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, plus trendy menus (21–30)
Chewy Potato Fries
Fried potatoes have long been a staple and popular item at food stalls, but in recent years, one thing you often see at festivals is mochi-mochi potatoes.
Mochi-mochi potatoes are made by frying a mashed mixture that resembles mashed potatoes: boiled potatoes are crushed and mixed with seasonings and potato starch.
When frying, the mixture is extruded into long, thin strands using a special tool, so they end up longer than regular French fries.
Thanks to the potato starch, the texture is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
In addition to the basic salted flavor, they come in a variety of seasonings like cheese and mentaiko mayo, which adds to their appeal.
Hashimaki
Have you heard of hashimaki, a staple food stall item in Kyushu and the Chugoku region? It’s made by thinly cooking a batter similar to okonomiyaki with fewer fillings, then rolling it around disposable chopsticks.
It’s topped with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and aonori (dried green seaweed).
Since it’s wrapped around chopsticks, it’s easy to eat one-handed, making it popular at festival stalls.
Sometimes a fried egg is added on top after it’s wrapped, too! It’s the perfect street food when you want to enjoy okonomiyaki conveniently.
Tianjin candied chestnuts
When you go to a festival, there’s that drifting aroma from nowhere—a mix of sweetness and toasty nuttiness.
Follow the scent and you’ve probably seen chestnuts being stirred and roasted inside a drum-like machine.
The red bags labeled “Tianjin Sweet Chestnuts” have looked the same for ages, and many adults loved them as kids and still eat them often.
They’re perfect to buy as a souvenir to take home and share with everyone, rather than eating them on the spot at a food stall.
taiyaki (a fish-shaped cake filled with sweet red bean paste)
Taiyaki isn’t just a festival treat—it’s a Japanese-style sweet you can’t help but buy when you spot it around town.
Many people can’t resist the contrast of the crispy outer shell and the steaming-hot sweet bean filling.
Recently, you can even find croissant taiyaki made with croissant dough, as well as savory versions stuffed with German potato or bacon instead of red bean paste or custard.
Its easy, one-handed portability is part of the charm, too.
Tamasen
When you think of tamasen, it’s that old-fashioned snack you get at food stalls, right? It’s a half-cooked fried egg grilled on a hot plate, sandwiched between large shrimp crackers, usually seasoned with mayonnaise and sauce.
The runny yolk tends to spill, so it’s tricky to eat neatly, but its simple flavor is irresistible and unlike anything else.
These days, versions topped with cheese are also sold, and I think it’s a menu item that even small children happily enjoy.
Fruit Daifuku
We would like to introduce an idea for “fruit daifuku,” which enjoys broad popularity from children to adults and is drawing attention as a staple menu item.
Just add sugar to shiratama flour, gradually mix in water, and heat it in the microwave to make chewy mochi.
Using a variety of colorful fruits adds vibrancy, flavor, and plenty of variation.
At festivals, it will stand out as a colorful treat at food stalls and be a perfect choice for people who can’t decide what to eat.
Fruit daifuku, which blends nostalgic flavors with a modern twist, is sure to attract even more attention in the future.
Chilled fruit
Let me introduce “Chilled Fruit,” a festival food stall item that’s been getting attention in recent years.
Ice-cold cut fruit is a refreshing menu item perfect for hot summer festivals.
Using a variety of fruits makes for a colorful appearance that stimulates the appetite.
Compared to classic, old-fashioned festival fare, its healthy, light taste is especially appealing.
It’s easy to eat and leaves a clean aftertaste, making it a big hit with everyone from children to adults.
It also looks cool and refreshing, making it an especially recommended choice for anyone unsure what to eat.
deep-fried mochi
Age-mochi is deep-fried, so the outside is crispy while the inside is gooey and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
When it comes to mochi, grilling is the usual way to eat it, but deep-frying is also highly recommended.
You can cut mochi into squares, fry them, and enjoy with soy sauce or grated daikon with ponzu.
Toppings like nori, bonito flakes, and mayonnaise are also great options, giving you a wide range of flavors.
Besides square mochi, there are also round mochi on skewers with a soy-based glaze.
These are sold frozen too, and some can be eaten just by heating them up.
If you’re planning to run a food stall at a festival, be sure to check them out.
fried pasta
Fried pasta made by deep-frying long pasta.
Besides being sold at festival stalls and fairs, it also seems to be a staple snack on the menu at some izakaya pubs.
It’s often sold in paper or plastic cups.
Because you can pick it up with your fingers and eat it easily, it’s popular with children too.
Fried pasta has a delightful, crispy texture.
There are many seasonings, such as salt with aonori (green laver), soy sauce and butter, or cinnamon with granulated sugar.
With so many flavors available, it sounds fun to try fried pasta from different shops.
Isobe-yaki (grilled seaweed-wrapped rice cake)
Isobeyaki, with its appetizing aroma of soy sauce sizzling to a toasty finish.
It’s made by brushing soy sauce glaze onto mochi wrapped in nori and grilling it.
Along with enjoying the sea-scented nori, one of isobeyaki’s charms is how easy it is to eat with one hand.
Since it uses mochi, you could even call it a uniquely Japanese form of fast food.
During the bubble era from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, isobeyaki was sold in busy downtown areas like Shinjuku Kabukicho, Shibuya Center Street, and Ginza.
Back then, it supposedly cost around 100 yen.