Montreal’s Mile Finish Will Host A Japanese Cultural Pageant With Road Meals & A Market

YATAI MTL, a festival of Japanese food and culture, is returning to Montreal’s Mile End in its full form this June after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

The three-day event will feature street food vendors and a market in a neighborhood park, according to a press release shared with MTL Blog. Visitors will also be able to participate in on-site activities and “cultural programs.”

This year, YATAI MTL will take place in tandem with the second edition of Japan Week, during which local Japanese restaurants will showcase their offerings.

Restaurateurs can sign up to participate through an online form until April 18.

Organizers say to “expect to find a lot of Japanese street food, sake, whiskey and Japanese beer, Japanese products and a swarm of Shiba” during the two events.

Child approaches a statue in a Montreal park. Yasuko Tadokoro | Courtesy of @yataimtl

The popularity of the Shiba Inu party of Japan Week 2021 led to a spring of other adorable doggie events, including a Shiba v. corgi costume contest, that warmed many a pandemic-weary heart.

YATAI MTL also hinted at an “80s Japanese disco night” during the 2022 event.

YATAI MTL will take place between June 10 and 12, 2022. The second edition of Japan Week is scheduled for June 6 to 12.

Get the essential details on the two events below.