No Need to Travel Abroad This Mid-Autumn! 8 Okinawan Brands Invade Qishan for '2026 Qishan × Okinawa International Food & Travel Festival' on September 26–27

Skip the flight this Mid-Autumn holiday and enjoy an Okinawan island getaway right here in Taiwan! The '2026 Qishan × Okinawa International Food & Travel Festival' will take place from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, at Qishan Sports Stadium in Kaohsiung City. Centered around the theme 'Mountain Town × Island,' the Qishan District Office has specially invited eight unique Okinawan brands to Taiwan, collaborating with local vendors from Qishan and eastern Kaohsiung to bring the island charm of Okinawa to Qishan. This exclusive Mid-Autumn event celebrates the fusion of Taiwanese and Japanese food and travel culture through cuisine, coffee, baking, crafts, stationery, and lifestyle goods.

Taiwan-Japan Artisan Market, Okinawa Pop-Up Store, and Limited-Edition Collaborative Dishes — Explore Qishan with 55 Participating Stores

This year’s festival centers on the 'Taiwan-Japan Twin-City Artisan Market,' bringing together specialty vendors from Okinawa and local businesses in Qishan and eastern Kaohsiung. Visitors can savor the everyday flavors of Okinawa and the mountain-town cuisine of Qishan without leaving the country. The event will feature Okinawan specialties, popular souvenirs, coffee and desserts, naturally leavened bread, local food products, and handcrafted artisan goods. Combined with Qishan’s Golden Bananas, mountain-town delicacies, and local treasures from eastern Kaohsiung, the contrasting lifestyles of 'mountain town' and 'island' will converge in Qishan.

An Okinawan-themed 'Okinawa Select Shop' will also be set up on-site, showcasing curated products from Okinawan brands and offering limited-edition Taiwan-Japan collaborative dishes. Visitors can not only taste unique foods but also bring home the familiar lifestyle and island scenery of Okinawa, creating a 'travel-like experience without leaving the country' for the Mid-Autumn holiday.

Shoppers and explorers can join the 'Golden Banana Good Times: Stamp & Stroll' campaign, co-hosted by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Department of Commerce, on September 26–27. The campaign connects 55 partner stores across Qishan’s downtown area, guiding visitors from the festival grounds into the historic Qishan Old Street and surrounding neighborhoods through digital stamp collection and cross-store spending. Completing designated stamp collection tasks allows participants to redeem exclusive gifts such as specialty magnets, limited-edition tote bags, and 'Golden Banana Street' banana-shaped pendants. This encourages tourists to go beyond the market and deeply explore Qishan’s urban fabric, experiencing mountain-town life firsthand.

Beyond food and shopping, the festival stage will host cultural exchanges between Taiwan and Japan. Over two days, performances will include Japan’s Tsugaru shamisen, guitar singing acts, and indigenous bands from eastern Kaohsiung. Through diverse musical expressions, Qishan Sports Stadium becomes a stage where Taiwanese and Japanese cultures meet, offering a vibrant Mid-Autumn celebration.

On September 26, a special 'Dress Code: Hawaiian Shirt' event invites visitors to wear the iconic island-style floral shirt. The first 100 attendees who check in will receive a limited Taiwan-Japan co-branded souvenir. From fashion and food to music, the festival creates a full Okinawan island vibe for the Mid-Autumn holiday, transforming Qishan’s streets with tropical energy.

The Qishan District Office hopes that through Taiwan-Japan cultural exchange, Okinawa’s unique culture can spark new collaborations with Qishan’s local industries, tourism, and culinary scene. By bringing different island lifestyles into the mountain town, they aim to raise awareness of Qishan and eastern Kaohsiung’s unique charm. During the Mid-Autumn holiday, they invite the public to visit Qishan and experience the unique blend of mountain-town slow living and Okinawan island vibes.

This Mid-Autumn, no need to travel abroad — come on a Taiwan-Japan food journey. On September 26–27, the '2026 Qishan × Okinawa International Food & Travel Festival' will be held at Qishan Sports Stadium. Invite all across Taiwan to come to Qishan to eat, shop, listen to music, wear floral shirts, collect gifts, and experience a one-of-a-kind 'Mountain Town × Island' cultural journey. For more information, visit the Qishan District Office’s Facebook fan page.