This year's Japan Burger Championship is set for June 12-14, 2026, at Red Brick Warehouse in Yokohama, Japan. (Japan Burger Championship)
Gourmet hamburgers from across Japan and overseas will be making mouths water this weekend at one of the country’s largest burger festivals.
The fifth annual Japan Burger Championship runs Friday through Sunday at Yokohama’s Red Brick Warehouse and is expected to draw tens of thousands of hungry visitors. About 70,000 people attended last year’s event, according to organizers.
You’ll be able to sample 27 gourmet burgers while watching chefs compete for the title of Japan’s best burger maker.
Visitors to the Japan Burger Championship line up to try unique gourmet burgers during the 2025 event at the Red Brick Warehouse in Yokohama, Japan. (Japan Burger Championship)
The cooking competition features 12 teams — 11 chefs who advanced through a qualifying round of 70 applicants, plus last year’s runner-up. Competitors will face off in semifinal rounds Friday and Saturday before six finalists advance to Sunday’s championship round.
The winner will earn a spot in the hamburger category of the World Food Championships in Indianapolis in October as Japan’s representative.
For many visitors, however, the food may be the main attraction.
The festival features burgers from former Japan Burger Championship winners as well as champions from international competitions.
Among them is a burger from Dubai’s One More Burger House, winner of the 2024 World Food Championships, featuring a beef patty, cheese and truffle aroma on a sesame seed bun.
Chefs compete in the 2025 Japan Burger Championship at the Red Brick Warehouse in Yokohama, Japan. (Japan Burger Championship)
Brisk Stand, last year’s Japan Burger Championship winner, is serving a double cheeseburger made with 100% Japanese beef and cheddar cheese.
Other offerings include burgers made with premium Japanese beef, shark meat, mochi, wasabi and macaroni and cheese.
One of the more unusual entries is the Zunda Sour Cream Burger from Harry’s Junction, the 2024 Japan champion. It combines sweetened mashed edamame, sour cream, cheese and a beef patty.
Burgers are available in multiple sizes, allowing visitors to sample several during the festival. Some vendors will cut burgers into smaller portions for an additional fee.
You can vote for your favorite burger among the 27 being sold at the event.
For those seeking a challenge, organizers are offering a prize to anyone who eats all 27 burgers over the three-day event and posts proof on social media.
Japan Burger Championship
Location: Red Brick Warehouse, Yokohama
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Prices: Burgers range from 1,100 yen to 3,410 yen, depending on size. Fries cost between 700 yen and 1,200 yen. Vendors do not accept cash.
Dress: Casual
Directions: About a six-minute walk from Bashamichi or Nihon-odori stations or a 15-minute walk from Sakuragicho or Kannai stations.
Information: Online: jburgerchamp.com/#about
