2025.01.01
The Keio Department Store Shinjuku Branch will hold the annual specialty event ‘Original Famous Ekiben and Nationwide Good Food Festival’ (hereafter ‘Ekiben Festival’), one of the largest and highest-selling department stores’ product exhibitions, over 19 days from 4 (Sat) to 22 (Wed) January.
This year marks the 60th edition of the Original Famous Ekiben and National Good Food Contest. Although the need to eat ekiben on board trains is decreasing due to the development of transport networks and advances in railway technology, a wide variety of ekiben rooted in the culinary culture of different regions is now attracting attention, and the ways in which people enjoy ekiben are diversifying, from enjoying them as local delicacies while travelling to collecting them in their containers.
At the event, 47 ekiben producers will demonstrate their products. In total, about 350 types of ekiben will be on display, both for demonstration and for transport.
| Period: | 4 (Sat) – 22 (Wed) January 2025 |
|---|---|
| Opening hours: | 10am – 8pm. Closes at 17:00 on 15 Jan (Wed) and at 18:00 on the last day [22 Jan (Wed)]. |
Luxurious seafood stacked with Echizen sweet prawns and salmon roe (Fukui Station)
A luxurious six-layer combination of sweet prawns from Fukui Prefecture with a strong sweetness and melt-in-the-mouth texture, local mackerel marinated in a special soy sauce, salmon roe and snow crab.
Hitachi-gyu Three-Flavour Mille-Feuille Bento (Mito Station)
This bento is packed with the delights of Hitachi-gyu beef, with a sweet sauce seasoned with soboro, sukiyaki of Hitachi-gyu beef served with white rice and a sumptuous steak of Hitachi-gyu beef on top.
Scallop Hanabushi Seafood Mille-Feuille Bento (Asahikawa Station)
This bento is topped with a generous portion of Hokkaido scallops, which look like flower petals for a beautiful appearance. A total of eight types of seafood, including sea urchin, salmon roe, snow crab and tuna tataki, can be enjoyed in one sumptuous meal.
Kagoshima Kurobuta Seared Grilled Pork Ramen and Mamanai Kakuni Rice (Izumi Station)
Shoeiken is a popular producer of ekiben (station bento box lunches) using Kagoshima Kurobuta pork and Kuroge Wagyu beef. The set includes tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen topped with Kagoshima Kurobuta pork chashu, which is a perfect match for the restaurant’s kakuni-meshi.
Hitachiniku Gyu Beef Bento and Anko Miso Ramen Lunchbox (Mito Station)
The popular ekiben ‘Hitachiniku Gyuu Gyuben’ and ramen noodles topped with smooth, thick ankou (redfish liver) and ankou (redfish) stew can be enjoyed together.
Ekimen Yoshiyama Shoten x Gishoku Chitose (New Chitose Airport Station)
A collaboration between Yoshiyama Shoten, a popular miso ramen shop in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and Bishoku Chitose, which sells lunch boxes at Minami Chitose Station and New Chitose Airport. The lunch boxes contain Sapporo oil noodles and konameshi under the supervision of Yoshiyama Shoten.
Nose Pecha Dog Joint Photo Exhibition & Product Sales Exhibition “Nose Pecha Exhibition 2021 in Osaka”
[Hoshino Resorts World]-Traditional craftsmanship collaboration project to start from event loss-“Remote Mashiko Pottery City” held at hot spring inn
[Hoshinoya Okinawa] Seasonal event “Sabani aperitif on the beach” An event associated with an Okinawan event to pray for safe voyages and abundant fishing will be held.
The third “Akigawa Valley Mystery Solving Eco Tour” is the popular hot spring facility “Seoto no Yu”
Ikebukuro Sunshine Aquarium Christmas
From Okinawa to the world! Okinawa historical story spelled out with video art and music, Ryukyu entertainment and martial arts
Nara
Countrywide
Kagawa
Kyoto
Countrywide
Classical masterpieces related to Kenji Miyazawa performed by a live string quartet at Konica Minolta Planetaria TOKYO
Tokyo
Lake Sagami Cherry Blossom Festival,” one of the most spectacular events in Kanto with 2,500 cherry trees in bloom, opens on Saturday, March 15.
