Vegetarians read no more; this is for the lovers of tender, juicy, mouth-watering meat. In recent years food critics have noted fish-loving Japan has developed a special place in its heart (and stomach) for higher quality meats. However, there is no denying that one town in Yamagata loves its local meat so much that they have been obsessed with their local feasting festival for over 35 years!
Most Japan foodies have probably heard of the famous Kobe beef, but in fact there are several such high quality meats from other areas of Japan as well. One is Yonezawa-gyu (Yonezawa beef) from, you guessed it, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture.
Each year on the first Friday evening of August like clockwork, hoards of hungry locals mixed with some out-of-towners descend upon the bank of the Mogami River for the Yonezawa Meat Festival. The festival is unique as it can be considered more of an outdoor self serve restaurant. Tickets are purchased roughly a month in advance from city hall, or a website, and sitting is assigned. Large tents with sheets and cushions create your kitchen and dining area. Your party recieves a large cooking pot and gas range, utensils for eating and cooking, an overloaded tower of vegetables, and a mountain of the flavorful, soft, and all around pleasing Yonezawa meat. Use your sauce and eggs to add texture and flavor, keeping in mind that sukiyaki style encourages diners to dip cooked meat in raw egg before putting it in your mouth. Try it! It tastes amazing.
When buying tickets in advance, you will need to decide if you want a 4 person set or 2 person set. My 3 friends and I were hungry so were worried the 4 person set would not be enough. We had no worries at all after we started eating. We ate a lot and we ate fast but our stomachs soon became full. We had food left over and barely touched the Roman King portion of grapes we were given for dessert. A set for 4 people was 16000 yen while a 2 person set is half the price. There is adequete sitting, so you can come with an extra person or two for no additional cost. My group of 4 easily had enough food for one or two more people.
The 2016 festival brought 1300 people to what could be Japan’s largest suikyaki-style picnic. Small performances on a center lawn provided entertainment or at least a conversation point during the meal. Looking around, it was obvious to me many locals come here to catch up with old friends or make bonds with school or work colleagues. Everyone was very friendly. If you are in the area and happen to not have a ticket, I recommend walking through the grounds and look for a friendly group with a lot of extra food.
While the festival advertises itself as a festival featuring the local Yonezawa meat, I came to realize the real festival is about social interaction and making stronger and new realtionships with each other—through the medium of food.
