Winter’s bitter cold brings out the concentrated sweetness and umami of ingredients, making it a delicious season for food.
Seasonal ingredients are also highly nutritious, so I make a point of incorporating them into my meals.
It’s easy to end up staying indoors this time of year, but if you’re going out to eat, you’ll want to enjoy dishes that are unique to winter.
As of January 2024, the Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally is being held in Kurashiki, giving you the chance to casually compare lunches made with winter ingredients from Okayama Prefecture.
The information provided was current when this article was published in January 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the “Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally”?
The Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally is an event organized by the Kurashiki Tourism and Convention Bureau.
Compare special lunches made with ingredients from Okayama Prefecture at restaurants in Kurashiki City, and collect at least two stamps to win a wonderful prize.
The event ended once in 2017, but returned in 2020, and is now being held for the fourth time.
Offering a variety of lunches at reasonable prices, it remains popular with locals as well as tourists.
Forty-four restaurants are participating, and the event runs from Saturday, January 20 to Sunday, March 17, 2024.
Until now, it had been held in autumn as the “Autumn Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally.”
This time, however, it is being held in winter, so there are many warming dishes you’ll want to eat in winter, such as hot pots and stews.
Lunches are available at three prices: 1,500 yen (before tax), 2,000 yen (before tax), and 2,500 yen (before tax).
Check the participating restaurants on the official website or in the flyer below.
How to participate in the stamp rally
You don’t need to buy a ticket or anything else to participate in the Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally.
You can get the entry postcard, which also serves as your stamp rally card, in the following ways:
- Download and print the brochure or entry postcard posted on the official website
- Pick up a brochure at a tourist information center in Kurashiki City
Once you have your entry postcard, choose a restaurant for lunch.
Some restaurants require reservations by the day before, while others have a limited number of servings, so be sure to check the restaurant information in the brochure.
After finishing your lunch at the restaurant, let a staff member know and ask them to stamp your entry postcard.
Please note that stamps from the same restaurant on the same date on a single postcard are invalid.
Once you have collected at least two stamps, fill in the required information on the entry postcard.
Then affix a stamp and mail it, or submit it to an entry box at one of the following tourist information centers in Kurashiki City to complete your entry.
- In front of JR Kurashiki Station
- Kurashikikan
- Kurashiki City Tourist Rest Area
- Kojima Station
- Shin-Kurashiki Station
Entries must be postmarked by Monday, March 25, 2024.
Prizes
The prizes you can win depend on how many stamps you collect.
- Two or more stamps: Everyone receives the participation prize, an “original masking tape.” *Designs cannot be selected
- Three or more stamps: Enter a drawing for Prize B, a “meal voucher redeemable at participating restaurants”
- Four stamps: In addition to Prize B, enter a drawing for Prize A, “Kurashiki specialties”
Prize B will be awarded to 60 winners selected by lottery, and Prize A to four winners.
Interview with the organizers of the Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally
We spoke with Uebayashi Shigeki and Nanba Yuka of the Kurashiki Tourism and Convention Bureau, which plans and runs the Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally.
Could you tell us what inspired you to plan the Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally?
Uebayashi (honorific omitted)
The Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally was suspended for a time, but we brought it back in 2020 with the aim of “creating tourism demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.” In recent years, it was held in autumn, but this year we decided to hold it in winter, as we did before the pandemic, when tourism tends to slow down.
It’s a popular event, with repeat participants, because you can enjoy a lavish lunch at an affordable price.
At the previous event, participants enjoyed around 18,000 meals.
I think the many requests from participating restaurants to “keep it going” are a major reason we continue to hold the event.
This stamp rally is being held in winter. Are there any special highlights this season?
Nanba (honorific omitted)
Several restaurants are serving warm dishes that feel just right for winter.
For example, Hashimaya and “Restaurant Tsuta” at Kurashiki Ivy Square serve stew, while “Kaisen to Shari,” participating for the first time, offers soy milk hot pot.
Uebayashi
Among the ingredients from Okayama Prefecture used this time, many restaurants are using yellow chives, which are in season.
Some restaurants also serve seafood such as octopus and mamakari, as well as Peach Pork, a branded pork.
Nanba
There were also dishes made with burdock root and lotus root grown in Tsurajima.
How would you recommend enjoying the stamp rally?
Nanba
The lunches this time are available at three prices before tax: 1,500 yen, 2,000 yen, and 2,500 yen, so I think you can enjoy them to suit the occasion.
For example, with seasonal events such as graduations coming up, I hope people will make use of the event for a wide range of occasions, such as anniversaries and get-togethers with friends.
Uebayashi
The 2,500-yen lunches in particular are a nice way to enjoy something a little more luxurious.
Enjoying one of these meals on a special occasion is a great way to take part.
Nanba
Some restaurants have private rooms, and you can also enjoy lunch at atmospheric ryokan, so there are plenty of settings to choose from.
Some restaurants can accommodate tour buses, too, so we hope many people from outside the city will come.
We’d be delighted if this stamp rally encourages people to visit not only the Kurashiki area, but also Tamashima, Kojima, and Mizushima.
Do you have a message for our readers?
Nanba
The Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally is an event where you can enjoy more than your money’s worth and rediscover the appeal of Kurashiki’s food.
We hope everyone who takes part will use this opportunity to try out a variety of restaurants, collect lots of stamps, and win a wonderful prize.
Uebayashi
Each restaurant serves distinctive dishes, so I hope people of all ages will visit several restaurants with friends and take part in the stamp rally.
From the Writer
Popular with participating restaurants as well as customers, the Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally is an event where you can casually compare lunches at restaurants with a wide range of distinctive styles.
Having worked in Tokyo, I was amazed by the outstanding value for money at every restaurant, where you can enjoy a lavish lunch.
The prices are clearly stated, making it easy to find a restaurant that fits your budget, and it also sounds fun to choose a lunch based on the restaurant’s atmosphere and how you feel that day.
It would also be fun to discover restaurants you haven’t visited before.
Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally details
| Name | Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally |
|---|---|
| Dates | Saturday, January 20 to Sunday, March 17, 2024 The deadline to enter for stamp rally prizes is Monday, March 25, 2024. *Entries must be postmarked by this date |
| Location | Kurashiki, Kojima, Mizushima, and Tamashima |
| Participation fee (tax included) | Three options: 1,500 yen (before tax), 2,000 yen (before tax), and 2,500 yen (before tax) |
| Website | 2024 Kurashiki Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally |
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