This massive Japanese food festival is back for 2025—here are the exact dates

Forget the 14-hour flight from NYC to Tokyo, you can now discover the tastes of Japan with just a short subway ride to JAPAN Fes. The massive annual food festival just announced its 2025 dates, and the schedule is packed with events.

The organization is hosting nearly 30 outdoor events in NYC this year. What used to be just a summertime festival is now a year-round celebration across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Event organizers say it's the largest Japanese food festival in the world, attracting 300,000 visitors and featuring 1,000 vendors every year.

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Vendors hail from New York City, as well as other states and other countries. Past festivals have featured foods like takoyaki, ramen, matcha sweets, yakisoba, karaage, okonomiyaki and lots more. 

"We embrace the spirit of '和洋折衷' — the fusion of Japanese and Western influences — while actively engaging with our local communities," JAPAN Fes' leaders say on their website. "We firmly believe in the power of food, music, and art to bring people of diverse backgrounds and cultures together in a natural and comfortable environment. It is through these shared experiences that we foster cultural exchange and create memorable moments." 

Expect food, music, and art to combine at each event. After you're full, shop for Japanese crafts and gifts featured at the festival.

Here's the full list of JAPAN Fes dates for 2025

Spring

March 29 in the East Village
April 5 in the East Village
April 6 on the Upper West Side
April 19 on the Upper West Side
April 20 in Chelsea
April 26 in Chelsea
April 27 in Astoria
May 4 on the Upper West Side
May 10 in Chelsea
May 18 in Park Slope
June 7 in Midtown West
June 15 in Park Slope 

Summer

June 22 on the Upper West Side
June 28 in Midtown 
July 6 in Midtown East
July 12 in Chelsea
July 20 in Times Square
August 3 on the Upper West Side
August 9 in Greenwich Village
August 24 in the East Village
September 6 on the Upper East Side
September 13 in Chelsea
September 20 on the Upper West Side

Fall

October 5 in Chelsea
October 18 in the East Village
October 26 on the Upper West Side
November 8 in the East Village