Markets · Kanto
Maebashi Hatsuichi Festival
前橋初市まつり
Maebashi's first market of the year, a daruma doll fair held every 9 January since the 1600s.
Confirmed dates
- Dates
- Sat 09 Jan 2027
- Date status
- Confirmed by the organiser or an official tourism source
- Venue
- Honmachi-dori, central Maebashi
- City
- Maebashi
- Prefecture
- Gunma
- Region
- Kanto
- Category
- Markets
- When it runs
- 9 January every year
- Checked
- Fri 23 Oct 2026 against the official source
About this event
The Gunma official tourist guide lists the Maebashi Hatsuichi Festival on 9 January, a tradition dating to the 1600s in which last year's daruma dolls are burned in a large bonfire and new ones bought for the year ahead. Hundreds of stalls line Honmachi-dori selling daruma, charms and festival food, and the day closes with a portable shrine parade.
Booking
Booked around the event: hotels, passes, transfers and eSIM. Booking links for this event are added after the product checks pass.
Official source: https://www.visit-gunma.jp/en/spots/maebashi-hatsuichi-festival/. Dates checked Fri 23 Oct 2026.