Roundup of classic and popular festival foods, plus trending menu items
When you go to a festival, the first things that catch your eye are all the food stalls, right? Game stalls like lotteries and yo-yo fishing are fun, and food stalls that everyone loves—from kids to adults—are a must.
In this article, we’ll introduce a roundup of classic festival foods.
We’ve picked a wide range, from longtime favorites to items that have become popular in recent years.
If you’re wondering what to eat at a festival or which type of stall to run, be sure to check this out!
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Roundup of classic and popular festival foods: trending menu items too (1–10)
Jacket potato with butter
Have you ever seen “jaga butter”—fluffy, piping-hot potatoes slathered with plenty of butter—at a festival food stall? It might not be a guaranteed fixture at every festival, but it’s a long-standing crowd favorite! Sometimes it’s made with steamed or boiled potatoes, and other times the potatoes are coated in a batter—similar to pancake mix—and deep-fried.
When they’re battered and fried, they have a corn dog-like vibe, and the sweet-and-salty flavor is part of the appeal.
choco banana
Choco-banana is a classic grab-and-go sweet, loved for the gentle sweetness of banana and the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate.
It used to be standard to have a banana coated in milk chocolate and sprinkled with colorful sprinkles, but these days you can find versions coated with strawberry chocolate or white chocolate.
There are even ones decorated with Koala’s March cookies or colorful chocolate sauces, making for choco-bananas that look extra cute, too.
cotton candy
You don’t see cotton candy very often outside of festival food stalls, but maybe that’s exactly why so many people feel like they absolutely have to buy it at festivals.
It used to be standard to get it stuffed to the brim in plastic bags printed with anime characters, right? A lot of us probably begged our parents when we were little to buy the cotton candy with our favorite character on it.
These days, there are shops that sell whimsical cotton candy not just in white, but in pale sky blue, pink, yellow, and other colors.
It looks great in photos too, so if you spot some, definitely give it a try.
Roundup of classic and popular festival foods, including trending items (11–20)
Frankfurt
Frankfurters are also one of the classic festival food stall items.
Those big frankfurters you don’t often get to eat feel like a special treat unique to festivals, don’t they? The frankfurters you buy at festival stalls are seared almost like they’ve been shallow-fried—crispy on the outside and juicy inside—and when you slather on lots of ketchup and mustard, that junky flavor becomes totally addictive.
The fact that they’re served on a skewer and easy to eat is another nice perk during festivals.
Grilled corn on the cob
Have you ever seen grilled corn on the cob at a festival food stall? Its sweet, toasty aroma is so enticing that when you pass by, you can’t help but buy one.
The gentle sweetness unique to corn is the appeal, and while it can be a bit tricky to eat at a festival, you still end up craving it! In Hokkaido, it’s well-known that it’s sold in Odori Park from spring through autumn, but even outside Hokkaido, you’ve got a chance to enjoy freshly grilled corn.
Beef skewer
Beef skewers are a long-standing festival staple with enduring popularity.
They’re made by skewering and grilling various cuts of beef—similar to yakiniku.
You’ll often find them at highway service areas and roadside stations, too.
Some places serve them with a soy sauce–based glaze, while others offer an original salt-based spice blend.
There are even vendors that let you choose the cut of meat, which is great for matching your mood.
If you spot them at your next festival, be sure to give them a try!
obanyaki (Japanese stuffed pancake); also known as imagawayaki
Ōban-yaki is a traditional Japanese sweet consisting of sweet red bean paste sandwiched between thick, round, wheat-flour-based batter, and it’s known by various names depending on the region.
Names like Imagawa-yaki, Oyaki, Kaiten-yaki, and Kintsuba all refer to the same treat.
Its simple, old-fashioned sweetness is part of the charm, and a single piece is just the right size for a quick bite.
It also makes a nice gift if you buy a few together.
In addition to classics like chunky red bean paste, white bean paste, and custard, unique flavors such as strawberry and matcha bean paste have also appeared, so give them a try if you come across them.