Nishiwaga Freshly Picked Warabi Fair 2026" to be Held (May 11 - May 31)
Nishiwaga Sangyo Kosha Co., Ltd. will hold the "Nishiwaga Freshly Picked Warabi Fair 2026" from May 11 to May 31, 2026, across Nishiwaga Town, Iwate Prefecture. This special spring event will feature restaurants, inns, shops, and experience facilities, allowing visitors to enjoy the local wild vegetable culture centered around seasonal warabi through "eating," "buying," and "experiencing." The fair aims to revitalize the local economy and promote the charm of Nishiwaga Town nationwide.
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Nishiwaga Sangyo Kosha Co., Ltd. (40-73-11 Kawashiri, Nishiwaga Town, Iwate Prefecture / Representative Director: Kazuhiko Naiki) will hold the special spring event "Nishiwaga Freshly Picked Warabi Fair 2026" from Monday, May 11 to Sunday, May 31, 2026, with the entire town serving as the venue, involving participating restaurants, inns, shops, and experience facilities.
This fair is a migratory event where visitors can enjoy the wild vegetable culture unique to Nishiwaga Town, a snowy region, through three perspectives: "eating," "buying," and "experiencing," starting with "warabi" (bracken fern) that comes into season with the melting snow.
During the period, restaurants and hot spring inns in the town will offer warabi dishes unique to this season. Freshly picked raw warabi and wild vegetables will be available at supermarkets, direct sales stores, and other shops. In addition, special programs unique to this season will be held, such as warabi harvesting experiences at warabi farms and warabi mochi making experiences led by the popular Japanese confectionery shop "Yukiguni no Dangoya Danpei."
In the season of fresh greenery, while viewing submerged forests and wildflowers, please do visit the beautiful spring Nishiwaga.
## Event Outline
Name: Nishiwaga Freshly Picked Warabi Fair 2026
Period: Monday, May 11, 2026 - Sunday, May 31, 2026
Venue: Various locations throughout Nishiwaga Town, Iwate Prefecture (restaurants, inns, shops, direct sales stores, warabi farms, etc.)
Content:
- "Eat": Enjoy seasonal warabi dishes at participating restaurants and inns in town.
- "Buy": Purchase freshly picked raw warabi, wild vegetables, and related products.
- "Experience": Participate in warabi harvesting experiences, warabi mochi making experiences, etc.
Inquiries: Nishiwaga Sangyo Kosha Co., Ltd.
TEL: 0197-82-2211
Mail: info@nishiwaga.biz
For the latest information, please visit the Nishiwaga Sangyo Kosha website:
https://www.nishiwaga.biz
Eat, Buy, Experience: Enjoy the bounty of the snowy country season throughout the entire town!
## Eat
Restaurants in town will offer original warabi menus available only during this period. Please enjoy each establishment's unique dishes.
Participating Restaurants:
Roadside Station Kinshuko, Yumeto Plaza, Rest House Yunosawa, Mama's Shop Wagaya, Rikyuuan, Harunoya, Kawabata Shokudo, Katakago Hills Cafe, Izakaya BAR Wahler, Warabi Mochi Cafe Danpei (Warabi Mochi)
Participating Accommodations:
Katakuri no Yado Ikkyukan, Ichijo, Takashige Ryokan, Seseragi no Yado Yoshinoya, Shinseikan, Mantaka Ryokan, Sejumeya, Yamato
Rikyuuan Mama's Shop Wagaya
## Buy
Seasonal, freshly picked warabi and wild vegetables, only available at this time of year, will be sold.
Nishiwara Sales Stores:
Super Osen Yumoto Store, Super Osen Kitakami Store, Kogen Fureai Sanchoku House, Sanchoku Sato no Megumi, Yumeto Plaza, Roadside Station Kinshuko
Warabi Mochi Sales Stores:
Okashidokoro Takahashi, Warabi Mochi Cafe Danpei, Kudo Kashi Ten
Seasonal "Nishiwara" that can only be eaten at this time of year. Warabi mochi made from real warabi flour derived from Nishiwara rhizomes.
