Kitami City, located inland within Hokkaido, is one of the coldest regions. Temperatures often drop below -20°C in winter.

Kitami City is also famous as a city of yakiniku (Japanese barbecue). It boasts the highest ratio of yakiniku restaurants per capita in Hokkaido, making it a city that loves yakiniku!

Among these events, the "Kitami Extreme Cold Barbecue Festival," which started in 2000 , is a major event in Kitami City, attracting visitors not only from within the city but also from all over Japan and even from overseas.

The "Kitami Extreme Cold Barbecue Festival" is now being featured in various media outlets.

How does Kitami-style yakiniku differ from other types of yakiniku? We'll also explain just how cold the festival is in which it's enjoyed.

What is Kitami-style yakiniku?

There are various styles of yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) throughout Japan, but what exactly is "Kitami-style yakiniku" ?

In Kitami City, where fresh meat is readily available at reasonable prices, a yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) culture has flourished since around 1950.

It is said that Kitami yakiniku originated from grilling and eating offal, such as the diaphragm of a cow (known as "sagari") and pork innards, which were not commonly eaten at the time.

There are several conditions for Kitami-style yakiniku (Japanese barbecue).

Five Rules of Kitami-Style Yakiniku
1　Charcoal grillUse
2. Enjoy the straightforward taste of meat with unseasoned meat.
3　Offal (hanging tender, intestines)Enjoy it to the fullest
4. Salt and pepper orA wide variety of raw saucesEnjoy at
5　Smoke is my friend.Enjoy yakiniku with your whole body

Tickets are guaranteed to sell out every time! What are the special ticket offers?

Barbecue tickets are available at sales outlets within the city and online. The number of tickets available increases slightly each year, but they always sell out before the event.

Even locals can't get these tickets if they're late checking, so they're a real bargain. Let me tell you what they are.

Pork offal (100g)
・Sagari (100g)
Pork shoulder loin (100g)
Kitami-grown onions
・All-you-can-drink shochu and other beverages
Charcoal grill, charcoal, chopsticks, plates, sauce

There's already 300g of meat alone .

Another great point is that drinks are "all-you-can-drink." The shochu is served hot, and you can customize it to your liking, which will warm you up.

The charcoal grills and charcoal are already at the venue, so you can pick them up at the designated location and start right away.

Volunteer staff constantly patrol and replenish the charcoal, ensuring that a good fire is always maintained.

The participants were fully equipped for protection! Some were even tough guys.

This festival is a battle against the cold, even as you enjoy delicious grilled meat. What kind of attire do the participants wear?

Wearing warm clothing from head to toe is essential. Be fully prepared by also using hand warmers in various places on your body!

In addition, people take various measures to cope with the cold, such as laying sheets on their seats and filling their charcoal grills with lots of charcoal to keep the fire strong, because it's a festival that you simply cannot get through without taking precautions against the cold.

Some groups were seen enjoying themselves to the fullest, even going out for yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) while wearing matching costumes.

At the yakiniku festival, where everything freezes to the bone, speed is key.

There is one fundamental principle behind the "Kitami Extreme Cold Barbecue Festival," which is enjoyed in temperatures of around -10 degrees Celsius.

It's "quickly . "

The meat cools down within seconds of being cooked and lifted off the grill , so you have to eat it quickly or the flavor will be lost.

The same applies to drinks. If you don't drink the shochu served with hot water quickly, it will soon turn into a cold water-based drink .

The same applies to juice; it turns into sherbet very quickly , so be careful.

Some people inside the venue were cleverly taking precautions, such as using the aluminum plates included in the set to make hot wine on a charcoal grill or reheating shochu.

It seems like you'll need a lot of ingenuity to enjoy the cold.

It would be a shame to only eat yakiniku! A variety of food stalls will be set up.

The venue featured not only yakiniku (grilled meat), but also a wide variety of other shops, from local ramen restaurants to desserts made with delicious milk from the neighboring town of Kunneppu, all in an effort to let people experience more of Kitami's flavors.

What caught my eye among them was the "boiled offal" from Okhotsk Kitami Yakiniku Nokke, which is said to be a recreation of the old Kitami flavor. Moreover, this restaurant is a branch from Tokyo.

This warming "boiled offal" dish was a popular menu item in Kitami in the past, consisting of various offal simmered in miso and vegetables.

It has a slight spiciness, but the rich soup, infused with the savory flavors of the offal, and the tender offal make this a dish that will help you get through the cold of Kitami.

Experience the Kitami Barbecue Festival in the depths of winter! Reviews from first-time participants.

The "Barbecue Festival in the Bitter Cold" is a huge success. It's always a great event with everyone participating,

Of course, there were many first-time participants. We asked some of these first-time participants for their impressions.

- The sauce freezes! But it goes back to normal when you put it on the meat! (Participant from a neighboring town)
- It's incredibly cold! Once you stop, you can't move again (participating from Kanto region)
・My eyes hurt! But why is it so delicious? (Participant from within Hokkaido)
・Crazy! But fun! (Participant from abroad)
・What an amazing festival! The yakiniku was delicious and the food stalls were great too! I'm so glad I came (participated from Kanto region)

The fact that there were visitors from various regions was largely due to the availability of packages that included accommodation and admission tickets. In fact, many tourists were first-time participants.

Born from overflowing meat juices and a love for yakiniku, the Yakiniku Festival is a festival you can enjoy with all your senses.

In Kitami, the motto is to enjoy yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) with all your senses. The fact that many families enjoy yakiniku throughout all four seasons is a testament to the love that people in Kitami have for yakiniku.

Born from such passion for yakiniku (Japanese barbecue), the "Kitami Extreme Cold Yakiniku Festival" is becoming more lively and enjoyable with each passing year.

Next time, why not enjoy a full-on yakiniku experience in the bitterly cold city of Kitami? It's sure to create wonderful memories with friends and family!

Hokkaido from all over Japan! Find affordable Hokkaido package tours here.

Make your trip even more enjoyable! Book your Hokkaido local experience tour here.

Combine flights and hotels freely for great deals! Dynamic Packages

Introducing our sister site (please check it out if you're interested)