When thinking of food from Japan, most people’s first thought is “Sushi!!”. Another amazing part of the food culture in Japan is the food at festivals. Normally at festivals you see lines upon lines of brightly colored food stalls selling a huge variety of traditional (and not so traditional) Japanese food and treats.
Just a tiny fraction of the food stalls that lined ALL of the walkways and open areas during Sanja Matsuri at Sensouji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo.
More food stalls at Sensouji – this time during Sakura Matsuri.
Some of the most popular and well known festival foods includes yakisoba – fried soba (buckwheat) noodles with cabbage and sometimes pork and an egg, and usually topped with nori (seaweed) and benishoga (pickled ginger) made quickly in huge batches as you stand there watching.
Takoyaki – Osaka’s special food, and the most fun to watch being made. From just a
grill covered in pancake batter to a grill full of perfect little balls with a piece of octopus in each! Then they get smothered in takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise and bonito flakes (dried fish flakes)!!! Nom nom nommmm
And of course, everyone’s favorite cabbage pancake!! Okonomiyaki!!
And for fried food – KARAAGE!!!! Deep fried chicken!
Also, rather less traditional, but also sold – Deep Fried Oreos!
Also, anything……..literally ANYTHING you can put on a stick….
From cucumbers
To hot dogs (called frankfurters when served like this!)
An eighth of a watermelon (and various other fruits)
Yakitori – grilled chicken
Or some more……..interesting……….choices
From fish
To octopus arms, octopus made into balls, squid, clams, shellfish…………
And back to more normal
Crab
A wider variety of parts of a pig than you will ever see at an average western 
restaurant (tongue, belly….). They are all set out ready to be grilled when ordered, kept cool by the ice that is put directly on the meat.
Or if you want something sweet – chocolate bananas!
Now getting away from the stick food, but still sweet,
Sweet potato fries
Cotton Candy
Crepes
Shaved ice – Kakigori
And when you are thirsty, you can get some really, really fresh orange juice or grapefruit juice that you drink directly from the fruit!
