A massive event bringing together sweets from all over Japan is coming to Asahikawa, Hokkaido, in 2025! The "National Confectionery Exposition," a festival of sweets held roughly every four years, will take place for 17 days from May 30 to June 15, 2025, with the Dohoku Arcs Taisetsu Arena as the main venue. This marks the first time in 57 years that the event will be held in Hokkaido. Here's a look at the details and highlights.

The 2025 event will be held in Asahikawa, Hokkaido

The official name of the "Asahikawa Sweets Expo 2025" is the "28th National Confectionery Exposition, Hokkaido." The National Confectionery Exposition is a major event in the sweets industry, held approximately every four years since 1911 to promote the industry and revitalize local regions. After the 2017 event in Mie Prefecture, its return was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making this the first exposition in eight years.

Main Venue: Dohoku Arcs Taisetsu Arena

Venue Image (Outdoor)

Venue Image (Indoor)

The Asahikawa Sweets Expo 2025 will be held across three locations: Dohoku Arcs Taisetsu Arena (Asahikawa Taisetsu Arena), Asahikawa Local Industry Promotion Center (Michi-no-Eki Asahikawa), and Asahikawa Taisetsu Crystal Hall. The main venue, Dohoku Arcs Taisetsu Arena, will feature exhibitions of sweets from all over the country.

Concept Image

Two White Rock Domes, one large and one small, will be set up inside the Taisetsu Arena. The small dome will feature "origami cranes" made from the wrappers of participating confectionery shops, arranged as a prayer for peace. In the main dome, visitors will be enveloped by walls covered in a wide variety of Japanese and Western sweets, complemented by projection mapping of Hokkaido's vast pastures, fields, and agricultural products.

Inside the venue, the "Nationwide Sweets Market" will bring together approximately 1,000 types of sweets from across Japan, many of which can only be purchased in their local regions. It's a massive scale you'll only see at the Sweets Expo.

Asahikawa Sweets Expo 2025 Concept Image / Scene from the 2017 "Oisesan Expo" in Mie

Sweets from all over Japan gathered together (Image shows a selection of exhibited sweets)

Scene from the 2017 "Oisesan Expo" in Mie

This exhibition showcases the skills of confectionery artisans from across Japan. Visitors can see about 80 large-scale artistic confectionery pieces created using traditional techniques.

Scene from the 2017 "Oisesan Expo" in Mie

Concept Image

At the "Sweets Family Land Hokkaido," hosted by major confectionery manufacturers, both adults and children can enjoy games and sample rare sweets.

Enjoy live demonstrations and tastings of sweets. You can also observe the sweets-making process in a mini-factory.

Scene from the 2017 "Oisesan Expo" in Mie

This area will display products that have won various institutional awards from among the thousands of entries submitted from all over the country.

Meet "Shimae Daifuku," a daifuku (sweet rice cake) fairy who looks just like a Shimaenaga (long-tailed tit)! This character was chosen as the official mascot with 4,469 votes from a pool of candidates. Original merchandise and a costumed character have already appeared, promoting the Asahikawa Sweets Expo at events in various locations.

Shimae Daifuku also appeared at the "100 Days to Go" event held in Sapporo

The grand prize went to "Oideyo! Kashi-haku" by artists Katsumata Baren + Remi, born in Iwamizawa, Hokkaido.

The official theme song to liven up the "Asahikawa Sweets Expo 2025" has been chosen from over 100 submissions! The selected song will be played at the event venue and distributed through various media, with a live performance by the artists planned at the venue.

Advance tickets are now on sale. Prices are 1,200 yen for adults, 1,000 yen for junior high and high school students, and 600 yen for elementary school students. Purchasing an advance ticket also grants you special deals at stores and facilities in Hokkaido, mainly in the Asahikawa and Sapporo areas. A wide range of establishments are participating, including ramen shops and clothing stores, not just confectioneries. You can receive the service as many times as you like by showing your advance ticket, so buying in advance is a great deal!

Image courtesy of: The 28th National Confectionery Exposition, Hokkaido Executive Committee

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