian pear), grapes (budo), apples (ringo), sudachi, figs (ichijiku), and tangerines (mikan).
• Dishes: Shinmai (new harvest rice), sanma no shioyaki (salted and grilled Pacific saury), kuri gohan (chestnut rice), takikomi gohan (mixed rice), nabe (hot pot, e.g., sukiyaki, yosenabe), oden, yakiimo (roasted sweet potatoes), daigaku imo (candied sweet potatoes), kabocha no nimono (simmered pumpkin), mushroom miso soup, kenchin jiru, and tsukimi dishes (like tsukimi udon topped with raw quail egg or tsukimi burgers). Traditional snacks like dango and rice cakes made from autumn ingredients are also popular.

Drink Experiences

October festivals in Japan also provide diverse drink experiences, with a strong emphasis on local and international beverages.

Beer Festivals:

The Oedo Beer Festival is a series of popular craft beer events. The Oedo Beer Festival 2025 Autumn is scheduled for September 17 (Wednesday) to September 28 (Sunday) at Shinagawa Intercity S&R Building Front Square in Minato-ku, Tokyo (closed September 22 and 23). Other events include the 2025 Spring festival (May 21-June 1 at Nakano Shikinomori Park) and Summer festival (July 30-August 3 & August 7-11 at Machida Shibahiro). The Oedo Beer Festival 2024 Autumn Season 2 took place from September 25 (Wednesday) to September 29 (Sunday) at Shinagawa Intercity S&R Building Square. Admission to these events is generally free, with food and drinks charged separately. Attendees can sample various beers while enjoying live music, providing an opportunity to learn about different brewing techniques and engage with local brewers.

Japan also hosts Oktoberfest Japan events in major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Yokohama. Visitors can enjoy various German beers like Hofbräu and Spaten-Franziskaner, along with non-alcoholic options, typically paired with German soul food such as sausages and currywurst. The Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse hosts a popular Oktoberfest event for almost the entire month, with the 2025 event scheduled from Friday, September 26, to Monday, October 13. Operating hours are weekdays 12:00 PM to 9:30 PM (last order 9:00 PM), and weekends/holidays 11:00 AM to 9:30 PM (last order 9:00 PM), with the first day typically starting at 3:00 PM. General admission is 500 yen (junior high students and younger free with guardian), and a refundable beer glass deposit of 1,000 yen is typically required.

Sake Festivals:

October 1st is designated as “Sake Day,” leading to various sake events across the country.

• The Saijo Sake Matsuri in Hiroshima’s Saijo district, one of Japan’s famous brewing areas, is a highlight for sake lovers. In 2025, it is scheduled for Saturday, October 11, and Sunday, October 12 (in 2024, it was October 12th and 13th). The festival takes place around JR Saijo Station, including the historic Sake Brewery Street (Sakagura Dori) and Saijo Central Park. This festival allows visitors to walk around numerous old and well-established breweries, sampling various types of Japanese sake.
• Some harvest festivals, like the Doburoku Festival at Shirahige Shrine, offer opportunities to taste local doburoku, a milky-white, slightly sweet home-brewed sake. This festival takes place annually on October 17th and 18th at Shirahige Tahara Shrine, located in the village of Ota, on the outskirts of Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture. It is unique as it’s one of the few shrines allowed to serve this to worshippers.
• Events like the Tokyo SAKE Collection also feature tastings from numerous breweries. The Tokyo SAKE Collection 2025 is scheduled for Saturday, October 4th, and Sunday, October 5th, at Bellesalle Akihabara (3-12-8, Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo). In 2024, it was held from October 12th to 14th at the same location. Sake Tasting Venue Hours (1F) for both years are 13:00 – 19:00 (ticket sales 12:30 – 18:30), with a talk show on October 5th, 2025 (B1F). The “Shinshu Ueda Matsutake & Wine Festival 2024” is also scheduled for October 12, 2024, in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture.

Other Beverages:

Alongside alcoholic options, festivals often offer a selection of non-alcoholic drinks, including various juices and frozen beverages. The Taste of Tokyo festival, for instance, includes a wide selection of beverages, beyond just sake and craft beer.
Overall, attending an October festival in Japan provides a comprehensive culinary journey, offering a chance to taste regional specialties, enjoy diverse alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and sometimes even engage in interactive food-related activities within a festive and welcoming environment.

Photo link by takedahrs