Nasushiobara, a city in Tochigi Prefecture and one of Japan's leading centers for livestock farming, has the highest raw milk production value on Honshu. On September 6 (Sunday), the plaza in front of JR Nasushiobara Station's west exit hosts Viehfest in Nasushiobara (pronounced "Fee-fest") 2026, an event built entirely around the city's ranching culture.
Visitors can get a feel for Nasushiobara's dairy and livestock industry while trying local food and specialty products. The event also includes a "Toast with Milk!" ceremony, free tastings of Nasu wagyu beef, and a range of food stalls, making for a day of sightseeing, eating, and fun that's easy to enjoy right by the station.
Event Overview
Date and time: September 6 (Sunday), 2026, 9:45 AM to 2:00 PM (cancelled in case of severe weather)
Venue: JR Nasushiobara Station west exit plaza
Admission: Free (food and merchandise are sold separately; some programs are limited in quantity)
Main Programs
- Toast with Milk! (3 rounds total, free samples available)
- Free tastings of Nasu wagyu beef (bite-sized, limited quantity)
- Food sales from local restaurants
- Mock cow milking experience
- Bring six washed, opened, and dried 1-liter milk cartons to exchange for toilet paper
Schedule (planned)
6:00 AM: Traffic restrictions begin around the venue
9:45 AM: Event begins
- Free bite-sized Nasu wagyu tastings begin (ends once the prepared quantity runs out)
- Toast with Milk! (1st round) free milk distribution (ends once the prepared quantity runs out)
- Free sake tasting from Minamiaizu Town (ends once the prepared quantity runs out)
10:00 AM: Food stall sales begin
10:45 AM: Toast with Milk! (1st round) free milk distribution (ends once the prepared quantity runs out)
11:00 AM: Toast with Milk! (1st round)
11:30 AM: Free tree seedling giveaway (ends once the prepared quantity runs out)
12:00 PM: Toast with Milk! (2nd round) free milk distribution (ends once the prepared quantity runs out)
12:15 PM: Toast with Milk! (2nd round)
1:15 PM: Toast with Milk! (3rd round) free milk distribution (ends once the prepared quantity runs out)
1:30 PM: Toast with Milk! (3rd round)
2:00 PM: Event ends (food stall sales end)
4:00 PM: Traffic restrictions around the venue lifted
Planned Booths
Planned food and retail booths (honorifics omitted), with their main offerings:
- JA Nasuno: Nasu wagyu cube steak
- Nasushiobara City Youth Club Council (Agricultural Youth Club): canned drinks, eggplant
- Nasushiobara Rural Life Research Group: milk kanten jelly, coffee kanten jelly, fruit punch, grilled rice balls
- Nasu Takuyo High School: sliced bread, anpan, pudding
- Furusato Nishinasu Direct Farm Producers Association: pizza, eel rice balls, prepared dishes
- Yamasan Tea Shop: matcha latte, hojicha latte, Japanese tea, nori
- CHEESE GARDEN: tiramisu, iced coffee, iced tea, coconut water
- Kashi Kobo Nemunoki: baked sweets, cookies, drinkable almond jelly
- Kashi Kobo L'espoir: baked sweets, pudding, creme brulee, cream puffs, fruit jelly, coffee, soft drinks, macarons
- NASU BOULDER BREWING: beer, lemonade, lemon sour, sausages, fried chicken
- Sakakibara Kaikan: skirt steak, chicken steak, braised Nasu pork, wagyu steak (sous vide), ramune, craft ginger ale
- Taiyaki Luang: okonomiyaki-style taiyaki, taiyaki (ogura red bean paste, custard cream), chilled mochi-mochi taiyaki (whipped ogura red bean, custard cream), shaved ice
- Miya Shoji Co., Ltd.: pork and processed pork products (3 varieties)
- Gensen Yakiniku Sen: grilled horumon, grilled chicken neck, beer, sours
- Gunji Chikusan: pork skewers
- Nasushiobara City Tourism Bureau: soup yakisoba, drinks
- Ima Farm: cheese toast, cheese dishes, cheese for sale
- Nasu Natural Cheese Research Group: natural cheese
Contents and lineup are subject to change without notice, and quantity-limited items end once stock runs out.
Toast with Milk! (3 Rounds Planned)
Raise a glass of milk and toast, a scene unique to a dairy farming town. A different milk is served each round, so visitors can enjoy comparing the flavors.
Free Bite-Sized Nasu Wagyu Tastings
The local brand "Nasu Wagyu" is served free in bite-sized portions, an easy way to enjoy its juicy flavor.
A Full Lineup of Local Food
Stalls serve up menus built around local ingredients to welcome visitors.
Meeting the Cows
A popular feature where visitors can observe dairy cows up close. Direct contact isn't allowed, out of consideration for livestock disease prevention, but visitors can still take in their impressive presence up close.
Mock Cow Milking Experience
Visitors can try milking a realistic mock cow, a fun way for both kids and adults to learn about dairy farming.
Other Programs
- A collaboration with Minamiaizu Town: "Toast with Sake"
- Coordination with events at Nasushiobara Station
Traffic Restrictions Around the Venue
The area around the venue will be fully closed to traffic from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM (planned) on Sunday, September 6. Visitors' understanding and cooperation are appreciated.
For more details, see the official website or Instagram.
Viehfest in Nasushiobara 2026 (Livestock Festival) / Nasushiobara City
