According to Saitama Prefecture, Yoshimi town is Saitama’s number one strawberry town. There are plenty of strawberry picking farms in Yoshimi and even their roadside station, Ichigo no Sato, is named after the strawberry. Even the town mascot is a strawberry! So to celebrate 50 years of Yoshimi as a town, they chose to have a strawberry event to commemorate the anniversary. They don’t call it a festival, but a “gathering”! Essentially it is a food festival and handmade market with a strawberry theme!
Strawberry Festival Yoshimi
The Strawberry ‘Gathering’ is on this Saturday, March 18th 2023, at Fresa Yoshimi. Fresa Yoshimi is the town’s community hall. It has an observation tower, a theatre, a cafe and a large hall. It often hosts music events. Fresa is beside the town’s library, the summer outdoor pool and one of the town’s parks; the Yoshimi town friendship athletic ground.The park has two small playgrounds. Fresa is also located close to some of the strawberry picking greenhouses in Yoshimi.
Line Up
The festival will have:
- Live performances
- Workshops
- Strawberry Fair
- Art exhibition including Mosaic art
- Handmade Market
- Strawberry eating competition
- Fashion show
- Vegetable market
- Disaster Prevention stamp rally
- Kitchen Cars (Food Trucks)
Information
Event: Yoshimirai Strawberry Gathering / Festival よしみらいいちごまつり苺一会
Date: Saturday March 18th 2023
Time: 10 am to 3 pm
Cost: free to enter the venue
Venue: Fresa Yoshimi, 508 Nakaarai, Yoshimi, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0119. View on Google Maps.
Access
There is no train line in Yoshimi Town. The nearest train stations are Higashimatsuyama station on the Tobu Tojo Line and Konosu Station on the Shonan Shinjuku line. A bus that goes between both train stations stops at Ichigo no Sato Roadside Station. Fresa Yoshimi is about a 20 minute walk from the bus stop.
Fresa Yoshimi is about a 20 minute drive from the Higashimatsuyama Interchange of the Kanetsu Expressway. Parking may be limited due to the festival. There is also parking in the neighboring park.