🟢 Great-in-Tokyo — Great experience you can enjoy in Tokyo.
An annual Oita food festival at the foot of Tokyo Tower where you can taste jigoku-mushi steamed dishes, fresh sushi, fried chicken, croquettes, and local drinks from all over the prefecture in one place.
Last updated: 2025-12-05
Introduction
Once a year, Oita Prefecture gathers at the foot of Tokyo Tower — that is the “Jigoku-mushi Festival in Tokyo Tower.”
Popular shops and producers from all over the prefecture come together, offering Beppu’s famous “jigoku-mushi” as well as sushi, karaage, toriten, gyorokke fish croquettes, kabosu drinks, and Yufuin beef steak, allowing you to experience the flavours of Oita all at once. The photo shows a Yufuin beef steak skewer. The rich, flavourful red meat with just the right amount of fat truly felt like “a feast from Oita.”
It is a valuable event where you can find local foods that are rarely encountered in everyday Tokyo.
My Memory
I first climbed to the observation deck of Tokyo Tower on an elementary school field trip. Since becoming an adult, I think I've only gone up once or twice.
For those of us living here, Tokyo Tower isn't a place to climb—it's a landmark to watch from afar.
There is something incredibly reassuring about seeing its warm orange glow in the night sky. On rare occasions when it lights up in different colors, like blue for special events, catching that sight always makes me feel a little lucky.
💡 Did You Know?
What is "Jigoku-mushi" (Hell Steaming)?
In Oita's Beppu Onsen, natural hot spring sources that spew high-temperature steam are called "Jigoku" (Hell).
This cooking method, which dates back to the Edo period, uses only this 100°C geothermal steam to cook food instantly. Not only does it remove excess fat, but the minerals in the steam lock in the natural umami of the ingredients, making them incredibly delicious even without salt.
What to Try
Oita fish sushi platter
One of the main highlights is the sushi truck that rolls right into the venue and serves sushi made to order. Oita is known for its yellowtail, and here you can enjoy thick slices of fatty buri and other local white fish, neatly lined up on rice. The freshness is impressive for a temporary event in Tokyo, and the variety lets you taste the sea of Oita in one tray.
Nakatsu karaage
Oita is also famous for chicken, and Nakatsu-style karaage is its superstar. The chicken is marinated with soy sauce, garlic, and ginger before frying, so the flavour goes right through to the centre. The coating is crisp and light, while the meat stays incredibly juicy. It is the kind of snack that makes you want another skewer as soon as you finish the first.
Toriten from Yufu
Another beloved local chicken dish is toriten, or chicken tempura. Unlike karaage, the meat is usually not pre-marinated. Instead it is dipped in a light batter and fried until golden, letting the simple flavour of the chicken shine. Fresh from the oil, the texture is fluffy inside with a delicate crunch outside – almost like a cross between tempura and fried chicken.
Gyorokke fish croquettes
Oita’s rich fishing grounds also appear in the form of gyorokke, a B-grade local favourite. These croquettes are made from seasoned fish paste instead of mashed potato, coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried. The result is a snack with a gentle fish aroma and a satisfying, meaty bite. It is something you are very unlikely to encounter in regular Tokyo izakaya.
Usa city sake tasting flight
Usa City has two sake breweries and two shochu distilleries, and the festival offers a tasting set that lets you compare them all in small cups. From clean, sharp sake to richer, more aromatic styles and earthy shochu, the flight gives you a compact introduction to Oita’s local alcohol in a single tray.
Kabosu shochu highball
Kabosu is the signature citrus fruit of Oita, and locals put it on almost everything. At the festival, a refreshing way to enjoy it is in a kabosu shochu highball: shochu topped with soda, ice, and a generous squeeze of fresh kabosu. The citrus cuts through the alcohol and lifts the aroma, making it an easy drink to pair with fatty fish and fried foods.
Night view of Tokyo Tower
After sunset, Tokyo Tower lights up in warm orange tones and the festival takes on a completely different mood. Looking up at the illuminated steel structure from the food stalls below is a spectacular sight, and it adds a bit of Tokyo magic to the Oita flavours in your hands.
Tokyo or Trip?
🟢 Great-in-Tokyo — Great experience you can enjoy in Tokyo.
The appeal of this event is that you can experience, all at once, “local specialties from across Oita Prefecture” that you would not be able to encounter even if you traveled around Oita for one or two days. You can encounter a “cross-sectional food culture of Oita” that is not normally available in Tokyo.
There is no need to walk around searching for stalls while traveling, and with the energy and live atmosphere of the festival added in, the encounters with food become even richer.
If you come across this event while in Tokyo, I hope you will definitely stop by.
Explore Nearby
- Tsukiji Breakfast — Odayasu Chashu-Egg Teishoku 🍚
- Gyukatsu Motomura — Crispy Beef Cutlet 🥩
- Spice Curry at Keraku, Meguro 🍛
- Kura Sushi — Conveyor Belt Sushi 🍣
- Daikokuya Tendon — Edo-Style Tempura Bowl 🍤
Similar Dishes
- Edo-Style Sushi Lunch in Togoshi-Ginza — Everyday Tokyo Craft at Its Best 🍣
- Korokke in Togoshi-Ginza — Tokyo Shotengai Classic 🥔
- Chicken Nanban in Tokyo — Kyushu Flavor Meets Tartar Elegance 🍗
External Links
- Oita Prefecture Official Tourism — Explore Oita 🔗
- Oita Prefecture — Overview & History (Wikipedia) 🔗
About "Taste of Japan"
Hello, I'm Yuta.
Born in landlocked Yamanashi and having lived in the gourmet city of Sendai for 10 years, I now call Togoshi-Ginza home. My frequent business trips across Japan allow me to constantly explore the diversity of regional flavors.
Why Togoshi-Ginza?
This street is Tokyo’s longest shopping arcade (about 1.3 km), but it holds a special history. It was the very first street in Japan to adopt the "Ginza" name—a tradition that later spread across the country—after receiving bricks from the famous Ginza district following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.
My Wish as a Local
I am not a culinary expert. However, as a Japanese local who knows both the convenience of Tokyo and the origins of regional food, I want to share the "atmosphere" and "personal feelings" that you won't find in standard guidebooks.
The Concept: "Tokyo or Trip?"
Visiting every region of Japan in a single trip is nearly impossible. Some food experiences are worth the travel to the source, while others offer a fully satisfying experience right here in Tokyo.
This blog is a guide to help you make that choice. Based in Togoshi-Ginza, I share my honest experiences and "my personal answer" to help you maximize your culinary journey in Japan.
- 🟠 Local-First: Best experienced in its home region. Worth a trip.
- 🟢 Great-in-Tokyo: A nationwide favorite or regional specialty that offers a fully satisfying, authentic experience right here in Tokyo.
- 🟣 Tokyo-Do-Must: A unique food culture born in or exclusive to Tokyo.