A complete guide to YATAI MTL 2025, Montreal’s Japanese street market

Four days of street food, sake, style, and a stylish Shiba Inu show along the Lachine Canal in Griffintown.

The Main

May 6, 2025- Read time: 6 min

For one weekend every June, a quiet corner of Griffintown turns technicolour. Lanterns sway in the breeze off the canal, the smell of karaage hits before you even see the line, and somewhere, a Shiba in a silk kimono is absolutely stealing the show. This is YATAI MTL, Quebec’s biggest Japanese street market—part food fair, part cultural deep dive, part four-day block party.

From June 5 to 8, 2025, YATAI returns to Hangar 1825 with over 25 food stalls, over 40 merchants, and a full slate of music, performances, and yes, a stylish show for dogs.

Now in its seventh edition, the festival draws over 35,000 people throughout its weekend of slurping ramen, shopping for rare finds, and getting one's fill of Japanese culture. Come for the takoyaki, stay for the City Pop disco—here’s everything you need to know.

The Basics: What You Need to Know

🗓 Dates:

June 5 to 8, 2025

📍 Location:

Hangar 1825, along the Lachine Canal in Griffintown

🎟 Admission:

$4 in pre-sale (ends at 5 p.m. on June 7)
$5 at the gate
Free for: kids under 12, people 65+, anyone in kimono/yukata, and Shiba Inu pawrents

🕒 Hours:

Thursday, June 5: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday, June 6: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday, June 7: 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday, June 8: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. (doors open 30 minutes early)

🚇 How to Get There

Metro: Charlevoix (10 mins), Georges-Vanier, Lionel-Groulx (15 mins)
Bus: Line 36, stop at Notre-Dame / Des Seigneurs
Parking: limited street + private lots nearby
Best options: BIXI, bike, or public transit

Accessibility note: site is partially accessible, with volunteers on hand to help.

Get Your Tickets Here

RSVP on Facebook

🍜 What to Eat and Drink at YATAI

If YATAI has a main character, it’s the food. The stalls stretch across the site, each one cranking out Japanese street eats like it’s Harajuku on a Saturday.

There’s crispy karaage and yakitori skewers sizzling over charcoal, okonomiyaki slathered in mayo and bonito flakes, and that perfect, crispy-on-the-outside-molten-on-the-inside takoyaki you'll crave well after this weekend.

There are also composting & recycling stations all around, and the incorporation of the Snappy app lets you order food by QR code and skip the lines, so less waste and more wandering.

Expect good portions, long lines, and zero regrets.

A few notables:

Ramen Nakamichi brings serious noodle cred and a side project: Café Le Nigiriz, repping traditional snacks and matcha drinks.
KATSUYA sticks to the classics—panko-fried pork cutlets with just the right crunch.
TML Catering goes sweet and savoury: taiyaki stuffed with red bean or custard, plus stacks of Japanese fruit sandos.
Teddy Jus et Fruits might win the visual game—slushies in whole melons or pineapples, no added sugar, pure summer.

🍸 Sake, Cocktails, and Japan’s Favourite Beer

Basically, you’re not drinking out of a Solo cup at YATAI. The Bistro SAQ anchors the beverage game at YATAI, with a rotating menu of sake-forward cocktails, straight pours, and refined pairings curated for the street food chaos. Whether you’re sipping chilled junmai daiginjo or diving into something fizzy with yuzu, there’s no wrong choice.

Want something classic? Asahi Super Dry is the official sponsor and will be pouring cold drafts all weekend. If you’re feeling bold, track down the Saké Québec Association reps on-site—they’re offering private imports you won’t find anywhere outside of restaurants and bars.

Also in the mix: premium Suntory whisky, matcha-based drinks from Thé Sakao, and those melon slushies from Teddy Jus et Fruits we mentioned earlier if you’re skipping the booze.

Pro tip: Bring your reusable cup or bottle. There are water stations throughout the site, and the event’s going low-waste thanks to partnerships with RECYC-QUÉBEC and Bopaq.

