Greater Tokyo · Gunma · Takasaki

Takasaki Daruma Market

高崎だるま市

Billed as the earliest daruma market in Japan, it fills the main street outside the west exit of Takasaki Station in Gunma on New Year’s Day and the day after. Stalls of Takasaki daruma line the road, crowded with people buying a lucky daruma for the year ahead. Held every year on 1 and 2 January.

1–2 January 2027

61 days away

Every year, 1 January, for 2 days

Future dates: 1 January 2027 · 1 January 2028 · 1 January 2029

Origin

Takasaki’s best-known daruma market had long been the New Year fair of Shōrinzan Darumaji, but there were calls for one in the town centre as well. Research turned up a record in an 1829 document, the Takasaki Danzushō, of daruma being sold at the first market of the year in Tamachi, in the middle of town, and from New Year’s Day 2017 the Takasaki Daruma Market has been held on the main street outside the west exit of Takasaki Station. It is run by the Takasaki Daruma Market organising committee.

What to look for

Daruma stalls line the station road, and daruma of every size fill the New Year street. Takasaki daruma are a traditional craft known for their faces, with eyebrows in the shape of a crane and a moustache in the shape of a tortoise, and there are colourful daruma and ones for the year’s zodiac animal too. Stalls of local food, including grilled yaki-manjū buns and offal stew, gather under the name Kaiun Takasaki Shokudō, and drums and dances take the stage. Giant daruma stand in the market for visitors to write their resolutions and wishes on.

How to watch

Old daruma are collected free of charge at the market and later burned in a memorial ceremony. Eat and drink in the food area. Drones and other small unmanned aircraft are banned throughout the market and the area around it.

If you go

The market fills the main road just outside the west exit of JR Takasaki Station, during the daytime on both 1 and 2 January. The road is closed to traffic on both days, so go by train. Check the times and events each year on the official site, run by the Takasaki Tourism Association. To visit the temple where the daruma began, there is also the Shōrinzan Nanakusa daruma market on 6 and 7 January.

Where

Station road outside Takasaki Station west exit

Takasaki, Gunma

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Sources

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