Iwayado Park in Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, will hold its autumn leaves light-up from Saturday, November 14 to Monday, November 23, 2026 (national holiday), as part of the Iwayado Park Autumn Leaves Festival (岩屋堂公園もみじまつり). During the same period, the riverside BBQ facility Nikka Park Iwayado "HOTARU" (蛍-HOTARU-) inside the park will hold a food event. The highlight is a pair of game franks made with boar meat and deer meat.
Autumn Flavors During the Light-Up
Iwayado Park is a well-known sightseeing spot in Seto. During the event, HOTARU, the riverside BBQ facility at Nikka Park Iwayado, will sell food and drinks from 11:00 AM to around 8:00 PM. Visitors can enjoy the rich nature and autumn leaves of Iwayado during the day and the light-up in the evening, along with warm dishes and the aroma of charcoal fire.
Iwayado Park, 紅橋 bridge
The Highlight: Boar and Deer Game Franks
The main attraction is the game frank, made in cooperation with the game-meat butcher shop 岡崎ジビエ精肉所 神の使い in Okazaki City. The shop is operated by 一般社団法人レトロカルチャー, an association run by 古田雄大. It obtained its operating license and started business in February 2026 at 石原町字栗木野8-1, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture. Two types will be sold: a frank made with boar meat and a frank made with deer meat.
Game meat is also a way to make good use, as food, of deer, boar, and other animals captured to prevent damage to crops and forests caused by wild birds and animals. As such damage to agriculture and forestry has become an issue across Japan, using captured animals as food helps build understanding of the circulation of local resources and of measures against wildlife damage.
The area around Iwayado in Seto is also a natural area surrounded by rich mountain forests. By partnering with a game-meat business in a neighboring area and letting visitors actually taste game meat, the event aims to draw attention to the issues facing the local natural environment.
Three More Autumn Menu Items
In addition to the game franks, three menu items let visitors enjoy the nature of Iwayado and a campfire.
1. Slow-Cooked Charcoal-Roasted Sweet Potato
The sweet potatoes are the Beni Haruka variety, known for its sweetness. They are cooked slowly at a low temperature for more than 90 minutes to bring out the sweetness, then finished over charcoal to add a savory charcoal aroma.
2. Pork Miso Soup (Tonjiru) From Fukusuke's Original Recipe
This tonjiru uses mainly root vegetables, with sliced pork belly and dashi stock, and follows the original recipe of Fukusuke (福助), a historic inn inside Iwayado Park. It is a bowl meant to warm visitors from the inside during the colder autumn leaves season.
3. Large Roasted Marshmallows at the Fire Pit
Visitors use the fire pit set up at Nikka Park Iwayado HOTARU to roast a large marshmallow themselves. The surface turns golden brown, crisp on the outside and soft and gooey inside. It can be enjoyed around the fire with family and friends.
Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Period | Saturday, November 14 to Monday, November 23, 2026 (national holiday) |
| Hours | 11:00 AM to around 8:00 PM |
| Venue | Nikka Park Iwayado HOTARU (Nikka Park 岩屋堂 蛍-HOTARU-) |
| Address | 72 Iwaya-cho, Seto City, Aichi Prefecture |
| Menu | Boar game frank; deer game frank; charcoal-roasted sweet potato (Beni Haruka); Fukusuke original pork miso soup; roasted marshmallow |
Note: Business hours and menu items may change depending on sales conditions, weather, and other factors.
Game Meat to Continue at HOTARU
The event is more than a limited-time food event timed to the autumn leaves season of Iwayado Park. The riverside BBQ facility HOTARU plans to continue serving game meat from 神の使い in the future, giving visitors a chance to taste deer and boar caught in the region while enjoying a BBQ in nature. The aim is for that meal to prompt thought about damage caused by wild birds and animals, the local natural environment, and the effective use of captured animals.
About Iwayado Park
Iwayado Park in Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, is one of the leading scenic spots in the Tokai area, where visitors can enjoy nature in every season. It is known for its autumn leaves, and it is also a relaxing spot surrounded by a babbling stream and rich greenery during Golden Week, when fresh greenery is at its best. Walking paths and other places to enjoy nature spread across the park, offering a leisurely time to visitors.