## Experience
Experience warabi even more deeply with warabi picking and handmade warabi mochi experiences!
*For warabi picking experiences, please check the status on each business's website.
Warabi Picking Experiences:
Sawauchi Natural Warabi Garden https://www.iwate-tanaken.com/shop/html/
Tsukizawa Warabi Garden https://www.yamani.takahashid.com (Reservation required)
Handmade Warabi Mochi Experience: Warabi Mochi Cafe Danpei
Tsukizawa Warabi Garden Warabi Mochi Cafe Danpei
"Nishiwaga Freshly Picked Warabi Fair 2026" Flyer Front
"Nishiwaga Freshly Picked Warabi Fair 2026" Flyer Back
## Nishiwaga Town: Home to "Nishiwara," Japan's First GI-Registered Wild Vegetable
Nishiwaga Town is known as the home of "Nishiwara," a brand of warabi that was the first wild vegetable in Japan to be registered as a Geographical Indication (GI).
Nishiwara, nurtured by abundant meltwater unique to a heavy snowfall region, a climate with significant temperature differences, and fertile soil, is characterized by its thick, soft, and melty texture. It is cherished by many fans as a taste that signals the arrival of spring.
## May 11 is "Nishiwara Day"
May 11, the first day of the fair, was established as "Nishiwara Day" in 2025 by the Nishiwaga Warabi Production and Sales Network.
The origin of this day is that the peak season for Nishiwara begins around this time each year, and the appearance of warabi sprouting "nyoki-nyoki" (onomatopoeia for sprouting) resembles the numbers "1" and "1."
## About Nishiwaga Town
Nishiwaga Town, Iwate Prefecture, is a naturally rich, mountainous area located in the southwestern part of Iwate Prefecture, bordering Akita Prefecture, and surrounded by the Ou Mountains. With a population of approximately 4,500 people and an area of about 590 km², over 80% of which is forest, it is one of Japan's leading heavy snowfall regions. Under a rich natural environment, community development centered on agriculture and tourism has been promoted.
Blessed with a climate that offers spring wild vegetables, autumn foliage, and winter snowscapes, it is also known as a hot spring resort with a long-standing tradition of therapeutic bathing culture.
Utilizing agricultural products and food culture cultivated in the climate and lifestyle of this snowy region, the town is working on developing local specialties and expanding sales channels, centering on its regional brand "Yuki no Chikara."
This fair is a migratory event where visitors can enjoy the wild vegetable culture unique to Nishiwaga Town, a snowy region, through three perspectives: "eating," "buying," and "experiencing," starting with "warabi" (bracken fern) that comes into season with the melting snow.
During the period, restaurants and hot spring inns in the town will offer warabi dishes unique to this season. Freshly picked raw warabi and wild vegetables will be available at supermarkets, direct sales stores, and other shops. In addition, special programs unique to this season will be held, such as warabi harvesting experiences at warabi farms and warabi mochi making experiences led by the popular Japanese confectionery shop "Yukiguni no Dangoya Danpei."
In the season of fresh greenery, while viewing submerged forests and wildflowers, please do visit the beautiful spring Nishiwaga.
## Event Outline
Name: Nishiwaga Freshly Picked Warabi Fair 2026
Period: Monday, May 11, 2026 - Sunday, May 31, 2026
Venue: Various locations throughout Nishiwaga Town, Iwate Prefecture (restaurants, inns, shops, direct sales stores, warabi farms, etc.)
Content:
- "Eat": Enjoy seasonal warabi dishes at participating restaurants and inns in town.
- "Buy": Purchase freshly picked raw warabi, wild vegetables, and related products.
- "Experience": Participate in warabi harvesting experiences, warabi mochi making experiences, etc.
Inquiries: Nishiwaga Sangyo Kosha Co., Ltd.
