I recently had the chance to attend the Japan Food Fest and I am so excited to share some of my impressions with you. The Japan Food Fest (JFF) is a Japanese food festival that celebrates authentic street food, Japanese culture and brings together food lovers and Japan fans in one place.

I have actually known the Japan Food Fest from its very early days – back when it was still a small, cozy event held in Zug. At that time, there were maybe five or six food stands at most. Seeing how much it has grown since then honestly makes me incredibly happy. What started as a small gathering has turned into a vibrant, large-scale celebration of Japanese culture and cuisine.

Last year, the event was held in Zürich for the first time, but I was not able to attend, so this year was even more special as I finally got the chance to go – and instead of visiting, I signed up as a volunteer for two days! And honestly, it had been ages since I last helped at an event – I think the last time was during the days of JapAniMangaNight, so this brought back a lot of nostalgic memories.

The Japan Food Fest featured a wide variety of food stalls, offering popular Japanese street food like karaage (fried chicken), onigiri, yakitori, donburi, takoyaki and sweet taiyaki, along with beauty, snack and non-food stands that made the festival even more diverse and exciting.

The shows and karaoke performances were super entertaining and created such a fun atmosphere throughout the festival and there were also many interesting workshops spread across the three days, although I unfortunately didn’t get to attend them since we were incredibly busy at the bar.

Working as a volunteer was such a rewarding experience; even though things got a bit chaotic at times, it really showed the importance of teamwork and made everything even more memorable, reminding me of my JAN days – I honestly haven’t had this much fun in a long time!

A huge thank you goes to the amazing organizing team of the Japan Food Fest, especially Pia, Andy and everyone involved, for creating such a special event and giving me the opportunity to be part of it. Also, a big thank you to my friends who came to visit me – it was so nice seeing all of you there.

All in all, it was an unforgettable experience, and I am already looking forward to the next time. またねー 🇯🇵✨ Matane~

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Japan Food Fest 2026
03.04. – 05.04.2026
Zurich Oerlikon, Switzerland (Halle 550)
japanfoodfest.ch

Opening Hours
April 3, Friday: 11:00 – 21:00
April 4, Saturday: 11:00 – 21:00
April 5, Sunday: 11:00 – 18:00

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