Japan's Number One Stewed Potato Party Goes Drive-Thru in 2020... 4000 Reserved Portions Were Served

　Japan's Number One Stewed Potato Festival had been cancelled due to COVID-19. Instead of holding a festival, a drive-thru system was put into place. Staff served stewed potatoes by the Sugawa riverside in Shimokunugizawa, Yamagata City last Sunday. 4000 portions were prepared on site, and people from within and outside the prefecture who had reserved pick-up times came in about 750 cars in an orderly fashion.

Potatoes boiling in a pot
(Sept. 20, 2020, by the riverside area in Shimokunugizawa, Yamagata city)

　The Stewed Potato Festival marks the start of the fall season. Every year, people in Yamagata city cook with Japan's biggest pot, which has a diameter of 6.5 meters, and hold the festival by the Mamigasakigawa riverside. Last year, they served 35000 portions of stewed potatoes. 

Staff giving a tote bag with the stewed potatoes inside through the driver's window

　They planned to substitute the festival with a to-go system where you can take the stewed potatoes home to eat since this year was the first time they had to cancel the event. Around 100 staff members gathered by the riverside during early Sunday morning. Staff prepared about 500 kilos of taro and 200 kilos of beef in 3 pots with diameters of about 1.3 - 2.3 meters. They packaged the stew in heat-resistant containers with a serving size for 4 people. Staff wearing face shields handed to-go bags through the car window and by 2 PM, they had finished serving 1000 sets.

　A 70-year-old man from Kawanishi who always comes to the festival every year ordered 5 sets of stewed potatoes. "Every year, waiting in line usually takes forever, but this year it seems I can get them pretty easily," the man who came to the venue at 9 AM happily said. 

Heat-resistant containers filled with stewed potatoes and beef

　President of the executive committee, Masashi Kouhei (37), said, "It's unfortunate that we couldn't hold the usual festival this year. I hope next year we can have Japan's best stewed potato festival where people can gather and celebrate around the cauldron."

　The executive committee used up the ingredients for the festival to create 1000 more sets. They are selling 1000 sets for a limited time online. Each set has a serving size for 5-6 people and comes to the price of 7000 yen. For any more questions, contact the festival council office (023-622-0141).

Source: https://yomidr.yomiuri.co.jp/article/20200921-OYTEW614012/?catname=news-kaisetsu_news