I like the local market.
Fish market, Farmer’s market, Street market, Weekend market… of all sorts at any time or any place. And the market is my always top must-see wherever I go to travel. There are fresh encounters, living communications and real local life in the market. Yes, I love the market!
Lucky for me where I’m living now, “Setagaya” a western ward in Tokyo, many kinds of market are hold all throughout the year, but most famous must be “Setagaya Boroichi”. The word of “Boro” means old fabric scraps, which was the main item traded there in the past. It’s been running for more than 400 years. (If you want to know more about the history, you can read it here.)
Today it’s hold twice a year on December 15 & 16, and again on January 15 & 16. Almost 700 small shops are selling wide variety of items like antiques,used clothing, handcrafts, accessories, toys, plants, foods etc. Referencing to the origin, many of the shop are selling used & old Japanese goods and it’s like a treasure hunting!
It’s one of the most popular flea market in Tokyo and by noon small street are overwhelmed with many visitors. You barely able to move. So every time I go there, I try to go there early morning, even before the market is officially opened (Official opening time is from 9am, but many vendors are getting ready before that time).
This year I went to there on 15th of January in the morning and bought two small bottles for Sake (it was 200 yen for each), Used blue iron enamel box for 1000 yen and one pack of Japanese spice mix for 500 yen.
Information
– 2 mins walk from Kamimachi station on light rail Setagaya Line, connected to Sangen-chaya station on Hanzomon-line, 5 mins from Shibuya.
– The market is hold twice a year on December 15 & 16, and again on January 15 & 16, running from 9am to 9pm.
