12STARS☆ Fair: small-town Hyogo food comes to Takarazuka Hankyu
If you live in the Kansai area and enjoy regional food, this one is worth a short trip. From Wednesday, October 21 to Sunday, October 25, 2026, Takarazuka Hankyu (宝塚阪急) is hosting the 5th 12STARS☆ Fair (第5回 12STARS☆物産展) at a pop-up venue in front of its main entrance.
The fair focuses on 12 small towns in Hyogo Prefecture. Department store buyers visited each area to pick the products, and the producers themselves staff the stalls, so you can ask them directly how something is made or how to eat it.
- Oct 21 (Wed) – Oct 25 (Sun), 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- About 30 vendors, 7 of them new to Takarazuka Hankyu
- A new-rice corner selling Hyogo rice at farm-direct prices
- Some bakeries and sweets shops appear for one day only
- Local mascots meet visitors on Sunday, Oct 25
Dates, hours and venue
| Event | 5th 12STARS☆ Fair (第5回 12STARS☆物産展) |
|---|---|
| Organizer | Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores, Inc. (株式会社阪急阪神百貨店) |
| Partners | Hyogo Prefectural Association of Towns and Villages (兵庫県町村会), Kiss FM KOBE |
| Dates | October 21 (Wed) – 25 (Sun), 2026 |
| Hours | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
| Venue | Special venue in front of the main entrance of Takarazuka Hankyu (宝塚阪急正面入口前特設会場) |
| Address | 2-1-1 Sakaemachi, Takarazuka, Hyogo 665-0845 |
| Admission | Not stated in the announcement. Please check the official information. |
What the 12STARS☆ Fair is
Hyogo is a big prefecture. It is made up of five historic provinces, Settsu, Harima, Tajima, Tamba and Awaji, and many of its smaller towns are not well known even to people elsewhere in Kansai.
Kiss FM KOBE runs a radio segment called Choson-kai Presents 12STARS☆ (町村会プレゼンツ 12STARS☆) that introduces 12 of these towns. The fair takes the same idea off the air: the department store, the radio station and the Hyogo Prefectural Association of Towns and Villages team up to bring each town’s products to one place.
Expect handmade goods from small makers, cafe sweets that may make you want to visit the town itself, and a few specialties you probably did not know came from Hyogo. Because producers stand at the stalls, the fair also works as a chance to talk with them about their area.
Featured items and prices
The press release highlights one item from each of the 12 towns. Prices below are as listed in the announcement of October 16, 2026, and may differ at the venue.
Eggs, peanuts, Wagyu and vinegar
| Town | Producer and item | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ichikawa | Tazumi no Tamago (タズミのたまご) Eggs, pack of 6 | ¥351 |
| Inagawa | Dosaka Farm (ドウサカファーム) Raw peanuts, 1 bag | ¥864 |
| Inami | Kuroge Wagyu Hijiri (黒毛和牛 聖) Frozen plain-grilled hamburg steak, 120 g | ¥648 |
| Kami | Tokiwa (トキワ) Benri de Su seasoned vinegar, 360 ml | ¥484 |
Gelato, granola, nori and chikuwa
| Town | Producer and item | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Kamikawa | Gelato & Cafe Hiyoko (Gelato＆Cafeひよこ) Cup gelato, 90 ml | ¥501 each |
| Kamigori | Merry Widow White fig and peach jasmine rosé granola, 100 g | ¥681 |
| Sayo | Mitsumi Nori (光海海苔) Salted nori with sesame oil flavor, 1 bag | ¥594 |
| Shin’onsen | Sanshin Shoten (三信商店) Grilled chikuwa fish cake, 1 piece | ¥320 |
Salt, dashi, paella mix, chips and noodles
| Town | Producer and item | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Taishi | Freedom Japan (フリーダムジャパン) Okage salt, 150 g | ¥540 |
| Taishi | Freedom Japan (フリーダムジャパン) Okage dashi, 70 g | ¥1,330 |
| Taka | Horinishi Spice (ほりにしスパイス) Garlic paella mix, 1 serving | ¥981 |
| Harima | PURIRICO Chicken skin chips, 80 g | ¥756 each |
| Fukusaki | Mochimugi no Yakata (もちむぎのやかた) Mochi barley noodles, 2 servings | ¥501 |
Prices change. Check the latest prices at the venue.
New rice, one-day shops and mascots
Beyond the 12 featured items, about 30 businesses are taking part this time, and 7 of them are opening at Takarazuka Hankyu for the first time. Popular repeat items and seasonal produce are on the list too.
- New-rice corner: Hyogo’s new-season rice, sold at farm-direct prices. The announcement does not give the varieties or prices.
- One-day vendors: some bakeries and sweets shops join for a single day only, so the lineup changes depending on when you go.
- Local mascot meet-up: on Sunday, October 25, mascots from the 12 towns appear at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., about 30 minutes each time. You can take photos with them, so it suits families with kids.
Tips before you go
- Pick your day by what you want. Go on Sunday, October 25 for the mascots. If you are after a specific one-day bakery or sweets shop, the announcement does not say which day it appears, so check the official information first.
- Plan for chilled and fragile items. Eggs and the frozen Wagyu hamburg steak are easier to carry home if you bring an insulated bag.
- Payment methods are not listed. It is safest to have both cash and a card. If you do not have a Japanese card yet, see our guide to credit cards in Japan for foreigners.
- Like what a town makes? Furusato nozei is another way to support local areas in Japan. Our explainer on the October furusato nozei changes covers what donors should know.
- Making a Kansai weekend of it? Our Ghibli Park exhibition guide covers the Osaka venue, and the Asoview campaign offers discounts on spots like Harukas 300.
FAQ
- When and where is the 12STARS fair?
- From October 21 (Wed) to October 25 (Sun), 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at a special venue in front of the main entrance of Takarazuka Hankyu, 2-1-1 Sakaemachi, Takarazuka, Hyogo.
- Is there an admission fee?
- The press release does not mention one. Please check the official announcement before you go.
- How many vendors are taking part?
- About 30 businesses, including 7 opening at Takarazuka Hankyu for the first time.
- When can I meet the local mascots?
- On Sunday, October 25, at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., for about 30 minutes each time. You can take photos with them.
- Which days do the one-day bakeries and sweets shops appear?
- The announcement says some bakeries and sweets shops join for one day only, but it does not list the days. Please check the official information.
Source: Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores press release (PR TIMES, October 16, 2026). Details may change, so check the official information before visiting.