Traffic Restrictions for Toka Ebisu Plus First-Time Food Stalls from Amami Oshima, Nishinomiya’s Friendship City

Traffic restrictions will be in place from January 9 to 11 for Toka Ebisu.

Here ↓

Traffic restrictions will be in effect from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on the 9th through 11th. The dark-colored roads will become pedestrian-only streets. This includes Ebessan-suji and the area around Chuo Shotengai.

Changes to Hanshin Bus Stops

Dates: January 9 (Tue), 10 (Wed), and 11 (Thu)

Due to traffic restrictions on the Naruo-Mikage Line, the bus stop at the south exit of Hanshin Nishinomiya Station will be closed and unavailable.
The alternate bus stop will be at the east exit of Hanshin Nishinomiya Station (on the Fudaba-suji Line). The affected routes are the “Nishinomiya Hamate Line,” “Marina Park Line,” and “Nishinomiya Yamate Line.”

Here ↓

The east exit of Hanshin Nishinomiya is on the Fudaba-suji Line.

• Departure times for buses bound for the Hamate and Marina Park areas will be changed between the south exit of JR Nishinomiya Station and the east exit of Hanshin Nishinomiya Station.
• Some buses will be suspended on weekday operation days from January 9 (Thu) to 10 (Fri).

A Kurobuta Pork Stall from Amami Oshima Is Coming

There will be at least more than 340 food stalls inside and outside the shrine grounds for Toka Ebisu. This time, we’re giving you an early heads-up about a more unusual new stall making its debut.

Did you know that Amami Oshima is a friendship city of Nishinomiya?

On the map, it’s here ↓

Its address is in Kagoshima Prefecture. But it’s actually closer to Okinawa.

When you think of Kagoshima, you think of kurobuta pork. And believe it or not! You’ll be able to eat kurobuta pork raised on sake lees from Nishinomiya. This rare kurobuta pork, which almost never appears on the market, is making its Toka Ebisu debut.

This time, Shachomi was also invited to join the greeting visit to Nishinomiya Shrine for the stall coming from Amami.

Next to Shachomi are Acting Chief Priest Yoshii Yoshihide (よしい よしひで ごんぐうじ) and Negi priest Yoshii Yoshimichi (よしい よしみち ねぎ). This is kurobuta pork from Amami that was fed sake lees from Nishinomiya! It’s pretty much guaranteed to be good.

Amami Product Lineup

• 🔥 Charcoal-grilled Amami sake lees pork (limited quantity)
• 🌭 Amami sake lees pork sausages (limited quantity)
• 🐟 Fried horse mackerel with smoked tartar sauce
• 🍶 Amami brown sugar shochu (Ryugu) + snack set

Sake lees pork is rare and only available in small quantities, so it may sell out quickly.

The sausages are gone.

The sausages are a sake lees kurobuta version of the sausages that were previously sold at the pedestrian paradise event in Koshienguchi Shotengai. Readers also told us they were really delicious.

If they sell out, only the fried horse mackerel will be available, but since it comes with smoked tartar sauce, that should be pretty tasty too! Though they did say this one doesn’t really have much to do with Amami lol

Check the Live Camera to See How Crowded It Is

Nishinomiya Shrine has a live camera set up so you can check how crowded it is.

Below is from January 10, 2022 ↓

Just before 4 p.m. on Hon Ebisu, the approach to the shrine was this packed.

→Click here for the live camera

This is probably Ebessan-suji at its most crowded. Apparently it took 30 minutes to get to the Akamon gate.

Lastly

This year’s Toka Ebisu is packed with special stalls and events! Don’t miss rare gourmet items like Amami kurobuta pork and sake lees kurobuta sausages. If you’re worried about the crowds, check the live camera and enjoy the festival safely.