What a bussanten is
A bussanten (regional products fair) is an event held in a department store or station-building event hall, gathering food and crafts from a single prefecture or region. Many are named after the region itself, such as a "Hokkaido Fair" or "Kyushu Fair," and are said to typically run anywhere from a few days to about a week. They're a popular way to sample flavors you'd otherwise only find on the road, either before or after a trip there.
What's on offer
Expect live-cooked bento and seafood rice bowls, meat buns and fried snacks made to order, regional sweets and sake, and sometimes lacquerware or other crafts. Popular counters can sell out shortly after opening on the first day or a weekend.
Finding one
Which department store is running which fair is usually listed on that store's own events calendar online. The same regional fair often tours several stores in turn, so it's worth checking around your travel dates.
Crowds and numbered tickets
Popular live-cooking counters may draw a line before opening, or hand out numbered tickets. If you'd rather browse at ease, arriving right at opening or avoiding weekends is said to help.
Shelf life and taking food home
Freshly cooked dishes and raw items are usually best eaten the same day, while sweets and dried goods that keep at room temperature travel better. For anything needing to stay cold, it helps to mention how long you'll be carrying it when you pay.
Related foods
See "Wagashi," "Nihonshu," and regional "Tsukemono" — foods that often turn up at these fairs.