Azabu Jūban Festival

Officially this is the Azabu Jūban Noryo Festival. Although “Noryo” means “cooling evening”, this festival is held during the heat of the last weekend of August in the fashionable Azabu-Jūban neighborhood and it’s all about the food. This year, it is held nearby another big event: Roppongi Hills Bon Odori.

What happens?

There are two basic types of food stalls — stalls from the many and varied members of the local food and hospitality association and stalls hawking produce from throughout Japan. Along with the usual matsuri (festival) fare, you’ll have a chance to try local delicacies from Hokkaidō in the north through to Kyūshū in the south. Additionally, there are lots of the typical festivals stalls and attractions geared towards the kids.

What’s the vibe?

We should also point out that it’s one of Tokyo’s more “trendy” festivals, and the demographic is quite young — including lots of fashionable twenty-somethings and students. The vibe is closer to the “fun” side of the scale than “traditional”, a little more like a hanami (cherry blossom viewing) party, but with high heat and humidity… and no blue plastic sheets.