Celebrate pasta at the King of Pasta Festival in Takasaki, where top chefs compete for the crown in a city known for its rich wheat traditions and Italian-inspired local cuisine.
What happens?
Takasaki, located in Gunma, is celebrated as a hub for Japanese-Italian pasta. In fact, it’s affectionately called the City of Pasta. So, it’s no surprise that Takasaki hosts the King of Pasta each November. This event brings together local restaurants in a friendly competition to win over visitors with their creative and mouthwatering pasta dishes. Expect a wide variety of unique pasta creations, cooking demonstrations, and plenty of opportunities to taste local culinary talent.
Gunma Prefecture is renowned for its rich agricultural traditions, particularly its production of wheat, thanks to the area’s abundant water resources. The region is known for traditional wheat-based dishes like udon noodles and yaki-manju or sweet buns.
How to get there
From Tokyo, you can easily reach Takasaki by taking the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen or Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo Station, which gets you there in about 50 minutes.
Alternatively, the JR Takasaki Line is cheaper at around ¥1,980 and offers a more leisurely option, taking approximately 2 hours.
Once you arrive, the festival venue is about a 10-minute walk from the station.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.
