Sarabetsu Grand Harvest Festival features eating contests and local Wagyu

The annual Sarabetsu Grand Harvest Festival 2026 was held on October 18 at the Sarabetsu Village Furusato Hall. Organized by the JA Sarabetsu Youth Division and an executive committee, the event featured various culinary attractions including large-scale cooking and eating competitions.

A highlight of the festival was an eating battle featuring celebrity food fighter Angela Sato. She competed against three teams consisting of local udon eating champions, JA Sarabetsu Youth Division members, and Sarabetsu Fire Department personnel. Sato won decisively after consuming a combined 3 kilograms of udon and curry rice.

Other popular attractions included ‘Sarabetsu Wagyu Mushroom Soup,’ prepared in a large cauldron under the supervision of Chef Yoshinori Mabuchi from the Obihiro bakery Mugine. The soup saw long queues of attendees, and Mabuchi also performed live steak demonstrations using local Wagyu beef. The festival included booths from local agricultural high schools, roadside stations, and various food trucks.