And this year, Uonuma is celebrating its own coming of age!

As a writer on the subject of Japan and Japanese culture, I’m often asked what some nice, out-of-the-way places are to visit in this county to which I often reply with, “What do I look like? A travel agent? Scram!”

But now, as luck would have it, I no longer have to resort to surliness because I found a great place that’s off the beaten path and full of all the great things about Japan, like culture, food, and nature. Just north of Tokyo, in Niigata Prefecture, lies the picturesque city of Uonuma, one of the biggest rice-producing places in Japan.

Uonuma was formed in 2005 from the merger of six towns, which means this year is the 20th birthday of the city, and it is now officially old enough to drink. In honor of this, they’ll be holding the Uonumarche experiential event to showcase their unique food and culture on 8 November.

Since Uonuma is known as a mecca of rice in Japan, the main event of the festival is the Uonuma Okama-biraki rice cooking ceremony. “Kama-biraki” is a term often used in tea ceremonies referring to the first use of a kettle or pot in a new harvest season, year, or chapter of one’s life. It’s used the same way here in that it’s the symbolic first-cooking of the new rice harvest, where locals celebrate and give thanks. There will also be 300 rice balls handed out, all made with Uonuma’s freshest rice and seasoned only with a little salt, so you can really taste what makes this rice stand out from the rest.

After that, you can take your rice experience to the next level with the Uonumariage section of the event. Here, you can learn from some real rice connoisseurs what side dishes go best with the best rice and taste the pairings for yourself.

And if you fancy yourself a rice connoisseur, you can prove it by taking on the Ichi-go Ichi-go (One Cup, One Encounter) challenge. This is where you must try to measure one “go” (150 grams) of rice using your five senses alone. It’s a way to have a little fun while really getting in touch with this essential food.

And for the kids and young at heart, the Uonumatsuri will also be taking place, full of traditional Japanese festival attractions like shooting galleries, candy scooping games, and capsule toys. Meanwhile, the whole family can find something nice at the farmer’s market, which will also be held at the Uonumarche venue.

There’s a whole lot going on for just one day, but the city is holding numerous other events like rice-tastings and a stamp rally throughout the rest of the year. And even if you can’t make it to Niigata anytime soon, Uonuma is bringing its best to urban Japan as well right now.

From 23 to 26 October, they’ll be represented at the Eastern Japan Autumn Festival at JR Omiya Station in Saitama City. Here you can find Uonuma’s specialties like the Miyuki Trout Sushi made with a local breed of fish, some of the best freshly harvested Koshihikari rice in Japan, and Koji Mitsu syrup, an intriguing additive-free rice sweetener syrup, made by the same fermentation process as sake and amazake.

▼ Miyuki Trout Sushi

▼ Koji Mitsu

Even aside from all this, Uonuma is an active community that frequently has events going on. It also has great skiing, golf, camping, sake breweries, and hot springs, and is even home to works by Ishikawa Uncho, often referred to as the Michelangelo of Japan. So, assuming I haven’t alienated everyone around me yet, the next time someone asks me to recommend a place to visit in Japan, I’ll know exactly what to say.

Event information
Uonumarche / 魚沼マルシェ
Niigata-ken, Uonuma-shi, Chi-iki Shinko Center 2F, Convention Hall
新潟県魚沼市地域振興センター2Fコンベンションホール
8 November, 2025
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Webiste

Eastern Japan Autumn Festival / 東日本 秋の旬フェス
JR Omiya Station West Exit Event Space & East-West Corridor & Eki Tabi Market
JR大宮駅 西口イベントスペース・東西連絡通路・Eki Tabi MARKET
Saitama-ken, Saitama-shi, Omiya-ku, Nishikicho 630
埼玉県さいたま市大宮区錦町630
23 -26 October, 2025

Photos ©City of Uonuma
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