This Weekend! May 9-10, 2026: The 2nd Imo Fes! at NEOPASA Shimizu
The popular food event "Imo Fes!" (Sweet Potato Festival), which has attracted over 470,000 visitors in the Tokai region, will hold its second event at Shin-Tomei NEOPASA Shimizu on May 9th and 10th, 2026. A total of 11 shops will participate, including a baked sweet potato store that won a Monde Selection gold medal and past Imo Fes! Grand Prize winners, offering a variety of sweet potato sweets and related products. Admission is free.
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- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 23:31
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The food event "Imo Fes!", which has attracted over 470,000 people mainly in the Tokai region, has announced its new schedule. The event will be held for two days, from May 9th to 10th, 2026, at Shin-Tomei NEOPASA Shimizu. A total of 11 vendors will participate. The highlight will be stores that received the Monde Selection gold medal for baked sweet potatoes, a world first, and stores that won the Imo Fes! Grand Prize announced in December 2025.
The participating vendors are as follows:
1. **Ruiida KITCHEN**: Winner of the Monde Selection Gold Medal! World's first recipient for baked sweet potatoes in Monde Selection. Imo Fes! Grand Prize (Overall Best).
"The era of evolving baked sweet potatoes_." "Aged baked sweet potatoes" are drawing attention as a symbol of this evolution. By aging sweet potatoes for a certain period after harvest, starch turns into sugar, creating an astonishing sweetness and deep flavor. Ruiida Kitchen offers "Premium Aged Baked Sweet Potatoes."
2. **Enmusubi**: Imo Fes! Grand Prize (Excellence Award), Gold Medal.
Aiming to be "a baked sweet potato specialty store with no staples," they offer a variety of baked sweet potatoes you've never tasted before! In addition to sweets, they offer "Mitsuro," a baked sweet potato with a one-year waiting list!
3. **Joiecrep**: Imo Fes! Grand Prize (Sweets Category).
[Sweet Potato Brûlée Crepe]
This sweet potato brûlée crepe is inspired by baked sweet potatoes, featuring purple sweet potato powder mixed into the dough, whipped cream, Annouimo sauce, and sweet potato paste.
4. **IMOBAKKA**: Excellence Award, Silver Medal.
Attention sweet potato lovers! IMOBAKKA is a specialty store for imo-kenpi (fried sweet potato sticks) that forms long lines at sweet potato events nationwide. IMOBAKKA's famous thick and soft imo-kenpi allows you to fully enjoy the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes. Plus, a hint of natural sea salt adds an accent!
Their "Gochamaze Mix," a mix of painstakingly hand-cut, crispy thin imo-kenpi and chips, is so popular that customers come from as far north as Akita and as far south as Wakayama to their main store in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture.
It's a number one popular product that can be stored for one month, making it suitable as a souvenir for someone or as emergency food during disasters!
5. **Hokkori Imo**: Sweets Category, Gold Medal.
A luxurious three-layer cake with the smooth texture of cream cheese and sweet potato, accented by cookie dough. This product won first place in the "Souvenir" category for two consecutive periods at the 2025 Sweet Potato Expo.
6. **Peony**:
Sweet Potato Chips
Freshly fried sweet potatoes are made into sweet potato chips on the spot.
Please enjoy the fresh flavor and sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
7. **Imomitsu**:
Store Introduction: A baked sweet potato specialty store from Ibaraki Prefecture.
THE IMOMITSU expresses food centered around baked sweet potatoes with the concept of "the moment sweet potatoes become most beautiful."
It aims to establish baked sweet potatoes as a work of art, "designing" everything from ingredients, preparation methods, temperature, to serving methods, not just selling food.
They carefully select Ibaraki-grown sweet potatoes and finish them with a unique approach that identifies the peak of sweetness, aroma, and texture.
8. **Tsuboimo to Butter**:
Baked sweet potatoes and sweet potato sweets baked in a pot, mainly using aged Beni Haruka from Kyushu.
The popular menu item is Tsuboimo Brûlée, a sweet potato dessert finished with carefully crafted homemade sweet potato paste, guaranteeing repeat customers after one taste.
Please try it.
9. **heartycafe✨**:
A kitchen car🚗 delivering heartwarming sweets.
Gentle-sweet baby castella made with a special blend of rice flour-based dough.
They offer baby parfaits with plenty of cream and new sensation sweets that can be enjoyed with selectable dips.
Please enjoy a relaxing moment for everyone from children to adults.
10. **Karadeniz**:
A rotating grill with a fragrant aroma.
Enjoy high-quality kebabs, prepared with authentic methods, adhering to the food culture of the Turkish Black Sea region, at the event venue.
11. **NEWSTEP**:
Street Performance.
These are the 11 vendors.
The Ito event was featured nationwide on Nippon TV's "DayDay." Additionally, it has received numerous media coverages, such as live broadcasts on Chukyo TV's "Zenryaku, Otokusan" and CBC TV's "Naruhodo Presenter! Hanasaka Times."
