JAPAN Fes, the self-billed world's largest Japanese food festival, marks its 10th New York year with an East Village doubleheader: Broadway on Saturday, 4th Avenue on Sunday. Dozens of vendors sling takoyaki, yakitori, karaage, Menya Jiro ramen and fresh mochi from 10am to 6pm, and entry is free. Two days means two chances to graze, or one serious weekend-long crawl through the whole lineup.
What to expect
Rows of food stalls turning out takoyaki, yakitori skewers, karaage, onigiri, ramen, mochi and matcha drinks, with lines that build fast after noon. It's a graze-as-you-go street fair: free to enter, with each dish priced by its vendor. Saturday and Sunday run on different blocks with overlapping but not identical vendor lineups.
Good to know
- Two sites: Saturday on Broadway between 8th & 9th Sts, Sunday on 4th Ave between 9th & 10th Sts.
- Hours are 10am-6pm both days — arrive before noon to beat the longest lines.
- Most vendors take cards and Apple Pay, but cash keeps lines moving.
- Go with friends and split up across vendor lines to sample more.
- Entry is free; budget per dish for takoyaki, karaage, ramen, onigiri, matcha and tanghulu.
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Common questions
Is admission free?
Yes — walking the festival is free; you pay per dish at each vendor.
Are Saturday and Sunday the same event?
Same festival, different blocks: Saturday runs on Broadway between 8th and 9th Streets, Sunday on 4th Avenue between 9th and 10th, with overlapping but not identical vendor lineups.
What should I try?
Organizer-featured vendors include Tanota Takoyaki, Yakitori Iccho, Menya Jiro ramen, Mr. K's shogayaki and katsu sando, Onigiri Eight, Mochi Mochi Sisters and Chotto Matcha.
How big is JAPAN Fes?
Organizers bill it as the world's largest Japanese food festival; the 2026 New York season runs nearly every weekend from March to December across Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and New Rochelle.
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