Food Tour Scramble : Tenjin Summer Festival 2023

 

If you are in Japan during this time of the year, you are in for a treat. And if you are into traditional festival events, street food, and cultural happenings, then there is no better place than a summer festival. During the summer, Japanese locals celebrate the season of Bon, which is a period of commemorating their ancestors. 

What energy!

During this season, locals will gather around and perform the Bon dance, which is also called Bon Odori. Originally seen as a form of ancestral worship, it eventually became more contemporary and becomes more of a festival that ushers the summer months. One of the bigger events is the one set up in Tenjin and it was in full swing since it is now the end-tail of the pandemic. With more people coming in due to relaxed travel restrictions, especially for tourists, it has made the event much more festive. And I was able to visit the festival which was set up at the main park behind the city hall. However, this is not to be confused with the Tenjin Festival in Tokyo, which is also organized during the summer. 

Felt a bit scammed. 

Being a traditional Japanese festival, food is a common feature that comes in the form of street food vendors. And I was getting pretty hungry, I went straight for the noodles. Initially, I ordered some Korean-style yakisoba, thinking that it was classic fried noodles with Korean noodles. Although it was pretty good, after further inspection, I found out that it was in fact Shin instant noodles from Korea. However, there were good chunks of meat and vegetables. So all was not lost. However, the 600 yen price tag made me left wanting. Lucky enough, the next entre has hit the jackpot. 

The classic!

Takoyaki came next and is probably one of the more popular Japanese treats out there. Octopus balls in pancake batter, what is not to love? Instead of the regular sweet and sour brown sauce, this was glazed with a green onion dressing which was tangy, salty, and quite refreshing at the same time. The content was lava-like, so eating with some caution is advisable. A handsome pack of 5 stood at 650 yen. Pretty average price if you ask me. 

Glorious

However, if you really want something more substantial, then the grilled xiao long pao stand is the place to get to. This one is definitely not traditional, but it looked utterly delicious. The filling was chunky, juicy and loaded with flavour. Also, the broth inside made for an interesting bite, although it made eating it a bit tricky. Caution also would need to be present for this. But this was much better in terms of flavour. It stood at 800 yen for a box of 4. Not cheap, but was incredibly tasty. 

So tasty!

If you want something really filling, then some charcoal-grilled chicken will do the trick. Standing at a hefty 700 yen, it really packs a punch. It was incredibly smoky but not burnt. And the smell of freshly charred chicken is just irresistible. If only I had a bit of rice, I could actually call it a day. 

Find the fizz...

Of course, a festival is not complete without drinks. And being Japan, there is a huge variety of boozy treats to choose from. The main poison for the day, and seems to be the cheapest, is the shochu highball which stood at a very modest 300 yen. It was pretty refreshing, and being loaded with ice, it was able to cool me down very easily. However, I know there are teetotalers here, and I had a bit too much to drink the day before. So luckily, there was a good amount of soft drinks available as well. 

An actual godsend

And I am not talking about your regular soda from a can. Pleiadas, a drinks company based in Kyushu came in armed with their own beer and non-alcoholic beverages. So having some ice latte and a sports drink to rehydrate in this summer blaze was a godsend. Was it better than pocari sweat, probably not. However, I felt pretty good after it. A bottle of either drink stood at 300 yen. 

So much energy

Despite the sweltering heat, it was still an enjoyable time. There were a lot of people having great street food, getting a cheeky drink, dancing the night away, or all of the above. It was a feast to the eyes as well, with many of the patrons decked in classic yukata, a central stage where performers in traditional costumes play classical instruments, and lanterns adorned the night sky. And at the time of this writing, the festival is still on as it was from 21 July to 8 August. So if you are somehow in the heart of Fukuoka, then why not come on over and enjoy the fun. You would be doing yourself a favour. 

What a night! Till next year.