🛍️ Shopping at YATAI

YATAI isn’t just a food fest—it’s a full-on cultural marketplace. Think of it as the coolest alley in Tokyo, airlifted to Griffintown for one weekend. Between bites, you’ll find rows of artists, designers, and indie vendors offering everything from traditional crafts to contemporary takes on Japanese style.

A few standouts:

Kimono Yuki and Kimono Marie offer rentals, styling, and rare vintage pieces if you’re ready to level up your festival fit—or just want that perfect photo-op.
Futatabi Japan and Boutique Kodama breathe new life into old textiles, transforming kimonos into modern fashion and accessories.
Eliane Oba Ceramica and La Brasserie San-Ô highlight the quieter side of Japanese craftsmanship: handmade pottery and fermented pantry goods with serious umami.
STRATA, foonie, and Ivna Lins cover the cute and quirky end—zines, gacha toys, stationery with faces on them, and enough stickers to wallpaper your laptop twice over.
Tokusen might be the best-kept secret here, bringing real-deal Japanese pantry staples—shoyu aged in cedar barrels, artisanal mirin, and the kind of dashi you can sip like tea.

🎏 What To See and Do at YATAI

Ghibli piano concerts, City Pop, and Shiba Inu runways... YATAI’s got serious range. One minute you’re watching a Kendo demonstration, the next you’re dancing to Japanese 80s disco surrounded by cosplayers and drinking matcha cocktails. It’s part food fest, part variety show—the lineup this year is robust.

Here’s what’s on:

🎹 Studio Ghibli Piano Concert: Pianist Kanae Nobori brings the magic of Ghibli soundtracks to life. Expect pure nostalgia and goosebumps. (Saturday & Sunday)
🕺 City Pop Disco Night: Yes, there’s a full-on Japanese 80s dance party. Expect synths, neon, and vibes for days. (Saturday night)
🐕 SHIBALADE: A dog fashion contest where Shiba Inus and Akitas compete out of pure fun.
🎤 J-Pop & Dance Performances: Opening stage showcases all weekend long—local performers bringing high-energy J-pop, street dance, and more. (Friday to Sunday)
🥋 Kendo Demonstrations: The McGill Kendo Club breaks out the bamboo swords for some elegant sparring sessions. (Saturday & Sunday)
🍵 Tea Ceremony with Madame Matcha: A quiet moment amid the chaos—learn the ritual behind Japanese tea-making, complete with commentary and calm. (Sunday)
🩰 Nihon Buyo by Yuki: A traditional Japanese dance performance in full kimono, balancing poetry and precision. One of the weekend’s most transportive moments.

🍶 Special Event: Québec–Japan Networking Night

If you’ve ever wanted to talk business over okonomiyaki and sake, this one’s for you. YATAI MTL’s Québec–Japan Networking Night brings together artists, entrepreneurs, and cultural connectors for a laid-back mixer: Expect conversations that bridge industries and oceans, light bites straight from the vendor lineup, and drinks to keep things flowing.

It’s a rare chance to connect with Quebec’s Japan-facing scene, from designers and restaurateurs to trade reps and community leaders, all without the usual suits and stuffiness.

🗓 Date: Thursday, June 5

🕔 Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

📍 Location: Hangar 1825, Lachine Canal

🎟 Tickets: $50 (includes food and drinks)

Reserve Here

🌸 About ASIASIE

Behind YATAI is ASIASIE, the nonprofit helmed by Yasuko Tadokoro and Thien Vu Dang. Their mission? To build bridges between Quebec and Asia—culturally, creatively, and economically. Through events like Marché ASIASIE, Japan Week, and POCHA MTL, they’ve carved out space for Asian voices, makers, and traditions in Montreal’s public life.

YATAI is their biggest event—but it’s part of something bigger. A celebration of shared influence, slow-building relationships, and serious joy.