Corn is a vital crop with immense importance. It provides food, feed, and fuel, and serves as a staple in various cuisines worldwide. The Yatsugatake corn variant grows well in Japan and is said to be sweeter than various fruits, and it's celebrated at a fun annual event in Shiga Prefecture which has been running for the past four years.
Please note that the event doesn't run every single day during the period. The 2024 dates are as follows:
- July 27th/28th
- August 3rd/4th / 10th–15th (closed on 14th)
The highlight of the Corn Festival is a corn peeling competition. The event is divided into child, youth, and adult categories, and participants compete to see who can peel corn the fastest. Along with the corn peeling competition, there will be corn harvesting experiences, and the opportunity to try a variety of corn-centric foods such as corn flavored soft serve ice cream.
Getting there
The Corn Festival takes place at the tourist information center in front of Kanou Shojuan, a Japanese confectionery shop in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. On-site parking is available – there's a charge of 1000 yen, but in exchange you get a voucher for 1000 yen which can be used to purchase items at the event.
Kim Bergström @kim.b
Almost 12 years living in Asia. Passionate about Japan's off-the-beaten-path spots, family-friendly travel, flower events (all of them!) and the amazing tea culture here. 🍵🌼🌸
