Bringing Belfast to Tokyo: Fish City Returns for 2026 UK Fair
At Fish City in Belfast, we’ve always believed that great food tells a story. Sometimes that story begins on the rugged coastlines of the North Atlantic, passes through a bustling kitchen in Belfast, and somehow finds its way across continents to one of the world’s most exciting cities.
This March, that story continues in Tokyo.
We’re proud to announce that Fish City has returned to Japan for our fifth pop-up event, bringing our award-winning fish and chips to the heart of the Japanese capital as part of the renowned British Fair 2026 at the iconic Isetan Shinjuku Department Store in central Tokyo.
For a local, family-owned restaurant in Belfast, this is a remarkable journey—and one we’re incredibly grateful to share with Japanese customers who have embraced one of the UK’s and Ireland’s most beloved dishes.
From Belfast to Tokyo
Fish City’s journey to Japan began in 2023, following a milestone moment for our team. That year, we were honoured to win Restaurant of the Year at the prestigious National Fish and Chip Awards—the highest accolade for restaurants in the fish and chip industry. The award celebrates excellence across every part of the craft: sustainability, quality of ingredients, culinary skill, customer experience, and commitment to the heritage of fish and chips. Not long after our win, we received an unexpected invitation: to bring our fish and chips to Japan.
Our first pop-up took place in Osaka in October 2023, where Japanese food lovers experienced our signature dish for the first time. The response was extraordinary. What started as a single overseas appearance quickly grew into something more—a cultural exchange centred on one of the UK’s most iconic meals. Since then, we’ve returned several times, including a memorable pop-up in Tokyo last August. Now, in March 2026, we are delighted to be back again.
British Fair: A Celebration of Local Cuisine
Our latest pop-up is part of the hugely popular British Fair 2026, now in its 11th year and widely regarded as one of the most exciting international food events in Tokyo. Held at Isetan Shinjuku Department Store, one of Japan’s most prestigious department stores, the fair transforms the building’s 6th-floor Exhibition Hall into a vibrant showcase of British culture, cuisine, and craftsmanship.
Running from March 11th to March 17th, the event brings together over 100 food and lifestyle brands from across the UK, offering visitors a taste of everything from classic baking to contemporary design.
Each year, thousands of visitors flock to the fair to experience the flavours and traditions of the UK—from afternoon tea and artisan sweets to hearty pub food and handcrafted goods. This year’s fair features nine themed pavilions, including:
British Lifestyle – celebrating design, culture, and heritage
Eat In & Takeout Tea – highlighting our rich traditions around tea
ISEPUB – a tribute to classic pub fare and traditional favourites
British Sweets – indulgent desserts and confectionery
Scones & Cream – sharing the joy of fresh baked scones
Tea World – showcasing premium teas and blends
Carrot & Victoria – celebrating iconic cakes and flavours
Spring Market – seasonal goods and speciality items
Glorious Tuesday – a special themed experience for visitors
At the centre of it all is food—the dishes that define our food culture and hospitality. And that’s where Fish City comes in.
Fish City Fish & Chips at ISEPUB
This year, Fish City is proudly representing Belfast and the UK in the fair’s ISEPUB pavilion. ISEPUB celebrates the flavours of traditional British pubs: hearty, comforting dishes enjoyed with friends, family, and a good drink. Visitors can discover classics such as meat pies, bangers and mash, and, of course, fish and chips. Our Fish City pop-up is serving our signature dish fresh each day, prepared by our expert fry chefs Bob Leahy and Barry Cushnahan. Both chefs travelled to Tokyo to recreate the authentic Fish City experience for Japanese customers. Their mission is simple: deliver the same award-winning quality we serve every day back home.
Fish and chips may be one of our most famous dishes, but exceptional quality fish and chips require consistency, expertise, technique, and exceptional ingredients. At Fish City, every element matters.
For our pop-up shop in Tokyo, we are serving Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified sustainably sourced wild Atlantic haddock, chosen for its delicate flavour, flakey texture, and of course its sustainability credentials. The cold waters of the North Atlantic produce some of the finest white fish in the world, making haddock a perfect choice for traditional fish and chips.
To ensure our Tokyo customers experience the true taste of Belfast, we have imported our signature batter mix. This is to create our signature batter, which is light, crisp, and golden—designed to protect the fish whilst creating that unmistakable tempura crunch. At the Fair, each portion will be cooked fresh by our fry chefs, who have years of experience perfecting the craft of fish frying. The result is simple but unforgettable: perfectly flaky haddock; light, crispy Fish City batter; twice-cooked chips; the unmistakable flavour of authentic Belfast fish and chips. Each day, only a limited number of portions are served—making it one of the most sought-after dishes at the fair.
Introducing the Fisherman’s Burger
Alongside our classic fish and chips, visitors can also try a new twist on the fish and chip tradition with the Fish City Fisherman’s Burger. This delicious creation features our lightly battered addock served in a bun. Together with our fish and chips, the Fisherman’s Burger is a great introduction for customers experiencing traditional battered fish for the first time—and a favourite among returning visitors who want to try something a little different.
A Cultural Exchange Through Food
One of the most exciting parts of bringing Fish City to Japan is seeing how food connects people across cultures. For many Japanese visitors, fish and chips is a dish they’ve heard about but never tried authentically from a local chef. For others—especially travellers who have visited the UK—it’s a nostalgic taste of our pubs and seaside towns.
The British Fair 2026 taps into the Japanese people’s deep appreciation and enthusiasm for British culture by bringing together both traditional and modern elements of British life. Visitors can explore freshly baked scones served with clotted cream, beautifully crafted cakes and biscuits, artisan teas and tea pairings, classic pub dishes, and ceramics and lifestyle goods produced by British designers.
Returning to Japan a fifth time is something we never imagined when we first opened Fish City in Belfast. From Osaka in 2023 and Kobe in 2024, and now back again to Tokyo, each visit has strengthened our connection with Japanese food lovers. What began as a one-off event has grown into a lasting partnership. And every time we return, we bring a little more of Belfast with us.
Visit Fish City at British Fair 2026
For our team, this event is about more than serving food—it’s about sharing a piece of where we come from. From Belfast to Tokyo, we’re proud to serve our award-winning fish and chips once again—and to celebrate the simple joy of great food enjoyed together. If you’re in Tokyo this week, we’d love to welcome you!
You’ll find Fish City at ISEPUB inside the Isetan Shinjuku Department Store, where our team will be cooking fresh fish and chips daily throughout the fair.
Event Details
Event: British Fair 2026
Location: 6th Floor Exhibition Hall, Isetan Shinjuku Department Store, Tokyo
Dates: 11–17 March 2026
Hours: 10 am – 8 pm (final day closes at 6 pm)