Kanagawa
Heian Jingu Shrine, 130th Anniversary: Heian Jingu Shrine Sakura Oto Yoru – Benishidare Concert 2025 – will be held.
Kyoto
[Takeda Castle Town Hotel EN]Takeda Castle Ruins “Spring Climbing Set” on sale
Hyogo
Special Exhibition “Daikakuji Temple, Former Saga Gosho – New Currents: Paintings Related to the Gosho” will be held at night to commemorate the 1,150th anniversary of the temple’s founding.
Tokyo
Edo faceting brand Shiina Faceting, which has also opened a new showroom, releases a new series.
2025.04.16
Grand opening of the Japanese sweets shop Nikko Monaka on 15 March 2025, featuring monaka with three monkey motifs and strawberries from the prefecture.
2025.04.14
[JOMON]New tableware products from the Jomon goods specialist.
2025.04.11
Start of offering ‘Shinmijizai, Spring’ kaiseki cuisine in the beautiful springtime of Oku-Arashiyama.
2025.04.09
CASA stella, a new cultural tourism facility for Gifu wagasa and Gifu lanterns, opens.
2025.04.07
A new texture that is both crispy and chewy! HONKAN CREPE NAKAKA (crepe) in two varieties – custard and green tea – will be available from Friday 28 March.
2025.04.04
Kyoto
Ohanami
SAKURA
Event
Since its inception in 1989, the “Heian Shrine Red Shidare Concert” has evolved throughout the Heisei era. In 2025, the concert will be held for five days from Wednesday, April 2 to Sunday, April 6.
Tokyo
Art
Event
Due to the popularity of the exhibition “Daikakuji Temple, Former Saga Palace: New Flowers and Paintings Related to the Palace,” which will be held at the Heiseikan of the Tokyo National Museum from Tuesday, January 21, 2025, the museum will be open at night. In addition, from Tuesday, February 18, a limited-edition novelty gift will be distributed to visitors who purchase exhibition merchandise for 4,000 yen or more, including tax.
Shiga
Travel
Event
Culture
The resort hotel ‘KYUKAMURA OHMI-HACHIMAN’, located on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, in Omi Hachiman City, known for its Omi merchants and Azuchi Castle, is inviting participants to join the ‘Biwaichi’ bus tour, which immerses them in the historical romance of Shiga Prefecture, which has flourished as a key transport hub since ancient times, close to Kyoto and Nara.
To ensure that visitors can enjoy Omi in an easy-to-understand way, Mr Yoshiyuki Onuma, Senior Researcher at the National Institute for Historical Resource Development, will accompany them throughout the tour and provide explanations.
Yamaguchi
SAKURA
Event
From 25 March to 6 April 2025, Kai Nagato Onsen Ryokan is offering a “Spring Stay” to enjoy the murmur of the Onshin River, which heralds the arrival of spring, and the cherry blossoms. In spring, the rows of cherry blossom trees along the Onshin River, which flows in front of Kai Nagato, are in full bloom, adding colour to the hot spring resort. This plan allows you to enjoy the rows of cherry blossom trees, which have attracted many tourists to the area, to your heart’s content. This plan offers guests a special seat on the Kawadoko Terrace before dinner so that they can enjoy the cherry blossoms at any time during their stay.
Tokyo
Event
Culture
From Saturday 1 February to Thursday 27 March 2025, the Keio Plaza Hotel will host ‘Hinamatsuri at the Hotel – Setsubuku Cuisine Served with Arita Porcelain and Flowery Hina Furnishings’, featuring approximately 5,000 vines and other decorations. This is the 24th year of the Hinamatsuri event, which focuses on hanging ornaments.
Kanagawa
Food
Meiji Kinenkan’s confectionery brand ‘Kanomi no Mori’ is now available at Odakyu Noborito Station. Please take a look at the varied collection, including piece cakes, decorative cakes and other cakes perfect for Christmas, as well as standard popular sweets.
