December Setagaya Boroichi Market

Name: December Setagaya Boroichi Market
Start: 2026-12-15T00:00:00
End: 2026-12-16T23:59:59
Location: Setagaya Boroichi-dori

Dec 15–16, 2026

Setagaya Boroichi-dori, Setagaya

This market in the suburbs of Setagaya has its origins over 400 years ago when people began exchanging thrift and fabric scraps (boro). Today, the market—held twice per year on the 15th and 16th of December and January—sees about 700 vendors gather on and around Boroichi-dori to peddle anything from retro games and antiques to ornaments and rice cakes.

Setagaya Boroichi was originally a designated raku-ichi—a free market system introduced in the late 16th century which allowed vendors to trade goods tax free in order to provide a boost to the economy—and was held six times per month. The market was an important meeting point for merchants and traders between Edo (now Tokyo) and Odawara to the south-west until Tokugawa Ieyasu based his shogunate in Tokyo and they gradually migrated to the center of the de facto capital. Nevertheless, the market continued to be held—albeit only once a year in December. The move to the Gregorian calendar with the Meiji Restoration in 1868 saw the market open in January, as well.

Antiques and handmade goods at Setagaya Boroichi — The market offers a wide variety of handmade goods, antiques, and historic textiles.

Map of the Setagaya Boroichi Market area — A map outlining the primary vendor zones and access routes for the market.

For visitors, the most sought-after item is daikan-mochi (freshly pounded rice cakes), which often commands queues of over an hour. Arriving early in the morning is recommended to browse the antique stalls before the midday peak. The area is most efficiently accessed via the Setagaya Line, which runs extra services during market days. Most independent vendors operate on a cash-only basis, so ensure you have sufficient local currency before arriving.