A festival to explore the many meanings of meat and enjoy food and stage performances at Wakayama Castle
Zenniku-sai
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/10/24 〜 2026/10/25Scheduled
- Season / frequency
- March–May, September–November / Every year
- Location
- Sunanomaru Square, Wakayama Castle
- Area
- Wakayama Prefecture・Wakayama City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 30 min–4 h · bullet train + connecting train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Features
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Stage events are free to watch
- Last updated
- 2026/10/21
Zenniku-sai is a food event originating in Wakayama that goes beyond livestock meat to include game, fish, and fruit in its idea of what counts as meat.
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Sakumata File:Zenniku sai 20250322.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.About Zenniku-sai
Zenniku-sai is a food festival celebrating a broad interpretation of “meat” as part of food culture, encompassing not only livestock such as beef, pork, and chicken, but also game, fish, and fruit.
Selected restaurants from across Japan set up stalls and food trucks, offering a variety of dishes.
In Wakayama, it is held at Sunanomaru Square at Wakayama Castle and has grown into one of the region’s major food events.
Source: 第18回全肉祭｜祭り・イベント｜和歌山県公式観光サイト / 全肉祭 | 和歌山市| イベント
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the chance to enjoy a wide variety of dishes in one venue, not limited to livestock meat.
Food stalls and food trucks from across Japan gather here, giving visitors a wide range of food choices.
At the 2026 Wakayama venue, live performances, fire and light performances, , and an arm-wrestling tournament are also planned for the special stage.
Source: 和歌山 | Zennikusai
A festival to explore the many meanings of meat and enjoy food and stage performances at Wakayama Castle
What to expect
Visitors can browse the food stalls and food trucks and enjoy dishes featuring livestock meat, game, fish, and fruit.
The venue also hosts stage events in addition to food and drink.
At the 2026 Wakayama venue, the program includes live music, fire and light performances, yosakoi, and an arm-wrestling tournament, with events running from daytime into the evening.
How to take part
Zen-Niku Festival is an outdoor food event where visitors can enjoy gourmet stalls and food trucks from across Japan.
The food selection features dishes based on a wide range of ingredients, including game meat, fish, and fruit, not just livestock meat.
The event also includes a visitor popularity vote to select shops and dishes.
The 2026 autumn venue in Wakayama is a visit to Wakayama Castle’s Sunanomaru Square during the event hours.
Alongside food stalls run by restaurants from across Japan, the program is scheduled to include free hands-on activities and samples at corporate booths, a wine-tasting corner, large inflatable play equipment for children, shooting-gallery games, and superball scooping.
Stage events are advertised as free to watch.
Source: 西日本最大級のグルメイベント「全肉祭」 和歌山県和歌山市にて10/24～10/25に第18回開催決定！ | 株式会社G.Attraction
Source: 2026年 会場一覧 | Zennikusai
Location and access
- Venue and address
Sunanomaru Square, Wakayama Castle / 3 Ichibancho, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture
- Train and bus
About a 20-minute walk from Wakayamashi Station / Take the Wakayama Bus and get off at Shiyakusho-mae
- Parking
58 spaces within Wakayama Castle Park (paid) / Paid parking lots nearby
Address 3 Ichibancho, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture
Dates and season
The 18th Zen-Niku Festival in autumn 2026 is scheduled to run from October 24 (Saturday) through the 25th (Sunday).
The event is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on both days, and is advertised as going ahead in rain but being canceled in severe weather.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Wakayama Prefecture / Wakayama City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The Wakayama venue in autumn 2026 will go ahead in rainy weather but be canceled in severe weather.
Parking within Wakayama Castle Park is paid and has 58 spaces; there are also paid parking lots nearby.
The venue is scheduled to feature food stalls, wine tasting, corporate booths, large inflatable play equipment, shooting-gallery games, superball scooping, and stage events that are free to watch.
Nearby attractions
Nearby attractions include Wakayama Castle, Nishinomaru Garden (Momijidani Garden), a designated Place of Scenic Beauty, the Wakayama History Museum, and Wakayama Castle Park Zoo.
Cultural attractions also include the Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama; the Wakayama Prefectural Museum; and the Wakayama City Children's Museum.
You can plan an itinerary that combines the festival with visits to the castle ruins, gardens, and historical and cultural facilities.
伊太祁曽神社
和歌山市にある神社
加太春日神社
和歌山市にある神社
和歌山城
和歌山市の城
和歌山城西之丸庭園
日本の大名庭園
和歌山市立こども科学館
和歌山県和歌山市にある科学館
和歌山市立博物館
和歌山県和歌山市にある博物館
和歌山県書道資料館
和歌山県和歌山市にある資料館
和歌山県立博物館
和歌山県和歌山市にある博物館
和歌山県立紀伊風土記の丘
和歌山県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
和歌山県立近代美術館
和歌山県和歌山市にある美術館
和歌浦天満宮
和歌山市の神社
塩竈神社
和歌山市にある神社
Origins and History of Zenniku-sai
Zenniku-sai is an outdoor food festival themed around meat, first held in March 2018.
In Wakayama, it has been held every year from March to April and in November, centered around Sunanomaru Square at Wakayama Castle.
Since 2022, it has expanded to venues outside Wakayama Prefecture and is now held in various locations.
Source: 全肉祭 - Wikipedia
Official information
Official information is available on the Zenniku-sai website.
Details for the fall 2026 Wakayama event, including the dates, venue, and stage program, have been published.
You can also check information about Wakayama Castle facilities and parking.
Zenniku-sai at a Glance
Zenniku-sai is a food event where you can enjoy a wide range of foods, including game, fish, and fruit as well as livestock meat.
The 2026 Wakayama event will be held at Sunanomaru Square, Wakayama Castle, on October 24 (Saturday) and the 25th (Sunday), with live performances, fire and light displays, yosakoi, and more also planned.
The venue is easy to reach by public transportation, but drivers should be aware that parking may be crowded.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/21
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