Some stores may sell out depending on the timing, so please arrive early.
Admission is free.
Event Overview:
May 9-10, 2026 (Saturday/Sunday) 10:00-17:00. Held even in light rain.
Location: Shin-Tomei Service Area NEOPASA Shimizu (integrated upper and lower lines).
The 2nd Imo Fes! IN NEOPASA Shimizu.
https://www.imo-fes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/
The participating vendors are as follows:
1. **Ruiida KITCHEN**: Winner of the Monde Selection Gold Medal! World's first recipient for baked sweet potatoes in Monde Selection. Imo Fes! Grand Prize (Overall Best).
"The era of evolving baked sweet potatoes_." "Aged baked sweet potatoes" are drawing attention as a symbol of this evolution. By aging sweet potatoes for a certain period after harvest, starch turns into sugar, creating an astonishing sweetness and deep flavor. Ruiida Kitchen offers "Premium Aged Baked Sweet Potatoes."
2. **Enmusubi**: Imo Fes! Grand Prize (Excellence Award), Gold Medal.
Aiming to be "a baked sweet potato specialty store with no staples," they offer a variety of baked sweet potatoes you've never tasted before! In addition to sweets, they offer "Mitsuro," a baked sweet potato with a one-year waiting list!
3. **Joiecrep**: Imo Fes! Grand Prize (Sweets Category).
[Sweet Potato Brûlée Crepe]
This sweet potato brûlée crepe is inspired by baked sweet potatoes, featuring purple sweet potato powder mixed into the dough, whipped cream, Annouimo sauce, and sweet potato paste.
4. **IMOBAKKA**: Excellence Award, Silver Medal.
Attention sweet potato lovers! IMOBAKKA is a specialty store for imo-kenpi (fried sweet potato sticks) that forms long lines at sweet potato events nationwide. IMOBAKKA's famous thick and soft imo-kenpi allows you to fully enjoy the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes. Plus, a hint of natural sea salt adds an accent!
Their "Gochamaze Mix," a mix of painstakingly hand-cut, crispy thin imo-kenpi and chips, is so popular that customers come from as far north as Akita and as far south as Wakayama to their main store in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture.
It's a number one popular product that can be stored for one month, making it suitable as a souvenir for someone or as emergency food during disasters!
5. **Hokkori Imo**: Sweets Category, Gold Medal.
A luxurious three-layer cake with the smooth texture of cream cheese and sweet potato, accented by cookie dough. This product won first place in the "Souvenir" category for two consecutive periods at the 2025 Sweet Potato Expo.
6. **Peony**:
Sweet Potato Chips
Freshly fried sweet potatoes are made into sweet potato chips on the spot.
Please enjoy the fresh flavor and sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
7. **Imomitsu**:
Store Introduction: A baked sweet potato specialty store from Ibaraki Prefecture.
THE IMOMITSU expresses food centered around baked sweet potatoes with the concept of "the moment sweet potatoes become most beautiful."
It aims to establish baked sweet potatoes as a work of art, "designing" everything from ingredients, preparation methods, temperature, to serving methods, not just selling food.
They carefully select Ibaraki-grown sweet potatoes and finish them with a unique approach that identifies the peak of sweetness, aroma, and texture.
8. **Tsuboimo to Butter**:
Baked sweet potatoes and sweet potato sweets baked in a pot, mainly using aged Beni Haruka from Kyushu.
The popular menu item is Tsuboimo Brûlée, a sweet potato dessert finished with carefully crafted homemade sweet potato paste, guaranteeing repeat customers after one taste.
Please try it.
9. **heartycafe✨**:
A kitchen car🚗 delivering heartwarming sweets.
Gentle-sweet baby castella made with a special blend of rice flour-based dough.
They offer baby parfaits with plenty of cream and new sensation sweets that can be enjoyed with selectable dips.
Please enjoy a relaxing moment for everyone from children to adults.
10. **Karadeniz**:
A rotating grill with a fragrant aroma.
Enjoy high-quality kebabs, prepared with authentic methods, adhering to the food culture of the Turkish Black Sea region, at the event venue.
11. **NEWSTEP**:
Street Performance.
These are the 11 vendors.
The Ito event was featured nationwide on Nippon TV's "DayDay." Additionally, it has received numerous media coverages, such as live broadcasts on Chukyo TV's "Zenryaku, Otokusan" and CBC TV's "Naruhodo Presenter! Hanasaka Times."
Some stores may sell out depending on the timing, so please arrive early.
Admission is free.
Event Overview:
May 9-10, 2026 (Saturday/Sunday) 10:00-17:00. Held even in light rain.
Location: Shin-Tomei Service Area NEOPASA Shimizu (integrated upper and lower lines).
The 2nd Imo Fes! IN NEOPASA Shimizu.
https://www.imo-fes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/