A celebration of Gunma's local food and drinks is coming to Takasaki this September, with KANPAI! GUNMA 2026 bringing breweries, food producers, and plenty of regional flavors together at G Messe Gunma.
Please note the difference in operating hours for each day of the festival:
- September 25th (Friday) 16:00-20:30 (last entry at 20:00)
- September 26th (Saturday) 11:00-19:00 (last entry at 18:00)
The festival offers the chance to sample a wide range of drinks from Gunma and neighboring prefectures. Alongside local sake, visitors can try craft beer, wine, cider, gin, and other drinks from regional producers.
Not sure where to start? A local sake concierge will be on hand to help beginners find a drink to suit their tastes, while seminars hosted by sake brewers will offer an opportunity to learn more about the region's brewing traditions.
Food is a major part of the event, too. Around 40 gourmet booths will serve dishes from restaurants and food producers across Gunma. This year's festival is also teaming up with the Gunma Meat Festival, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Nine restaurants from the Oshi-niku Grand Prix will serve meat dishes designed to pair with local drinks.
There's no need to drink alcohol to enjoy the festival. Families and non-drinkers can sample the food, enjoy soft drinks, and take in live music and other stage events.
Admission is free, although alcohol tasting requires tickets. Advance tasting tickets are priced at 3,000 JPY for 11 tickets and are available until September 24.