TEL: 0197-82-2211
Mail: info@nishiwaga.biz
For the latest information, please visit the Nishiwaga Sangyo Kosha website:
https://www.nishiwaga.biz
Eat, Buy, Experience: Enjoy the bounty of the snowy country season throughout the entire town!
## Eat
Restaurants in town will offer original warabi menus available only during this period. Please enjoy each establishment's unique dishes.
Participating Restaurants:
Roadside Station Kinshuko, Yumeto Plaza, Rest House Yunosawa, Mama's Shop Wagaya, Rikyuuan, Harunoya, Kawabata Shokudo, Katakago Hills Cafe, Izakaya BAR Wahler, Warabi Mochi Cafe Danpei (Warabi Mochi)
Participating Accommodations:
Katakuri no Yado Ikkyukan, Ichijo, Takashige Ryokan, Seseragi no Yado Yoshinoya, Shinseikan, Mantaka Ryokan, Sejumeya, Yamato
Rikyuuan Mama's Shop Wagaya
## Buy
Seasonal, freshly picked warabi and wild vegetables, only available at this time of year, will be sold.
Nishiwara Sales Stores:
Super Osen Yumoto Store, Super Osen Kitakami Store, Kogen Fureai Sanchoku House, Sanchoku Sato no Megumi, Yumeto Plaza, Roadside Station Kinshuko
Warabi Mochi Sales Stores:
Okashidokoro Takahashi, Warabi Mochi Cafe Danpei, Kudo Kashi Ten
Seasonal "Nishiwara" that can only be eaten at this time of year. Warabi mochi made from real warabi flour derived from Nishiwara rhizomes.
## Experience
Experience warabi even more deeply with warabi picking and handmade warabi mochi experiences!
*For warabi picking experiences, please check the status on each business's website.
Warabi Picking Experiences:
Sawauchi Natural Warabi Garden https://www.iwate-tanaken.com/shop/html/
Tsukizawa Warabi Garden https://www.yamani.takahashid.com (Reservation required)
Handmade Warabi Mochi Experience: Warabi Mochi Cafe Danpei
Tsukizawa Warabi Garden Warabi Mochi Cafe Danpei
"Nishiwaga Freshly Picked Warabi Fair 2026" Flyer Front
"Nishiwaga Freshly Picked Warabi Fair 2026" Flyer Back
## Nishiwaga Town: Home to "Nishiwara," Japan's First GI-Registered Wild Vegetable
Nishiwaga Town is known as the home of "Nishiwara," a brand of warabi that was the first wild vegetable in Japan to be registered as a Geographical Indication (GI).
Nishiwara, nurtured by abundant meltwater unique to a heavy snowfall region, a climate with significant temperature differences, and fertile soil, is characterized by its thick, soft, and melty texture. It is cherished by many fans as a taste that signals the arrival of spring.
## May 11 is "Nishiwara Day"
May 11, the first day of the fair, was established as "Nishiwara Day" in 2025 by the Nishiwaga Warabi Production and Sales Network.
The origin of this day is that the peak season for Nishiwara begins around this time each year, and the appearance of warabi sprouting "nyoki-nyoki" (onomatopoeia for sprouting) resembles the numbers "1" and "1."
## About Nishiwaga Town
Nishiwaga Town, Iwate Prefecture, is a naturally rich, mountainous area located in the southwestern part of Iwate Prefecture, bordering Akita Prefecture, and surrounded by the Ou Mountains. With a population of approximately 4,500 people and an area of about 590 km², over 80% of which is forest, it is one of Japan's leading heavy snowfall regions. Under a rich natural environment, community development centered on agriculture and tourism has been promoted.
Blessed with a climate that offers spring wild vegetables, autumn foliage, and winter snowscapes, it is also known as a hot spring resort with a long-standing tradition of therapeutic bathing culture.
Utilizing agricultural products and food culture cultivated in the climate and lifestyle of this snowy region, the town is working on developing local specialties and expanding sales channels, centering on its regional brand "Yuki no Chikara."