Japan’s largest chocolate festival, “Valentine’s Day Chocolate Expo 2023,” will be held at the Hankyu Umeda main store in Osaka from January 13 (Friday) to February 14 (Tuesday), 2023.
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Expo 2023.
The “Valentine’s Day Chocolate Expo 2023” is an annual chocolate festival that brings together famous chocolatiers and brands from around the world. Under the theme of “Good Harmony Expanded by Chocolate,” approximately 3,000 kinds of sweets from about 300 brands will be on display in 2023. The main venue on the 9th floor of the Hankyu Umeda main store and every floor from the basement to the 12th floor will be colored with chocolate, which is a unique attraction of the “Valentine’s Day Chocolate Expo 2023”.
“Hankyu Umeda Gallery” on the 9th floor
The Hankyu Umeda Gallery on the 9th floor will host “Traveling with Cacao: Cacao World,” where visitors can thoroughly experience the fascination of cacao. Mini tablets that allow visitors to enjoy a variety of brands little by little, sweets that make the most of the flavor of cacao, and cacao seasonings that can be used in cooking will be on display. The baked goods from Kad Kokoa, which will make their first appearance at the “Valentine’s Day Chocolate Expo 2023,” are particularly noteworthy.
9th floor “Art Stage”
The first-ever “Kankitsu (Citrus) Jet” event will be held on the 9th floor Art Stage, featuring a lineup of sweets that combine citrus fruits and chocolate. The event will feature more than 100 kinds of sweets from about 50 brands, including orangettes made with mirin by Kakeru Chocolat and Kumamoto Ubukan x white chocolate by Daidai.
Daidai
Right)Kumamoto Ubukan x White Chocolate 4pcs. 2,484 yen
left)Yamaguchi Nagato Yuzukichi x Marana Piura 70% 4pcs. 2,484 yen
Hankyu Umeda Hall, 9th floor
Hankyu Umeda Hall on the 9th floor is offering cute chocolate treats under the theme of “Choco to Hitokitokitoki. ～The best item on display is the “Bear’s Hand Parfait in the Forest” topped with a “bear’s paw madeleine”. The “Kuma no Te Cafe” offers a variety of sweets with a “bear” motif, including the “Mori no Kuma no Te Parfait” with a “bear’s paw madeleine” on top. Also available are crispy pie sandwiches from “Caramello e Chocolatta” and an assortment of baked sweets from “Patisserie Etné,” featuring eye-catching heart-shaped cookies.
9th floor “Festival Square”
If you want to get your hands on colorful and pop chocolates, head to held at the “Festival Plaza” on the 9th floor. Among them, we recommend QUON Chocolate’s QUON Terrine. From flavors using Japanese ingredients such as matcha green tea and burnt soybean flour to refreshing chocolate chip and chocolate mint, there are a variety of unique terrines that are fun to look at.
QUON Chocolate
QUON Terrine 270 yen and up per piece
9th floor “Event Hall”
At the “Chocolates woven by wizards” section on the 9th floor, visitors will be able to enjoy a selection of chocolates made by “wizards of chocolate” who have captivated many people with their high level of skill and ideas. You can get artistic chocolates by famous chocolatiers such as Masahiko Ozumi Paris, pâtisserie Sadaharu AOKI paris, and Musee de chocolat Theobroma. The “pâtisserie Sadaharu AOKI paris” and “Musee de chocolat Theobroma”.
Masahiko Ozumi Paris
Zabuton Quatre Chocolat 4 pieces, 3,201 yen
Event space and cafes on each floor
In addition, event spaces and cafes on each floor of the museum offer a wide variety of chocolates from Japan and abroad. Some areas change brands on a weekly basis, so you can enjoy visiting again and again.
Information
Outline of “Valentine’s Day Chocolate Expo 2023
【Expo Period】
<B1F> January 13, 2023 (Fri) – February 14, 2023 (Tue)
<9th floor and each floor> January 20, 2023 (Fri) – February 14, 2023 (Tue)
【Venue】 Hankyu Umeda Main Store
【Address】 8-7 Kakudacho, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka
【Official Website】 https://website.hankyu-dept.co.jp/honten/h/valentine/