North America’s largest Japanese festival is returning to downtown Mississauga this weekend. Japan Festival Canada 2024 will be held at Celebration Square on Saturday and Sunday, marking its eighth annual event since its debut in 2016 (with virtual events in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

The festival will feature around thirty food vendors offering a wide range of Asian cuisines. Organizers are expecting up to 100,000 visitors over the weekend. Festivities will run from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free and all ages are welcome.

The 2024 event, themed “Forging New Connections in a New Era,” invites attendees to explore Japanese culture in innovative ways. Organizers have promised an even more dynamic and memorable experience, building on the success of previous years which saw over 100,000 attendees in both 2022 and 2023.

The festival aims to showcase Japanese culture, technology, and culinary arts from a Canadian perspective, offering a variety of experiences including stage performances, video presentations, and support for Japanese businesses in Canada.

The inaugural festival in 2016, held over one day, attracted around 40,000 visitors and garnered significant attention across North America.

Here’s a list of food vendors participating in the festival on August 17-18:

– Furusato International
– Japanese Ramen
– Yakitori
– Fisherman’s Plaice
– Uncle Tetsu’s Japanese Cheesecake
– Gushi
– Ichifuku Montreal
– Hattendo
– Ryus Noodle Bar
– EDO Restaurant
– KINTON RAMEN
– Japadog
– Osaka
– Zakkushi
– Yosh.To
– Happy Twist
– One Dog Izakaya
– Hey Juice
– Bao Bar
– King of Sugacane Juice
– Tokyo Taco (Thai Angels Inc.)
– Juice 169
– Marry Me Mochi
– Takoyaki Bros
– Wafflized
– Yummy Kitchen
– Uncle Fai
– Grill Skewers and Oysters
– Cold Noodles and Steamed Buns
– Fruit Tea and Snowflakes
– Fried Chicken and Grill Squid
– Savorology Artisan Bakery
– Grotto Tea Lounge
– WubaEats
– Namwan