Azabu Juban Noryo festival

Looking for an addition to your next Japanese summer experience? One of Tokyo’s most popular summer festivals takes place only a few minutes away from Sacred Heart! Over a span of two days on August 24th and 25th, the Azabu Juban Noryo Summer Festival attracted thousands of people. While its name “noryo”(納涼), meaning “cool breeze”, suggests a refreshing and tranquil scene, the experience was a busy and sweaty one under the striking heat and humidity of midsummer Tokyo. The vibrant live music from Stage 10-Bang permeated through a diverse crowd – groups of excited teenagers, couples in matching yukatas, fascinated tourists, and families with little children holding water balloon yo-yos.  

The highlight of this festival was none other than the scrumptious food that filled the hot summer air with a mouthwatering aroma. With hundreds of food vendors stretching over the street, I had the chance to try some buttered scallops and shrimps from Hokkaido and eat a Japanese candy apple for the first time in my life. Although I couldn’t try everything, my friends enjoyed dishes from all over Japan, such as the traditional sweet sauce rice cakes and iced matcha shaved ice from Kyoto and some Ishigaki beef skewers and fresh shikuwasa (citrus fruit) juice from Okinawa. There were also many booths selling international gourmet food such as roasted chicken from France, savory pad thai from Thailand, and the popular fried noodles from China, which must have filled many rumbling stomachs. While finding the end of the line in the swarm of people was a struggle, the food served by the energetic and high “matsuri-spirited” people made the wait worth it and the food taste even better.

If you are willing to tackle the crowds under the summer heat and enjoy a memorable day full of Japanese culture and entertainment, I highly recommend you visit the Azabu Juban Noryo Summer Festival next year!