Kathmandu. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan, the Japanese Food Festival is being organized in Kathmandu with the aim of connecting the cultural relations between the two countries through food. The festival, which is being organized in collaboration with Hokkaido Group and Radisson Kathmandu, presents the tradition, cuisine and cultural practices of Japanese food to Nepali visitors.
The festival, which is being held from November 3 to 9, 2026 at Hokkaido Asian Cuisine in the Radisson Kathmandu premises in Lazimpat, Kathmandu, will include live cooking demonstrations and cultural activities along with various dishes of Japanese cuisine. The program will run from 5 pm to 8 pm, Japanese dinner buffet and unlimited sushi will be provided. The buffet, which is priced at Rs 3,000 per person, includes a soft drink, applicable taxes and service charges. The organizers said that the participation has been limited to only 70 people per day in order to manage the event and provide a smooth experience to the visitors.
The main attraction of the festival is the live culinary performance by sushi artist Kazuyuki Hayashi from Japan. He is presenting the style, skill, and tradition of Japanese cooking through a sushi preparation demonstration in front of the visitor. The festival includes various dishes of Japanese cuisine including nigiri sushi, hoshomaki roll, and teppanyaki. The festival, which presents about 48 dishes in nine different genres, provides an opportunity to understand the diversity of Japanese food and its preparation style. Not only limited to food, but the festival also includes the demonstration of Japanese calligraphy and the traditional method of making matcha tea. Japanese calligraphy connects letterwriting with artistic expression, while matcha is an important part of Japanese tea culture.
This year, Hokkaido Group is also celebrating the seventh anniversary of its establishment. The group, which started its business journey in Nepal in 2019, has been expanding its restaurant business based on Japanese cuisine in a span of seven years. Arjun Adhikari, the founder of the group, started the business with the intention of expanding the hospitality and culinary experience gained in Japan. Hokkaido Group, which started its business journey from Park Village Resort, has now expanded to Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara and Chitwan. The group currently operates 10 restaurants and outlets.
The festival, which coincides with the 70th anniversary of Nepal-Japan diplomatic relations and the 7th anniversary of its establishment, serves as an opportunity for cultural exchange along with the business journey of the Hokkaido Group. The event, organized in collaboration with Radisson Kathmandu, brings together the tastes, cuisine and cultural traditions of Japanese cuisine in one place. It has provided an opportunity to further diversify the international dining experience in the hospitality sector of Kathmandu and expand the identity of Japanese food in Nepal. For more information about the event and table reservations, call +977-9801011302.
