Key Takeaways: Branch Yokohama Nanbu Market hosts Yokohama Niku Matsuri on Tuesday, November 3, from 11:00 to 15:00, with 1,350 free servings of Bushu Wagyu yakiniku handed out in two rounds starting at 11:00 and 13:30. The market also sells Hama-Motsu offal skewers and stew until they sell out. The event goes ahead in rain but is canceled in stormy weather.
Yokohama · Tue, November 3 (national holiday)
Yokohama Niku Matsuri: free wagyu tasting at Branch Yokohama Nanbu Market
11:00–15:00 · Held in rain, canceled in stormy weather
1,350free Bushu Wagyu yakiniku servings, shared across two rounds
Yokohama’s municipal meat market is holding its festival again this year at a shopping complex in Kanazawa Ward, and the headline is simple: free tastings of Bushu Wagyu, a brand of beef from Saitama Prefecture. The event is called Yokohama Niku Matsuri (横浜肉まつり＠ブランチ横浜南部市場), which translates as the Yokohama Meat Festival.
Beyond the tasting, the market is selling grilled and stewed offal made with its own Hama-Motsu, and showing off the beef and pork brands it handles. If you live in Yokohama or anywhere along the Keikyu or JR Negishi lines, it is an easy holiday outing.
Contents
Event details at a glance
| Event | Yokohama Niku Matsuri at Branch Yokohama Nanbu Market |
|---|---|
| Date | Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (national holiday) |
| Hours | 11:00–15:00 |
| Weather | Held in rain, canceled in stormy weather. Any cancellation is posted on the City of Yokohama website by 9:00 on the day. |
| Venue | Branch Yokohama Nanbu Market (ブランチ横浜南部市場) |
| Address | 1-1 Torihama-cho, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa |
| Organizer | City of Yokohama Economic Affairs Bureau (横浜市経済局) |
| Co-organizers | Yokohama Shokuniku Shijo Co., Ltd. Japan Meat Market Wholesalers Association |
| Supported by | Livestock Industry Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Japan Meat Council |
| Inquiries | Meat Market Operations Division, Yokohama Central Wholesale Market (City of Yokohama Economic Affairs Bureau) TEL 045-511-0446 |
The announcement does not mention an entry fee, how tasting servings are handed out (for example, numbered tickets) or the prices of food for sale. Check the City of Yokohama event page before you go.
The free Bushu Wagyu tasting
Image: City of Yokohama (from PR TIMES press release)
The main draw is a free yakiniku tasting made with Bushu Wagyu. There are 1,350 servings in total, split across two rounds.
| Round 1 | From 11:00 |
|---|---|
| Round 2 | From 13:30 |
| Limit | 1,350 servings in total |
The number of servings per round was not published, so if the tasting is your main reason for going, plan to arrive before the first round starts.
Image: City of Yokohama (from PR TIMES press release)
Food for sale and the exhibits
The market is also selling food. Everything is sold until it runs out.
| Hot food | Grilled offal skewers (motsu-yaki) and offal stew (motsu-ni) made with Hama-Motsu, the market’s own fresh offal |
|---|---|
| To take home | Frozen offal |
| Snack | Bone-in frankfurters |
Exhibits introduce the beef and pork brands the meat market handles and the shops that sell them, explain Bushu Wagyu, and show what the meat market does, along with general information about meat.
About Bushu Wagyu and the Yokohama meat market
Bushu Wagyu (武州和牛) is a brand of beef from Saitama Prefecture. Farmers look after the cattle’s environment from the time they bring in calves, avoid putting stress on them, and feed them plenty of roughage plus their own concentrated feed. The result is soft, bright red lean meat with fine marbling.
The organizer is the Yokohama Central Wholesale Market Meat Market (横浜市中央卸売市場食肉市場) in Daikoku-cho, Tsurumi Ward. Opened in 1959, it was the first market in eastern Japan dedicated to meat. It handles everything from receiving livestock and processing to auctions and cutting by intermediate wholesalers, has its own slaughterhouse, and moves around 20 billion yen of meat a year.
How to get there
The venue is right next to Nanbu-Shijo Station on the Seaside Line. Where you change trains depends on which direction you come from.
| From the Yokohama side | JR Negishi Line to Shin-Sugita, then the Seaside Line to Nanbu-Shijo |
|---|---|
| From the Yokosuka / Miura side | Keikyu Main Line to Kanazawa-Hakkei, then the Seaside Line to Nanbu-Shijo |
The organizer expects crowds and asks visitors to use public transport where possible.
Tips before you go
- Check the weather notice in the morning. Rain alone will not stop the event, but a storm will. The city posts any cancellation by 9:00 on the day.
- Aim for one of the two tasting times. Round 1 starts at 11:00 and round 2 at 13:30. Servings are capped at 1,350 overall.
- Go early for the offal dishes too. The motsu-yaki, motsu-ni, frozen offal and frankfurters all end when they sell out.
- Payment methods were not announced. If you want to know which cards work best for everyday spending in Japan, see our guide to the first credit card to get as a foreigner in Japan.
Looking for more free or low-cost days out? The Shibaura Canal Festival guide covers free canal cruises, and the Musashino Art University Festival guide lists dates and access for another autumn event. For a free bowl of ramen, see the Taiyo no Tomato Men coupon festival, and for discounted tickets to leisure spots, the Asoview campaign roundup.
FAQ
- Is the wagyu tasting free?
- Yes. The Bushu Wagyu yakiniku tasting is free and limited to 1,350 servings in total across two rounds, starting at 11:00 and 13:30.
- Will the event go ahead if it rains?
- Yes. It is held in rain but canceled in stormy weather. Any cancellation is posted on the City of Yokohama website by 9:00 on the day.
- How do I get to the venue?
- Take the Seaside Line to Nanbu-Shijo Station. The venue is right by the station. Change at Shin-Sugita from the JR Negishi Line or at Kanazawa-Hakkei from the Keikyu Main Line.
- How much do the food items cost?
- Prices were not included in the announcement. Check the City of Yokohama event page, and keep in mind that every item ends when it sells out.
Official information: City of Yokohama event page / Press release (Japanese). Details may change, so check the official page before you go.