Maebashi’s New Year market, brought to life by daruma dolls and the market deity
Maebashi Hatsukaichi Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year on January 9 / Every year
- Location
- National Route 50 (Honcho-dori) and the central shopping district
- Area
- Gunma Prefecture・Maebashi City(From Tokyo: approx. 50 min–1 h · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A New Year festival held every year on January 9 in central Maebashi, popularly known as the Daruma Market. Stalls selling auspicious items and events beginning with a memorial service for daruma dolls bring color to the city streets.
About Maebashi Hatsukaichi Festival
Maebashi Hatsukaichi Festival is a New Year celebration held every year on January 9 in central Maebashi.
It is also popularly known as the “Daruma Market” because its stalls sell auspicious items such as daruma dolls.
Along with the Maebashi Festival and Maebashi Festival, it is counted as one of Maebashi’s three major festivals.
It continues as an event that brings color to the local New Year, set among the shopping streets of the city center.
Source: 前橋初市まつり - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
One of the highlights is the sight of stalls selling auspicious items, especially daruma dolls, lining the central shopping streets.
The festival begins at around 10 a.m. with a memorial service for daruma dolls and a fire-burning ceremony, followed by a procession to move the market deity to a temporary shrine.
Stalls stay open into the evening, not just during the daytime market, filling the streets of the city center with the lively atmosphere of the first market of the year.
Maebashi’s New Year market, brought to life by daruma dolls and the market deity
What to expect
Visitors can stroll along Honcho-dori, part of National Route 50, and through the central shopping district, browsing stalls selling auspicious items such as daruma dolls.
The festival program begins at around 10 a.m. with a memorial service for daruma dolls and a fire-burning ceremony, followed by a procession to move the market deity to a temporary shrine.
The festivities continue into the evening, with stalls staying open late, making for a full day at the first market of the year.
Location and access
- Venue and address
National Route 50 (Honcho-dori) and Maebashi City’s central shopping district.
- Train and bus
About a 10-minute walk from JR Maebashi Station; Chuo-Maebashi Station is also an option.
Information is provided about a free festival bus from Maebashi Station toward the central shopping district.
- By car
It is about 5 km from Maebashi IC on the Kan-Etsu Expressway, toward National Route 17.
- Parking
Parking Lot 6 at Yamada Green Dome Maebashi is listed as free parking.
Traffic restrictions are scheduled around the venue.
Address National Route 50 (Honcho-dori) and the central shopping district of Maebashi
Dates and season
The festival is usually held on January 9.
2026年については、前橋初市まつりに関する案内が示されています。
The usual program is described as beginning with a memorial service for daruma dolls at around 10 a.m. and continuing into the evening.
Source: 前橋八幡宮
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Gunma Prefecture / Maebashi City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The venue extends along Honcho-dori on National Route 50 and through the central shopping district, so it is convenient to plan to get around mainly on foot.
If you are visiting by car, be aware of traffic restrictions around the venue. You can take the free festival bus from the designated parking lot.
The bus may be rerouted, so it is best to check the route and stops for the day before setting out.
Source: 初市まつりは公共交通で行こう🍺🪭 | 前橋交通ポータル
Nearby attractions
るなぱあく
群馬県前橋市にある遊園地
アーツ前橋
群馬県前橋市にある美術館
写真：photo: Qurren ( talk ) Taken with Canon IXY 430F (Digital IXUS 245 HS) / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·
敷島公園
群馬県前橋市の公園
Origins and History of Maebashi Hatsukaichi Festival
The Maebashi Hatsukaichi Festival is said to have originated as a market for daily necessities and raw silk that was once held on the 4th and 9th of every month.
It is said to have begun in 1617, the 3rd year of the Genwa era, when Shigetada Sakai was lord of Umayabashi Castle. The market has been passed down through the generations with a long history.
In 2017, events were held to mark 400 years since the first market and 400 years since the death of Shigetada Sakai, celebrating these milestones.
Official information
Information about the program, traffic restrictions, and other details is available through Maebashi City’s event information and the official website of the Maebashi Hatsukaichi Festival Organizing Committee.
According to information from Maebashi City, details about the Maebashi Hatsukaichi Festival, including its program, are available on the official website.
Source: 令和8年度前橋4大イベントの日程／前橋市
Maebashi Hatsukaichi Festival at a Glance
Maebashi Hatsukaichi Festival is a New Year festival, known as the Daruma Market, held every year on January 9 in central Maebashi.
The main highlights are the memorial service for daruma dolls and fire-burning ceremony, the procession to move the market deity to a temporary shrine, and the stalls selling auspicious items.
It is about a 10-minute walk from JR Maebashi Station. If you come by car, you can take a free festival shuttle bus from a free parking lot.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
Submit information or a correction Submit photos of this festival
