Tanabata and festival food stalls

Tanabata and somen

On Tanabata, July 7th, there's said to be a custom of eating somen noodles. The origin is told a few ways — one traces it to sakubei, a twisted confection said to be somen's forerunner and eaten as far back as the Nara period; another likens the thin white noodles to the Milky Way — and no single account is said to be settled as the true one. The noodle industry sometimes promotes the day as "Somen Day." In some areas, somen is served with finely cut, colorful vegetables arranged to suggest the Milky Way.

Festival food stalls

At summer festivals and temple or shrine fairs (ennichi) held around the country, stalls commonly line the approach path and grounds. Yakisoba (fried noodles) and takoyaki (octopus balls) are frequent staples, and stalls selling sweets like candy apples, shaved ice, and cotton candy are also widely seen. Candy apples are coated in a red-tinted syrup, and the thickness and shine of the coating are said to vary from stall to stall. The mix and number of stalls varies with the size of the festival, and the same stalls aren't guaranteed to return every year.

What to expect at a stall

Many stalls are said to take cash only, so it helps to have small change ready. Service can be slow during busy hours, and if you're eating as you walk, it's worth being mindful about taking your trash with you and about eating while moving through crowds.

Related foods

If takoyaki and other flour-based foods interest you, see "Konamono"; for yakisoba, see "Yakisoba"; and for more street food, check the related tag.