Bwog takes on JAPAN Fes!

JAPAN Fes, the world’s largest Japanese food festival, made a stop in the Upper West Side this past Saturday. Unfortunately, I, an unprepared freshman, ate breakfast just before the festivities began at 10 am and therefore had little appetite for the seemingly endless array of food. To make up for the loss, I asked some of my friends at Bwog about their experiences. Read them below!

“My friends went to [JAPAN Fes] over the weekend. One of them went to a Mexican dip stall and tried a scotch bonnet sauce and her nose ended up watering a lot. She didn’t eat anything else, but she bought a bunch of postcards.” – Anonymous

“I went last year and was so shocked at how expensive everything was, but got a paper cone of shrimp tempura with spicy mayo, and it was really good. I also got some of the sugar-coated fruit, and it was not nearly as crunchy as I wished. It’s always sooo crowded and over-stimulating. It makes me want to go less, and why are there so many options? I’m stressed thinking about it.” – Anonymous

“My friend and I took a (slightly hungover) lovely walk through it… stopping to look at everything and of course, take a photo with the Statue of Liberty panda. Only seemed fitting. Loved it!” – Ursula (BC ‘26)

“Saw that they have a VIP section?? For a food festival? Am very confused by that concept and what it entails… Walked by later on when I was grabbing dinner and impulse bought a plant because I wanted one for my dorm and they were actually fairly cheap.” – Anonymous 

“I went with my friend, Susie, and we had a great time there! I didn’t buy anything, but I went in my Tanjiro haori and brought my Tanjiro keychain. I heard them playing “Gurenge” from Demon Slayer and “Hikaru Nara” from Your Lie in April. It was lots of fun!” – Audrey (CC ’27)

If you’d like to try the scotch bonnet sauce or take a picture with the Statue of Liberty panda yourself, JAPAN Fes plans to return to the Upper West Side on October 18 and 26. 

Header Image via Bwog Staffer