Highlights
- 15–16 December 2026 and 15–16 January 2027, 9:00–20:00 each day
- Around 200,000 visitors a day (Setagaya City)
- Freshly pounded daikan-mochi rice cakes (GO TOKYO)
- Origins in a 1578 free market opened by Hojo Ujimasa
Background & story
In 1578 Hojo Ujimasa opened a tax-free rakuichi market in Setagaya Shinjuku. From the late 1880s (the Meiji 20s) secondhand clothes and rags (boro) became the main trade, giving the market its name (Setagaya City).
Setagaya Boro-ichi 2026 runs on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 December 2026, 9:00–20:00, along Boro-ichi Street in Setagaya 1-chome, Setagaya City, Tokyo. The next session follows on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 January 2027, same hours. There is no admission ticket; the street is a 3-minute walk from Setagaya or Kamimachi stations on the Tokyu Setagaya Line. (Setagaya City official site and GO TOKYO, checked 2026-10-14.)
The Setagaya Boro-ichi is a street market held twice a year on fixed dates — 15–16 December and 15–16 January — with stalls lining the street around the Daikan Yashiki (the old magistrate's residence). The dates do not move with the day of the week. Setagaya City says the market draws "around 200,000 people a day".
Setagaya Boro-ichi 2026–2027 dates
| Session | Dates | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| December | Tue 15 & Wed 16 December 2026 | 9:00–20:00 |
| January | Fri 15 & Sat 16 January 2027 | 9:00–20:00 |
- Where: Boro-ichi Street and surrounding streets, Setagaya 1-chome, Setagaya City, Tokyo
- Road closures: Boro-ichi Street and nearby roads, 7:00–22:00
- Parking: none — the city asks visitors to come by train or bus
The December session falls on weekdays in 2026; the January session ends on Saturday 16 January 2027, so if you go that day, plan to arrive early in the morning.
Setagaya City has not yet posted its notice or poster for the 2026–27 season (as of 2026-10-14). The city's page (last updated 17 March 2026) describes the market as held on these fixed dates every year; the weekdays above are calculated from the calendar.
Rain and bad weather
The city says opening hours may change with the weather and that the market may be cancelled in severe weather. Changes and cancellations are announced on the Setagaya City website and on the Setagaya General Branch Office's X (Twitter) account — check the morning you go.
Getting there
- Setagaya Station or Kamimachi Station, Tokyu Setagaya Line — about 3 minutes on foot (Setagaya City)
- Tokyu Bus (e.g. route Shibu 24) to the Kamimachi stop (GO TOKYO)
- No car parking; bicycle parking is limited and nearby residents are asked to walk.
What can you buy?
The city does not publish a list of goods. GO TOKYO, Tokyo's official tourism site, describes vendors selling everything from everyday goods and accessories to toys and plants, and notes that many visitors buy freshly pounded rice cakes called daikan-mochi. Prices and sales times are not published, so we don't list them here.
Market etiquette (from Setagaya City)
- There are no rubbish bins — take your rubbish home.
- Avoid eating inside the market where possible, and never on private land.
- Children should come with an adult and be kept from getting lost.
- Don't drive: there is no parking.
A market since 1578
In 1578 Hojo Ujimasa, lord of Odawara Castle, opened a rakuichi — a free market exempt from market taxes — in Setagaya Shinjuku (Setagaya City). After the Meiji calendar reform it was also held on 15 January, and it settled into today's December and January sessions. Early year-end fairs mainly sold farm tools and New Year goods; from the late 1880s (the Meiji 20s) secondhand clothes and rags (boro) took over, which gave the market its name. GO TOKYO notes that the market is designated an intangible folk cultural property of Tokyo.
Is there a Daikan procession this year?
The "Daikan Gyoretsu", a re-enactment of the magistrate's patrol through the market, has recently been held once every five years. Setagaya City lists the next one as planned for fiscal Reiwa 9 (April 2027–March 2028), so check the city's page once dates are announced.
Related
For another long-running market, see Toji Temple Kobo-ichi Market in Kyoto. To browse events by date across Japan, use the Japan Festival Calendar Database.
Sources (checked 2026-10-14)
- Setagaya City, "Setagaya Boro-ichi" (Japanese): https://www.city.setagaya.lg.jp/02072/10108.html
- GO TOKYO, "Setagaya Boro-ichi": https://www.gotokyo.org/en/spot/ev114/index.html
Enquiries: Setagaya General Branch Office, Community Promotion Section, +81-3-5432-2831.
Checked 2026-10-14. Update log: 2026-10-14, page created from Setagaya City's fixed annual dates and GO TOKYO's listing.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- 3 minutes on foot from Setagaya or Kamimachi stations (Tokyu Setagaya Line); Tokyu buses such as Shibu 24 to Kamimachi. No parking; roads closed 7:00–22:00.
- Booking & entry
- Check tickets and details on the official page (button above).
- Paying
- No admission fee listed by the city (open street market).. Smaller venues in Japan are often cash-first — carry some yen (cards/IC not guaranteed).
- Language
- The city's market page is in Japanese; an English leaflet (PDF) is linked from it.
- Good for
- families, solo-goers
Good to know
December 2026 falls on Tuesday–Wednesday; January 2027 on Friday–Saturday. There are no bins, so take rubbish home, and no parking, so take the Setagaya Line or a bus. Weather changes are posted on the city website and the branch office's X account.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Setagaya Boro-ichi 2026?
- Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 December 2026, 9:00–20:00. The next session is Friday 15 and Saturday 16 January 2027, same hours. Setagaya City's official page lists these fixed dates every year (checked 2026-10-14).
- Where is it and which station is closest?
- Boro-ichi Street and the surrounding area in Setagaya 1-chome, Setagaya City, Tokyo — about 3 minutes on foot from Setagaya or Kamimachi stations on the Tokyu Setagaya Line. Tokyu buses such as route Shibu 24 stop at Kamimachi.
- Is there parking?
- No. Setagaya City asks visitors to use trains or buses, and Boro-ichi Street and nearby roads are closed to traffic from 7:00 to 22:00.
- Does it go ahead in the rain?
- The city says hours may change with the weather and the market may be cancelled in severe weather. Changes are posted on the Setagaya City website and the Setagaya General Branch Office's X account.
- Is it free, and what is sold?
- It is an open street market; the city lists no admission fee. GO TOKYO describes stalls selling everyday goods, accessories, toys and plants, plus freshly pounded daikan-mochi rice cakes that many visitors buy.