Japan's Himeji 'Mackerel Festival' Opens in Tokyo's Shinjuku, Featuring Raw-Eating Brand Mackerel Farmed in the Seto Inland Sea

Tokyo Shinjuku—The Himeji Convention & Visitors Bureau has launched the "Mackerel Season Opens! Himeji/Seto Inland Sea Autumn Food Festival" promotional event at the Rurubu Kitchen restaurant in Shinjuku. The event runs from November 1 to November 28, 2026, coinciding with the official season opening of the premium brand mackerel "Saba" (mackerel; Scomber japonicus).

According to the organizers, "Saba" is raised from wild seedlings from the Seto Inland Sea using specialized aquaculture techniques, and is known in the Japanese market for its balanced fat content and outstanding freshness, making it suitable for raw consumption. The event menu focuses on raw preparations, including sashimi and shabu-shabu, paired with local agricultural products such as Yasutomi yuzu, Himeji lotus root, and six selected local sake from the Harima region.

The promotional event is organized by the Himeji Convention & Visitors Bureau and hosted at the Rurubu Kitchen restaurant. The organizers said the initiative aims to expand the commercial reach of local specialty ingredients in the Tokyo metropolitan area, while promoting seasonal tourism and opening direct sales channels for fisheries in Himeji and the Seto Inland Sea region.

The event window runs from November 1 to November 28, covering the opening phase of the brand mackerel fishing season.