"Osaka Hitsuji Festa 2026," a festival dedicated to lamb cuisine, is set to take place from June 5 (Friday) to 7 (Sunday), 2026, at OSAKA FOOD LAB in Nakatsu, Kita-ku, Osaka. Now in its third year, the event brings together lamb-focused restaurants and organizations to celebrate the variety and appeal of lamb meat in one of Japan's premier food cities.
Official website: https://osakahitsujifes.jp
Lamb: A Globally Celebrated Ingredient
Lamb is enjoyed around the world as a festive centerpiece, historically featured at royal banquets and ceremonial meals. With fewer religious dietary restrictions than many other meats and a broad range of halal-certified products, it has earned a reputation as a truly global food. Sheep are also recognized as one of the world's oldest domesticated animals, with meat, milk, wool, and hide all put to use—making them a notably sustainable resource. High in nutritional value and regarded as a lean red meat, lamb takes the spotlight at this festival as an ingredient worth discovering.
The 2026 edition is co-organized with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), which accounts for around 70% of Japan's lamb supply, with additional support from the Australian Embassy's Commercial Section. LAMBASSADOR—PR ambassadors for Australian lamb—will also be taking part.
For more about LAMBASSADOR: http://aussielamb.jp/lambassador/
Growing Bigger Each Year
The first "Osaka Hitsuji Festa" debuted in 2024, attracting about 2,000 visitors over two days despite being a ticketed event—putting to rest early doubts about whether lamb cuisine would resonate with Kansai audiences. The second edition in 2025 drew approximately 3,000 visitors. Riding that wave, the 2026 event is expanding further, with first-time vendors joining the lineup and the organizers aiming to spread the lamb movement beyond Osaka to the wider Kansai region.
Event Details
Dates: June 5 (Fri) – June 7 (Sun), 2026
Venue: OSAKA FOOD LAB (1-1-36 Nakatsu, Kita-ku, Osaka)
- 8-minute walk from Hankyu Osaka Umeda Station
- 3-minute walk from Osaka Metro Midosuji Line Nakatsu Station, Exit 5
Schedule (session-based entry):
| Date | Session | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, June 5 | Session 1 | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Saturday, June 6 | Session 1 | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM |
| Session 2 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM | |
| Session 3 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM | |
| Session 4 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | |
| Sunday, June 7 | Session 1 | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM |
| Session 2 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM | |
| Session 3 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM |
The event will proceed rain or shine (venue is semi-indoor)
Admission: ¥500 per person (free for high school students and under)
Entry is session-based. Visitors who purchase advance tickets receive an "Aussie Lamb Mini Drawstring Bag" as a special gift.
Participating Vendors
Food:
- Chi-Fu
- Tokyo Jingisukan HITSUJI SUNRISE
- Chuka Shunsai Morimoto
- (Shoku) Mashika
- Merrie San no Sauvage
- Lamb no Love Song
- spanish bar & cafe NEUTRAL
- Pitakkgohan
- Lambassador (Australian Lamb PR Ambassador)
Drinks:
- Viant and Fellows
- Suntory
Vendors and menus are subject to change without prior notice. Check the official website for details: https://osakahitsujifes.jp
