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FOODEX Japan 2027 Tokyo: Food Export Show Guide and Leads

By Ilyas Kerbal,

Tokyo Big Sight exhibition centre, venue of FOODEX Japan
Photo: Lombroso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

FOODEX JAPAN is one of Asia’s largest food and beverage trade shows and the main entry point for foreign food exporters into Japan. The 2026 edition had 3,238 exhibitors, 2,126 of them from overseas across 76 countries, and 73,842 visitors. Buyer quality is unusually high: 87% of visitors are authorised purchasers or decision-makers, with an average planned purchase of ¥8.65 million. FOODEX 2027 runs from 9 to 12 March 2027, and the FOODEX attendee list is one of the most valuable F&B buyer lists in Asia.

FOODEX Japan facts
Industry Food & beverage
City Tokyo, Japan
Venue Tokyo Big Sight, Ariake, Tokyo
Dates March, 2026: 10–13 Mar; 2027: 9–12 Mar
Frequency Annual
Moves between cities? No, always Tokyo
Typical scale ~70,000 attendees · ~2,500 exhibitors
Visitor ticket Trade-only pre-registration (check JMA site for fee)
App / platform Online registration + business matching
Official website foodex.jma.or.jp

Details checked in October 2026. Dates, prices and venues can change between editions, so confirm on the official FOODEX Japan website before you book travel.

What is FOODEX Japan?

It’s organised by the Japan Management Association with Japan’s hotel, ryokan, restaurant and tourism associations. Categories include:

  • Imported food and beverages
  • Wine, spirits, beer and sake
  • Meat, seafood and dairy
  • Health, organic and functional foods
  • Foodservice and hospitality supply
  • Japanese regional foods

Visitors entering a SIAL food trade fair

FOODEX’s visitors are mostly authorised purchasers and decision-makers. Photo: Portal Abras, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Venue and dates

FOODEX is held every March at Tokyo Big Sight in Ariake (it used Makuhari Messe in some years). The 2026 edition ran 10–13 March, and FOODEX 2027 runs 9–12 March.

Who attends FOODEX

Visitor What they buy Who should target them
Japanese importers and trading houses Imported products Foreign exporters
Supermarket and department store buyers Retail ranges Brands, importers
Restaurant, hotel and ryokan purchasers Foodservice products Foodservice suppliers
Food manufacturers Ingredients Ingredient suppliers
Overseas buyers (Korea, Taiwan, China) Japanese and imported foods Exporters
Distributors and wholesalers Lines to carry Brands

Skip the badge-scanning lottery. I can deliver the FOODEX Japan exhibitor and attendee list, enriched with job titles, company data and LinkedIn URLs, so your team books meetings weeks ahead instead of hoping for walk-ins. Request the FOODEX Japan list

Registration

FOODEX is trade-only. Visitors register online through the JMA site; fees aren’t stated in the show report, so contact [email protected].

Business matching

Registration, exhibitor search and business matching all run through the JMA’s FOODEX site. Japanese buyers decide slowly and value relationships, so first contact before the show matters. An enriched list of importers, trading houses and retail buyers lets you start that relationship weeks in advance.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • A high-quality, decision-maker buyer base
  • The best route for exporters into Japan
  • Strong national pavilions
  • Good satisfaction scores for visitors and exhibitors
  • Annual and predictable

Cons

  • Japanese buyers decide slowly
  • Japanese labelling and import rules
  • Japanese-language business culture
  • Expensive Tokyo hotels
  • Fee information unclear in English

Outdated titles and missing companies cost you meetings. I clean and enrich FOODEX Japan profiles before delivery, so the file you import is one your reps can trust. Get a clean FOODEX Japan list

Preparing for FOODEX 2027

  1. Check Japanese labelling and import rules for your products.
  2. Work with trading houses; many imports go through them.
  3. Request business matching early.
  4. Bring Japanese materials and samples.
  5. Book meetings in February.
  6. Plan for a long relationship, not a quick order.

FAQ

When is FOODEX Japan 2027?

From 9 to 12 March 2027 at Tokyo Big Sight.

How good are FOODEX buyers?

87% of visitors are authorised purchasers or decision-makers, with an average planned purchase of ¥8.65 million.

Is FOODEX free?

It’s trade-only; contact [email protected] for fee details.

Can I get the FOODEX attendee list?

There’s no exportable list. I can build an enriched list of exhibitors and buyer profiles.

Walk into FOODEX Japan with a target list

Exhibiting or just walking the halls, the companies you want to meet at FOODEX Japan are already registered. I can find them, enrich them with titles, company data and LinkedIn profiles, and deliver a file your team can work from straight away.

Contact me to get started

Sources

Photo credits