If you live in Tokyo and have never been to Kitakyushu, this is a one-day chance to taste the city without the trip. The City of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture is setting up a fair right next to Yurakucho Station, with a standing drinks corner run by a Mojiko liquor shop, a market of local food and sweets, and a booth promoting sushi, the airport and the Kanmon Strait area.
- Event
- Kitakyushu City Fair in Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan (北九州市フェアin東京交通会館)
- Date
- Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Hours
- 11:30–17:30
- Venue
- Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan (東京交通会館), ground-floor Piloti, 2-10-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Organizer
- City of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture
- Admission
- Not stated in the announcement. Check the official press release.
What is at the fair: the three booths
The fair is compact and split into three parts. Here is the quick version before the details.
| Booth | What you will find |
|---|---|
| Kakuuchi booth | Kitakyushu beer, shochu, sake and wine, introduced by SHIMADA Saketen, a liquor shop in Mojiko |
| KitaQ Marché (sales booth) | Sukesan Udon, the local dish nukadaki, and sweets with roots in the Edo-era Sugar Road. No eat-in space |
| PR booth | The Sushi Golden Route, Kitakyushu Airport and the Kanmon area, plus a skin age check and a capsule-toy corner with novelty prizes |
Kakuuchi booth: Kitakyushu drinks, standing-bar style
Kakuuchi (角打ち) is the habit of having a drink right inside a liquor shop, and Kitakyushu treats it as part of its local culture. At this booth you get to try that experience in Tokyo.
The pouring is handled by SHIMADA Saketen (SHIMADA酒店), a liquor shop in the port district of Mojiko. The lineup covers beer, shochu, sake and wine from Kitakyushu, so it works whether you are a sake fan or just want a beer. The idea is to drink and chat, so it is a good stop if you come with friends.
Prices for each drink were not included in the announcement.
KitaQ Marché: udon, nukadaki and old-school sweets
The sales booth is called KitaQ Marché (KitaQマルシェ). The headline item is Sukesan Udon (資さんうどん), which the city calls its soul food. Next to it you will find nukadaki (ぬか炊き), a traditional local dish, and sweets that trace back to the Sugar Road, a sugar trade route from the Edo period.
If you enjoy getting regional food from around Japan, hometown tax donations are another route many residents use. The rules changed this October, and our guide to what donors need to know about the furusato nozei changes explains what is different.
PR booth: sushi, the airport and Kanmon
The PR booth is where the city pitches itself as a place to visit. Topics include the Sushi Golden Route (すしのゴールデンルート), Kitakyushu Airport, and the Kanmon area around the strait between Kyushu and Honshu.
There are also a couple of light extras: a skin age check, and a capsule-toy (gacha) corner where you can win novelty items.
If the booth puts a Kyushu trip on your list, flight-and-hotel deals can make it much cheaper. See our write-up on the Kyushu Fukko Ouen-wari discount on JAL packages.
Friday night bonus: drinks at the same venue
Cannot make it on Saturday? The night before, on Friday, October 16 from 17:00 to 21:00, the same venue hosts Yurakucho de Nomimasho (有楽町で呑みましょう♪), and Kitakyushu has a booth there too. It is pitched as a drink after work, so it suits anyone working near Yurakucho or Ginza.
Details of the Friday event are on the Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan event page.
Tips before you go
- Check the hours. Saturday runs 11:30–17:30. The Friday booth is a separate evening slot, 17:00–21:00.
- Prices and payment are not announced. The press release lists no admission fee, item prices or payment methods. Carrying both cash and a card is the safe choice. If you still do not have a Japanese card, our guide to which credit card foreigners in Japan should get first is a good place to start.
- Plan for no seating at the market. The KitaQ Marché booth has no eat-in space.
- Confirm before you head out. For anything not covered here, check the official press release from the City of Kitakyushu.
Want more cheap or free days out? Browse our guides to the Musashino Art University Festival and the Shibaura Canal Festival with its free cruises.
FAQ
- When and where is the Kitakyushu City Fair?
- Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 11:30 to 17:30, on the ground-floor Piloti of Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan at 2-10-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
- Is there an entry fee?
- The announcement does not mention an entry fee or item prices. Check the official press release from the City of Kitakyushu before you go.
- Can I eat at the KitaQ Marché booth?
- No. The KitaQ Marché sales booth has no eat-in space.
- What drinks are at the kakuuchi booth?
- Beer, shochu, sake and wine from Kitakyushu, introduced by SHIMADA Saketen, a liquor shop in Mojiko.
- Is there anything on Friday evening?
- Yes. On Friday, October 16, from 17:00 to 21:00, Kitakyushu has a booth at Yurakucho de Nomimasho, held at the same venue.
Source: City of Kitakyushu press release (October 8, 2026). Details may change, so please check official information before visiting.