Now calling itself the world’s largest Japanese food festival, the 2024 season will be the biggest yet, with an expansion to 33 events, compared to 21 last year. Each festival puts the flavors of the nation front and center, from classics like sushi, ramen, and matcha to more unique tastes like gyutan (beef tongue skewers) and tako senbei (octopus rice crackers).
Japan Fes kicked off its season early with an indoor event earlier this month and will host its first outdoor festival on March 23 in the East Village from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Among the items on the menu for that day are Kobe beef yakitori by Yakitori Tatsu, dango mochi balls from Odango Masa, matcha cream puffs from Butterdose Cafe, grilled squid from Kuu Ramen, chicken sandwiches from Rokstar Chicken, matcha croissant cubes from Softbite, and fizzy teas from Whistle & Fizz.
Events are held almost every weekend, rotating between the city neighborhoods across Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, including the Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, Midtown, Noho, Garment District, Astoria, and Park Slope. The last scheduled event of the season will be on Nov. 9 in the East Village.
Each week draws about 15,000 visitors, with the average price of food items being $12.25. Frequent visitors can be rewarded through their loyalty program, and those looking to get more involved can join Japan Fes’ Discord community or help out at an event as a volunteer.
The festival is a destination for locals and tourists alike.
The organization says the main goal behind the event is driven by a four-character Japanese concept that is the fusion of Japanese and Western influences.
