Niku Fes Tachikawa

Choose from aged wagyu beef in a rich egg-yolk sauce to tender spare ribs or even Korean-style hot chicken with cheese fondue – this festival has enough meat to tempt even the most dedicated of vegetarians to the dark side for a day.

Taking over Show Kinen Memorial Park for 12 days of meat and music-filled fun, the festival will have 28 of Japan’s best offal-ings as well as craft beers and delicious desserts too. While you relax with your dumplings/burger/fried sirloin beef (or all three), you can enjoy the live music, yoga and dance performances on stage. If you’re looking for something sweet after your meaty-mains then be sure to try the seasonal sweet-potato cups or insta-worthy Ice Brulee Crepes.

While entry is free meal tickets cost 700 yen and fast-pass tickets are available too. If you enter after 7pm you can take advantage of the Night Discount which offers 5 tickets for 2,800 (rather than 3,500). There are dels for groups and students too, but those include fast-passes rather than just food tickets). Note that the park does have an entry fee of a few hundred yen but it’s a great place to explore.

On weekdays the event opens at 11am but on Weeknds it’s an hour earlier.

(Lily Crossley-Baxter)